As the American flag rippled in the wind — pointing out to left center — the Kansas State baseball team was set for its first matchup of a three-game series against the SIUE Cougars.
The Wildcats got busy early and often from the start of the first inning to the bottom of it. Right-hander James Guyette started on the mound for K-State and stayed there over the course of six innings, where he only allowed five runs on seven hits and matched his career high eight strikeouts for the third time this season.
The white-and-purple uniforms were ready as Guyette struck out the Cougars’ leadoff batter, walked the second batter and led the three and four hole to fly out, ending the inning with zero runs, zero hits and zero errors for the Wildcats.
A successful half inning on defense continued as K-State stepped up to the plate. Leading off for the ‘Cats was center fielder Robby Bolin, who hit a single to center field on a 3-2 count. As the designated hitter, Kyan Lodice was faced with a 3-1 count but stayed disciplined and walked. Also in a full count, shortstop Dee Kennedy hit a single to third base, allowing a prime offensive setup. Next up was right fielder AJ Evasco, who sent a ball deep to right center, hitting a grand slam to give the Wildcats the lead 4-0. The next three batters in the K-State lineup wouldn’t add to the damage, allowing the Cougars to get three consecutive outs to end the inning.
“Our offense stayed greedy,” K-State head coach Pete Hughes said. “They wanted to expand leads, and that’s what really good teams do, and now our next challenge is to sustain our success and to build on the momentum we created tonight.”
SIUE’s Terrick Thompson-Allen would reply to K-State’s grand slam inning with a homer of his own, bringing in a Cougar who stood on first base as well. Between half-innings, the ‘Cats lead 4-2 after SIUE ended the top of the second inning with two runs on two hits, leaving one runner on base.
But it wouldn’t be long until the K-State lineup went off at the plate again. Protecting his zone on a 2-2 count, first baseman Ty Smolinski fouled off a pitch before connecting with the ball and sending it over the left field wall, adding to the Wildcat’s lead, 5-2.
“Staying with my approach and trust in my training and teammates got me in good positions to hit,” Smolinski said. “Just felt good and staying confident.”
Approaching the plate next, catcher Bear Madliak hit a homer on a 1-2 count, sending it 417 feet deep into center field. With two outs, Evasco hit a double to right center, scoring Lodice, who tripled on a 2-0 count. Before the Cougars closed out the inning, Inoue hit a double to right field, scoring Evasco from second base and advancing third baseman Grant Gallagher from first to third base. The Wildcats ended the second inning with four runs, five hits and two LOB, leading 8-2.
During the third inning, SIUE’s Joshua Heyder homered 374 feet to left field and scored Ryan Niedzwiedz from second base, shrinking their deficit to five, 8-3.
The Wildcats finished out the bottom of the inning with one run by Smolinski after being brought in by a left field double by Lodice. The Cougars would fail to score in the top of the fourth, down 9-3. In the bottom of the fourth inning, Smolinski doubled to right field on a 2-1 count, scoring Inoue from second base, along with Vasquez from first base, and extending the lead 11-4.
The fifth inning was uneventful for both teams, but SIUE’s Thompson-Allen was able to rip one to center field in the sixth, hitting a solo homer to closeout the scoring for the Cougars.
While K-State wasn’t able to score in the bottom of the sixth, they were able to pile on three more runs to their lead during the seventh inning.
The Wildcats made a pitching change at the top of the seventh as Adam Arther replaced Guyette. The left-handed hurler lasted three innings, allowing one hit, no runs and striking out four.
As the Cougars switched to defense, they also made a pitching change, but it would not be successful in slowing the Wildcats down. Right after SIUE made the switch, Madliak hit his second homerun of the day, sending a pitch 402 feet into left field and scoring two baserunners — Vasquez and Smolinski.
K-State ended the day with a nine-point victory, 14-5. The Cougars look for revenge in game two on March 7, with the first pitch set for 4 p.m.
“We have a special team this year,” Smolinski said. “We talked about it a lot, how tough this team is, looking forward to the future and not dwelling on whatever has happened in the past.”
