MANHATTAN, Kan. — The West Virginia baseball team fell 4-3 to Kansas State on Saturday in the finale of their Big 12 opening series.
After winning Game 1 on Friday 13-2, the Mountaineers (8-11, 1-2 Big 12) dropped a pair of one-run games. Saturday’s was especially disappointing for WVU, which led 3-0 in the first inning only to watch K-State tie it in the second.
“We came out today and scored three in the first, and I think everybody started feeling pretty good with what they had going on, and we just let up a little offensively,” West Virginia coach Randy Mazey said. “We played some bad defense and let them right back into the game and they scored three.”
WVU trailed 4-3 in the eighth inning when designated hitter Matt Frazer led off with a triple only to be stranded by K-State reliever Jake Mathys.
Wildcats starter Matt Wivinis (3-0) pitched seven innings, allowing three runs on seven hits with five strikeouts and four walks.
WVU got off to a quick start, scoring three runs in the top of the first inning to take a 3-0 lead. Ryan Tuntland had a two-run single before Ryan McBroom singled in the third run.
Kansas State retaliated in the bottom of the second thanks to five singles against WVU starter John Means (2-1). .
The Wildcats scored the eventual game-winner in the fifth inning as RJ Santigate was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded, driving in Shane Conlon. Right-hander Dan Dierdorff came on in relief of Means induced a one-out bases loaded double play to get out of the jam.
Means allowed four runs on eight hits in 4 1/3 innings with two strikeouts and one walk.