A go-ahead RBI triple from Carlos Vasquez helped K-State pick up its fifth consecutive victory over Wichita State, as the Wildcats defeated the Shockers, 7-5, Tuesday night at Tointon Family Stadium.
With two outs in the bottom of the sixth, Vasquez delivered a game-winning triple off the right field wall to plate the deciding run and push the Wildcats’ winning streak to a season-high six — the second-longest active winning streak in the Big 12.
“Good, clean, sound, win in all phases of the game,” said eighth-year head coach Pete Hughes in a statement. “I was very happy with it. Our guys played with great energy and played clean baseball.”
Left-hander Adam Arther (1-0) was awarded the victory in relief of starter Cohen Feser, who logged 3 1/3 innings in his first start at K-State. Arther held the Shockers to two runs over 2 2/3 innings. Robert Fortenberry retired all six batters he faced out of the Wildcats’ bullpen, while Tazwell Butler tossed a shutout ninth inning to earn the save.
How it happened
The Shockers came out swinging, as leadoff Jaden Gustafson took the first pitch of the game into centerfield before later scoring on a fielder’s choice to take a 1-0 lead.
AJ Evasco avoided the diving efforts of both the center fielder and left fielder for a triple in left-center to score Dee Kennedy from first, following the shortstop’s single — each extending their hitting streaks to four.
Back-to-back homers handed WSU the two-run advantage, 3-1, in the third, but K-State answered with three runs in the bottom of the inning, highlighted by Kennedy’s two-run shot to left field.
The two squads exchanged a run until pinch hitter Jacob Gutierrez knocked in a run with a groundout to third in the sixth.
Tied 5-5, the Wildcats delivered the decisive blow in the bottom of the inning. With two outs, Evasco reached on an infield single and stole second to move into scoring position. Vasquez immediately followed with a triple off the wall in right to give K-State to go-ahead run. The Cats’ left fielder came around the plate in the next at-bat with Micah Kendrick’s double to score the final run.
Butler relieved Fortenberry in the ninth and slammed the door with a 1-2-3 inning, earning his second save.
Up next
K-State will host South Dakota State (5-10, 0-0 Summit) Wednesday at 6 p.m. at Tointon Family Stadium to wrap its eight-game homestand. The midweek contest can be seen on ESPN+.
