K-State Baseball: Wildcats Rout the Jayhawks Behind MaVorhis' Complete Game Shutout

It was another great night for the Wildcats at home. The BatCats opened the game up with a huge 5-run first inning and never looked back, beating rival Kansas 10-0. With the win the Wildcats improve to 11-0 at home this season, 18-11, 2-2 overall on the season, and 173-163-1* all-time against Kansas. The Jayhawks fall to 19-11, 3-4 on the season. This marks the biggest victory in a shutout over Kansas since 1969 when the Cats also won 10-0, and biggest margin of victory since 1999.

Sophomore Levi MaVorhis (4-3) pitched another gem in his second complete-game shutout of the season, coming back strong after back-to-back losses at OU and Creighton. He was perfect through five innings before giving a run and walk in both the 6^th and 7^th innings. A perfect 8^th got him back in rhythm, then gave up a hit and fielder’s choice in the 9 before finally closing out the game. He threw 96 pitches on the evening, throwing only two more pitches than KU’s starter, who threw 94 in five innings. His stat line finished with zero runs on three hits, two walks, and four strikeouts while facing only 32 batters.

The BatCats were led at the plate by Soph. Clayton Dalrymple (2-5), but Senior Shane Conlon and Freshman Tanner DeVinny each knocked their only hits over the wall for homeruns. All nine starters for the Wildcats recorded a hit on the evening, and seven Cats recorded RBI’s led by Tanner DeVinny’s three (all off his HR). DeVinny's HR also extends his hit streak to 13 games, which ties Ross Kivett (who saw his streak end last Tuesday) with the season high for the Wildcats. R.J. Santigate also extended his career-high on-base streak to 21 games with his RBI single in the 1^st inning.

Without their usual Friday starter, the Jayhawks started Junior Jordan Piche’, his first start of the season. Piche’ (4-3) went five innings in the loss, which was a shorter-than-normal game for Jayhawk pitchers who are used to going seven innings in starts. Piche’ gave up seven runs on eight hits, with three walks, five strikeouts, and two HBP while facing 28 batters. He gave way to Freshman Jon Hander who gave up one run on a wild pitch after loading the bases on walks in his only inning of work. Sophomore Colin Taolson pitched the 7^th and start of the 8^th, giving up the final two runs on one hit, before Freshman Hayden Edwards came in and recorded the final two outs for the Jayhawks.

The Jayhawks weren’t really "led" at the plate by anyone, but three Jayhawks recorded hits, and two more reached base on walks. Two more reached by way of a fielder’s choice, but the Hawks were never able to do more than threaten.

The Wildcats and Jayhawks square tomorrow at 2:00pm. Due up for the Wildcats is lone Senior hurler Jared Moore who is 5-1 on the season with a 4.15 ERA entering tomorrow’s contest. KU will send Junior Robert Kahana, one of four Hawks from the Island State, who sports a 1-4 record with a 3.46 ERA. The game will be available to Cox Cable subscribers on Ch. 22 and TWC subscribers on their sports channel. As always, you can catch the game on the radio on 1350 KMAN, and free live-streaming audio is available at 1350KMAN.com and K-StateSports.com. K-StateHD.TV is also broadcasting the game for those outside the state.

K-State Sports indicates that while all chair back and bench seats are sold out for both Saturday and Sunday’s games, standing room only tickets are still available for both games.

*According to the K-State record books. KU's books list the series at 179-171-1