Kansas State baseball opened their Super Regional in disappointing fashion, seeing an early three-run lead slip away to Virginia.
The Wildcats opened the scoring in the first inning before a Kaelen Culpepper double in the third gave K-State a three-run lead in the early frames. Starting pitcher Owen Boerema then navigated out of multiple jams before allowing two runs in the bottom of the 5th and 6th to give Virginia the lead.
A David Bishop home run in the next frame tied the game, but the tie was short-lived, as second baseman Henry Godbout answered with a three-run home run to give the Cavaliers a 7-4 lead, a score which would hold for the rest of the game.
The loss puts K-State in a tough position for the rest of the weekend, as they'll have to win the next two games to advance to Omaha. While history doesn't favor K-State advancing, many programs have advanced after dropping the series opener. Now on the brink of elimination, the Wildcats will look to keep their season alive with a win tomorrow night.
Here are three takeaways from the Wildcats 7-4 loss in the series opener.
BLAKE DEAN STRUGGLES IN RELIEF
Blake Dean inherited a tough situation when he was called from the bullpen, as Virginia had placed runners at first and second with one out. However, his outing was lackluster, allowing two runs in 0.2 innings pitched.
Dean opened his night with a wild pitch that advanced each of Virginia's runners into scoring position. Then, a ground-rule double cleared the bases and gave the Cavaliers a late lead. In the next inning, he put the first two runners on base before being replaced by Cole Wisenbaker, who would allow the game-winning home run.
Dean has been a reliable pitcher for the Wildcats, and relievers are bound to have disappointing performances. However, seeing that performance in the NCAA Tournament Super Regionals is less than ideal.
The Wildcats may call on Dean again this series, so he needs to be ready, whether it's tomorrow or Sunday in a series decider.
***
SUBSCRIBE TO EMAW ONLINE WITH A PREMIUM SUBSCRIPTION | DISCUSS AT THE CAT CAVE FORUM | TWITTER: @RivalsFielder, @EMAWOnline
***
CULPEPPER STAYS HOT BUT OFFENSE GOES COLD
Culpepper's two-run double in the third inning gave the Wildcats an early lead, which was about all you could ask for from the Wildcats perspective. It was equally encouraging to see the hit come from Culpepper, who has been the Wildcats' driving force the entire season, especially in tournament play.
However, the rest of the offense went fairly cold the rest of the game. Bishop's late home run gave them a beacon of hope, but it's hard to beat a team like Virginia with just four runs.
The Cavaliers have one of the best offenses in the country, and they're always capable of turning a game on its head with one swing of the bat. They don't turn games into marathons, they keep them as sprints. K-State needs to find ways to produce more offense against Virginia's starting pitchers so they can get to the struggling bullpen earlier in the game.
