MANHATTAN, Kan. (KStateSports.com) – Junior left-hander Jacob Frost pitched 5 2/3 innings and the K-State offense produced 20 hits Saturday, as the Wildcats raced away with a 17-3 victory over UMass Lowell to clinch the weekend series at Tointon Family Stadium.
K-State (6-3) exploded in the third with six runs led by a go-ahead three-run single from catcher Cayden Phillips after spotting the River Hawks (3-6) a 1-0 lead. The Wildcats scored 11 runs over the final three innings, that included home runs by Brendan Jones, Raphael Pelletier, and a grand slam by true freshman Nick English. K-State has launched 18 home runs over its last seven games.
“Two days in a row of solid baseball, and it all begins with a good start,” K-State head coach Pete Hughes said. “Today, our starting pitching was solid and Blake [Dean] was awesome.”
Frost (1-0) earned his first victory with K-State, as he limited the River Hawks to two runs (one earned) on seven hits with five strikeouts over a season-high 5 2/3 innings of work.
Dean scattered three hits over 2 1/3 innings in relief, allowing one earned run with a strikeout.
“We got a little sloppy at the end, but there are many contributors up and down our lineup, which speaks to the depth of our team,” said Hughes.
Six Wildcats recorded multiple hits, with five driving in multiple runs. Chuck Ingram had a productive day in the lead-off spot, going 4-for-5 and scoring three runs while English, who was 2-for-4, drove in a game-high five RBI.
THE RUNDOWN
UML put together back-to-back doubles to jump on the board first in the third.
K-State immediately responded with six runs to take control of the game. With two outs, and runners on first and second, Brady Daydoubled just out of reach of the River Hawks’ defense to get the 2-1 lead.
A bases loaded situation brought Phillips to the plate, where the Amarillo, Texas product lined a two-out, bases-clearing single.
The Wildcats added three runs in the sixth as Jones launched a two-run dinger into dead center, and English slapped an RBI single into left.
UML reduced the deficit to 9-3 in the seventh before K-State erupted with eight runs over the final two innings, including English’s grand slam and first collegiate home run.
INSIDE THE BOX
- K-State scored 17 runs on a season-high 20 hits with one error and 10 men left on base.
- UML was held to three runs on 10 hits with two errors committed and 11 stranded.
- Frost earned his first win as a Wildcat with five strikeouts (1-0).
- English hit his first collegiate home run in the eighth for a grand slam.
- Nine different players recorded a hit for K-State.
- Ingram went 4-for-5 with three runs scored.
- Five Wildcats drove in multiple RBI – English drove in a season-high five.
- Cats went 12-for-27 (.444) with men on base, 8-for-20 with runners in scoring position.
- UML hit .235 (4-for-17) with runners and .250 (2-for-8) in scoring position.
- K-State went 8-for-13 (.615) with two outs.
- Ten of the Cats’ runs came with two outs.
NOTES
- K-State clinched its second series of the season.
- Wildcats lead the all-time series, 2-0.
- Day is hitting .875 in the series (7-for-8), reaching base in 10 of 11 plate appearances.
- English recorded the first grand slam of the season.
- K-State has homered 18 times in the last seven games.
- K-State produced its seventh multi-home run game.
- Culpepper stretched his hitting streak out to 12, dating back to last season.
- Four starters have reached base in all eight games.
- Three Wildcats extended their on-base streaks to 10-plus, dating back to 2023 (Culpepper – 16), Jones – 13), (Pelletier – 12)
UP NEXT
Game two against the River Hawks is scheduled for 1 p.m. Sunday at Tointon Family Stadium.
