K-State Edges Iowa, 3-2, in Series Opener

Stats | Boxscore

March 7, 2014

Box Score

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By JAMES ALLAN
hawkeyesports.com

MANHATTAN, Kan. — Three first inning runs held up for Kansas State as the Wildcats ended the University of Iowa baseball team’s seven-game winning streak with a 3-2 victory Friday afternoon at Tointon Family Stadium.

“We had a rough first inning,” said UI head coach Rick Heller. “We gave three free bases, which led to a three-run Kansas State first inning. Runs are at a premium and when you give things away, it costs you on a Friday night.”

Kansas State scored three runs on three hits and one Hawkeye error in its first at-bat of the game. The Wildcats opened the contest with three consecutive hits to plate the first run. Ross Kivett led off with a double to left field, Carl Yagi followed with a bunt single, and Shane Conlon delivered an RBI single to centerfield to make the score 1-0.

UI starter Calvin Mathews then walked the bases loaded before walking home a run and plunking Alex Bee to make the score 3-0. After getting through the first, Mathews settled in, retiring the Wildcats in order in the second and third and allowing three total base runners pitching five innings.

“I was proud of Calvin after that first inning, it was a tough one,” said Heller. “He really settled in and got us through the fifth.”

After mustering three hits against Kansas State starter Levi MaVorhis over the first five innings, the Hawkeyes put together a two-run rally in the sixth. With one out, junior Jake Yacinich single up the middle and stole second before advancing to third base on a Tyler Peyton single to center field.

Senior Taylor Zeutenhorst followed with an RBI single through the right side to cut the lead to 3-1 before junior Kris Goodman reached on a fielder’s choice, allowing Peyton to trim the deficit to 3-2. The inning ended when Goodman was thrown out trying to steal second base.

Iowa tried manufacturing a run in the seventh following a leadoff single by junior Dan Potempa. Sophomore Blake Hickman moved pinch runner Jake Riffice to second with a sacrifice bunt, but Wildcat reliever Ethan Landon got a pair of groundouts to keep Riffice stranded at second base.

In the eighth, Peyton had a two-out double down the right field line, but Kansas State got out of the inning when reliever Jordan Floyd entered and struck out Zeutenhorst to the inning. Wildcat closer Jake Matthys retired Iowa in order in the ninth for his first save of the season.

“We weren’t as dialed in as we have been at the plate today,” said Heller. “We battled, but didn’t give up. We had our opportunities, but we couldn’t get the two-out hit to get us over the hump. We had chances and fought back, it just wasn’t to be today.”

Mathews (1-1) suffered loss after allowing three runs on four hits in five innings. The right-hander had three strikeouts to three walks in the game. Junior Sasha Kuebel allowed three hits in 1 1/3 innings, while junior Brandon Shulista pitched 1 2/3 innings of no-hit baseball.

A pair of Hawkeyes accounted for four of Iowa’s eight hits. Peyton went 2-for-4 with a double and run scored, while Zeutenhorst was 2-for-4 with an RBI. Junior Jake Mangler went 0-for-3 in the game to end his 10-game hitting streak, but he drew a walk to extend his reached base streak to 11 games.

Iowa (9-2) and Kansas State will return to the diamond at 3 p.m. (CT) Saturday for the second game of the series. Junior Andrew Hedrick (2-0) will take the mound for the Hawkeyes.