Kansas State baseball traveled to Wichita and pulled off a major victory. The Wildcats and their efficient sixth inning secured an 8-6 win against the determined Wichita State Shockers with pitcher Mason Buss moving his record to 2-0 with the win.
Wichita State didn’t hesitate to get started fast. The Shockers got on the board in the bottom of the first inning, racking up two runs. The offensive success continued into the bottom of the third as the Shockers picked up two more to take a 4-0 lead.
Momentum began to shift towards the Wildcats in the top of the fourth inning. Center fielder Brendan Jones scored the first K-State run off an RBI single from Nick English.
Then the sixth inning began.
English again drove in Jones, this time on a double. The run was the first of six in the inning for K-State, as five batters gained an RBI in the inning, taking a 7-4 lead.
Wichita State would not respond with silence, the Shockers tacking on two more runs in the bottom of the sixth off a two-run triple from right fielder Seth Stroh.
Up 7-6, K-State pitcher Jackson Wentworth pitched a scoreless effort in the final three innings of play. The redshirt sophomore also racked up five total strikeouts to help the Wildcats to victory, snagging his fourth save.
English added one more RBI in the top of the ninth, driving in shortstop Kaelen Culpepper for his second run of the game.
The battle between Wichita State is still not over this season. The Kansas schools will face off again on April 10, this time in Manhattan.
Until then, K-State returns to some conference play starting with the Houston Cougars. The pair will clash in a three-game set starting at 6:30 p.m. Friday.