BatCats rack up 35 runs, sweep Northern Colorado

MANHATTAN, KS – In the first game of the Saturday doubleheader, the K-State Wildcats blasted the Northern Colorado Bears 24-3. It wasn’t quite as dominating a performance on the mound as yesterday, but the BatCats made up for it with offensive innings of six, five, and seven runs in the blowout.

Senior Jared Moore (4-1) got the start and win for the Cats, going seven innings before being taken out to allow some younger arms to end the game. It was no repeat of Levi MaVorhis's performance yesterday; Moore only saw the minimum in the first and sixth innings. Moore threw 94 pitches at 30 batters, giving up three runs on seven hits, the biggest being a blooper double to right field in the second that was just out of reach of Mitch Meyer.

For the BatCats offense, no one was bigger than Meyer in the early game. Meyer recorded six RBI, including a three-run blast over the centerfield wall in the second inning. As with Friday’s victory, all but one starter managed at least one hit, and seven batters recorded multiple RBI. Five non-starters got to play in the early game, with three recording hits and RBI. Three Cat sluggers went to the plate six times; All-American Ross Kivett was the only Cat with seven at-bats, recording four hits and three RBI

Overall, the first game again showed the complete dominance of the BatCats over an out-matched Bears squad. Senior Josh Tinnon (2-3) got the start for the Bears and was saddled with the loss. He gave up nine earned runs on seven hits, throwing 62 pitches to only 17 batters through just over two innings (getting two batters on in the top of the third without recording an out before being removed). The Bears used five pitchers in the early game, and only one Bear hurler did not give up a run.

The second game wasn’t as explosive as the first, but again the BatCats asserted their home-field advantage to paste the Bears 11-0. Sophomore Landon Busch (2-1) got the start and win in the nightcap for the Cats, allowing no runs on three hits in five innings of work, throwing 69 pitches at 19 Bear batters. Again, multiple Cat hitters recorded hits and RBI, led again by Mitch Meyer with three and two. For the day, Meyer was 5-6 with 6 RBI, breaking out of a long slump to lift his average to a respectable .275 with a team-leading 16 RBI.  Also, several younger Cats got to see more game action, which is exactly what you would hope for in a matchup like this. Senior Chris Hammer (1-4) recorded the start and loss for the Bears giving up six runs on 10 hits in 5 innings of work.

After the doubleheader, K-State moves to 11-7 on the young season, while Northern Colorado falls to 5-16. The Next action for K-State is a 2-game midweek series (starting at 6:30pm on Tuesday, March 18th) against the Falcons of Air Force Academy before heading south to Norman next weekend as both squads open Big 12 play. The BatCats remain undefeated outside of the state of California on the season.