K-State Slate: 3.14.15 - Baseball wins, track scores, tennis loses

For those of you still paying close attention to basketball (OMG, why?!), you need Jon Morse and the How to Watch post in your life. Note: the H2W is also your OPEN THREAD for all the action.

And now for something different. A long time ago in a place not far away, Kansas State slew some giants. Larry Weigel of the Manhattan Mercury looks back at the Wildcats' stunning victory over the USSR national basketball team in 1978. (H/T to AmmoCat who not only linked the story but witnessed it in person).

Kansas State earned its second shutout of the season. The BatCats blanked Missouri State 4-0 yesterday in the series opener at Tointon Family Stadium. Starter Nate Griep pitched late into the seventh inning and recorded six strikeouts for the fifth time this season. Pitching in relief, Bryce Ward allowed just two hits in the eighth and had a perfect ninth inning to save the shutout.

The next game between these teams is at 2 PM today, with right hander Colton Kalmus getting the start.

The tennis team was less fortunate, getting shut out 4-0 by No. 27 TCU in the Big 12 opener. The Wildcats started strong in each singles match, with Palma Juhasz, Livia Cirnu, and Iva Bago all taking the first set of their matches, but TCU was able to close out in the final set, and also took the doubles 2-0. This was the first ever meeting in Manhattan for the two teams, and the Horned Frogs lead the all-time series 6-0.

Up next, the tennis team takes on No. 17 Texas Tech on Sunday in the annual Pink Match.

The women's track team is currently in ninth place in a particularly strong field at the NCAA Indoor Championships.

Akela Jones is a perpetual motion machine. She opened the afternoon in the high jump and finished fourth, the highest finish for a Kansas State athlete in the women's high jump at the NCAA Indoors since 1988. She also became the first Wildcat women's athlete to earn first team honors since 2007. An hour later, she was in the long jump pit where a jump of 6.27 m qualified her for the event finals and earned first-team honors. She also ran the 60H semifinals, finishing 13th overall to earn second-team honors. She is the first-ever Wildcat women's athlete to earn All-American status twice in the event.

Meanwhile, teammate A'Keyla Mitchell ran a blistering 23.25s in the 200m semifinals to finish third and earn a spot in the event final along with first-team honors. She is only the second Wildcats sprinter ever to earn this distinction. She will race in the 200m semifinals as well as the 4x400 final tonight.