K-State Baseball: BatCats Bomb U.S. Air Defenses, Win 17-2

Manhattan, KS – The Bat Cats Bomb City Cats remained hot at the plate while extending their win streak to 11, continuing their longest win streak since early 2006, and earned Coach Brad Hill’s 350th K-State victory and 768th overall with a 17-2 blowout win over the Air Force Academy Falcons.

Showing no slowdown from this weekend, and blowing off speculation they may be looking ahead towards the big matchup with Oklahoma this weekend, the Wildcats (12-7) remained hot at the plate knocking in 17 runs on 17 hits. A day after securing Big 12 POW honors, Mitch Meyer had another big game at the plate, knocking in two RBI on three hits, just missing out on the cycle with a single/double/triple outing. Freshman Tyler Stover had a solid game as well, with a RBI double and RBI triple on the evening, as did freshman Tanner DeVinny who knocked in four runners for the Cats. Overall ten Cats, including all nine starters, recorded hits on the afternoon, turning this mid-week game into a glorified batting session.

On the mound, redshirt freshman Nate Griep (1-0) recorded the win for Cats, pitching five innings allowing only two runs on six hits, including a HR to start the fourth inning, and striking out five Falcons. The Wildcat bullpen got some action after Griep was pulled, sending four pitchers to the mound in the final four innings. The young arms only gave up two hits and three walks, led by freshman Jake Fromson’s perfect seventh inning.

Sophomore Trent Monaghan (0-2) recorded the loss for the Falcons, who fall to 4-14 on the season. Monaghan gave up ten earned runs on only nine hits in three and a third innings of work. His replacement, freshman Travis Neubeck, managed to keep the Cats bats silent in the fifth and sixth innings, before being pulled in the beginning of the seventh after walking the first batter he faced. Junior David Thomas recorded three of his team’s eight hits, including the homerun bomb in the fourth, and touched home plate for both of the Falcons' scores.

The mid-week series wraps up tomorrow with the game beginning 3:00pm CT from Tointon Family Stadium. TV coverage will again be available, though it will be buried on the dial on FOX College Sports. Radio coverage will be provided by 1350 KMAN, and streaming (should) be available from 1350KMAN.com and from K-StateSports.com.