MANHATTAN, Kan. — West Virginia used 15 hits, including three-run homers from Ryan McBroom and Matt Frazer, to win its first Big 12 baseball game, 13-2 over Kansas State on Friday afternoon.
In Game 2 of the doubleheader, the Mountaineers rallied from five runs down in the seventh inning before losing 6-5 on a bases-loaded singly by K-State’s Tanner Witt.
The rubber game of the series is scheduled for Saturday at 3 p.m.
McBroom’s 3-for-4 performance highlighted mutli-hit games by six Mountaineers in the opener, which ended afte seven innings under the 10-run rule.
WVU’s outburst backed the pitching of Harrison Musgrave (2-1), who allowed two runs on two hits over 6 1/3 innings, with six strikeouts.
Center fielder Bobby Boyd, right fielder Brady Wilson, left fielder Jacob Rice, second baseman Billy Fleming and catcher Alan Filauro all had two hits apiece for WVU (8-10, 1-1).
McBroom hit a three-run blast his second of the season, in the top of the fourth to break the scoreless affair.
In the fifth inning, the Mountaineers sent 10 batters to the plate and scored five runs — all with two outs — to lead 8-0. Fleming had a two-run single and McBroom a two-run double to highlight the inning.
Frazer’s sixth-inning opposite-field blast score Rice and Wilson to make it 11-0.
After WVU added two runs in the top of the seventh, K-State (11-7, 1-1) scored twice in the bottom half to chase Musgrave
Kansas State starter Nate Williams (2-3) allowed five runs on six hits in 4 1/3 innings.
Game 2: Kansas State 6, WVU 5
Down 5-1 entering the seventh inning, WVU used McBroom’s second homer of the day and an RBI single by Boyd to close the gap. Rice then hit his first career a homer, a game-tying, two-run blast to left-center on the first pitch from Wildcats reliever Levi MaVorhis.
WVU reliever Josh Harlow (0-1) took the loss, surrendering Witt’s go-ahead single. Harlow was in his fifth inning of relief of starter Corey Walter, who lasted just two innings and allowed four runs on eight hits.
K-State’s Jake Matthys (2-1) claimed the victory in one inning of perfect relief, striking out the side. Witt pitched the ninth for his third save, allowing two hits before striking out Frazer to end it.