MANHATTAN, Kan. TCU erased an early three-run deficit and rattled off nine straight runs on Saturday to even the series, defeating K-State 9-3 at Tointon Family Stadium.
After falling behind 3-0 sparked by extra-base hits from Dee Kennedy and Bear Madliak the Horned Frogs (19-11, 6-5 Big 12) steadily climbed back. They tied the game at 3-3 before catcher Brady Dillamore delivered the go-ahead RBI single in the sixth inning. The Wildcats (20-11, 5-6 Big 12) were unable to respond offensively the rest of the way.
“To win Big 12 games, you have to score in more than one inning, and we didn’t do that,” head coach Pete Hughes said. “We had an opportunity to limit damage in the sixth but couldn’t. They came through with a bases-loaded hit and we didn’t that’s the difference. We’ll regroup and try to win the series tomorrow.”
HOW IT UNFOLDED
Starter Lincoln Sheffield (5-1) set the tone early by retiring TCU in order before K-State struck for three runs in the first.
Shintaro Inoue opened with a walk and scored on Kennedy’s triple earning Kennedy more momentum following his inclusion on the Golden Spikes Award Midseason Watch List. Madliak followed with an RBI double, and Carlos Vasquez added a sacrifice fly.
TCU trimmed the lead to 3-1 with a solo homer from Chase Brunson in the second inning.
With the game knotted at 3-3 entering the sixth, TCU batted around to score three runs and take control. They added two more insurance solo shots courtesy of Jack Arthur and Cole Cramer in the ninth to lock up the win.
