After K-State football defeated Kansas 35-24, baseball kept the party going, dominating the Jayhawks 16-7 in the yearly 12-inning scrimmage Saturday.
The first inning already contained a first for K-State baseball, as senior catcher Connor Capece challenged a pitch using the new Automatic Balls and Strikes system (ABS). The system overturned the pitch from a ball to a strike, giving sophomore pitcher Grady Westphal his first strikeout of the day.
Fireworks went off immediately for K-State’s offense, as fifth-year outfielder Robby Bolin smashed a 450-foot home run to dead center on the first pitch in the bottom of the first. In the second, after two consecutive singles, junior infielder Maddix Simpson lined a 2-RBI double in the right-field gap, helping the Wildcats burst out of the gate and lead 3-0 after two innings.
Come the fourth inning, KU led off with a homer before senior pitcher Jackson Hulcher recorded three straight strikeouts to limit the damage. K-State responded with a home run of its own, this one from sophomore infielder and Arkansas transfer Landon Schaefer.
The offense continued its hot streak, with senior catcher and outfielder Nick English hitting a sacrifice fly to score fifth-year outfielder Cadyn Karl. Sophomore outfielder Jack Quetschenbach then hit a 2-RBI single to give the ‘Cats a 6-run advantage in the fourth, 8-2.
The Jayhawks responded with runs of their own, grinding out at-bats and being patient against sophomore pitcher Noah Gartner as they loaded the bases and scored on a walk. Senior pitcher Adam Arther came in for Gartner and walked one more, scoring another for KU. Arthur settled in, not giving up any more runs and ending the inning with a strikeout.
Offensive production never slowed down between the two teams, as K-State scored again in the bottom of the fifth. Junior infielder Ty Smolinski started the inning with a double in the right-field gap that came off the bat at 107 mph. Junior first baseman Paul Jones II followed it up with a double of his own, trading places with Smolinski and scoring him.
The Wildcats had a dream bottom of the sixth, being patient and working multiple walks before a Bolin RBI double scored senior infielder Jalen Evans. Fifth-year Jacob Harris followed up Bolin with another RBI single to put K-State up 14-5 before the inning ended early.
The call-and-response game was not over yet, though, as the Jayhawks hit a solo home run off junior pitcher and Cloud County Community College transfer Stocton Timbrook in the top of the eighth, putting KU back on the board, 14-6. K-State responded in the bottom of the eighth with junior outfielder Ty Hamilton hitting an RBI double, scoring freshman two-way player Cordell Clinkingbeard.
The Wildcats continued to put numbers on the scoreboard as Jones started the bottom of the ninth with a single. Moving to second on a steal and third in the next at-bat, Jones scored on a wild pitch during freshman catcher Jett Vindiola’s plate appearance. Jones’ score was one of 3 runs K-State scored via the wild pitch.
Neither team scored any more runs until the 12th inning, when the Jayhawks hit a solo home run off fifth-year pitcher Jonah Reich, making the score 16-7 in favor of K-State. Reich then settled in, finishing the inning on a pop-up to the third baseman and ending the game.
K-State used every form of play to score and win. Whether it was pitching success, homers, hits or walks, the Wildcats’ complete team effort dismantled the Jayhawks and sent their athletes packing at 0-2 on the day in Manhattan
K-State’s next event is its annual ALS Halloween game on Oct. 29, where players will hang out with kids, raising money in support of ALS research.
