SLATE: Survive for another day

Baseball

After a disappointing opening to the Big 12 Baseball Championships, that saw the Cats fall 5-3 to Texas Tech on Wednesday, Kansas State rebounded in the elimination game on Thursday to beat West Virginia 8-5 thanks to the Wildcats best offensive day in a couple weeks and a strong outing from Blake Adams. The Wildcats knocked in 12 hits resulting directly in 6 RBI, and scored two runs on bases-loaded walks, both taken by Cash Rugely. The Wildcats were also able to take advantage of three errors by the Mountaineers. Adams was roughed up early, then went three innings where he threw just 18 pitches to be able to extend his outing all the way into the 7th inning to provide some relief to K-State’s bullpen. Ty Ruhl completed the 7th and notched all of the 8th, but gave up a run in the 9th before being pulled. Dylan Phillips again came off first base to finish the game, recording his 7th save of the season.

Today, the Cats again face off against Texas Tech at 7pm CDT (ESPN+), who lost to Oklahoma yesterday afternoon. The Cats will have to hope the 5th time is the charm against the Red Raiders, as the loser goes home. And in K-State’s case, that will be it for the season while the Top 10 Red Raiders are still expected to host a regional in a few weeks.

Football

There a thing that starts today. So get pumped.

K-State football has announced the start times and TV for the first three games of the season. The Wildcats home and season opener versus South Dakota on Sept. 3rd will kickoff at 6pm CT and will be carried on Big 12 Now on ESPN+, and the Wildcats contest against Tulane on Sept 17th will kickoff at 2pm CT also on Big 12 Now on ESPN+. In the headliner game of the non-conference, the Wildcats and Missouri Tigers will renew the rivalry at 11am CT and will be broadcast on ESPN2.

Track & Field

The Wildcats will have a few more athletes headed to Eugene, OR for the 2022 NCAA Outdoor Championships, as sophomore Kade McCall (men’s hammer throw, Wednesday), senior Tommi Hintnaus (women’s pole vault, Thursday), and freshman Velecia Williams (women’s long jump, Thursday) all hit qualifying marks to advance to the championships. There are still a few more Wildcats in competition today and tomorrow at the NCAA West Preliminary, including fifth-year senior Wurrie Njadoe (women’s 100m & 200m), junior Kassidy Johnson (women’s 800m), and junior and Tokyo 2020 Olympian Shalysa Wray (women’s 400m) who all advanced to the quarterfinals in their events, as well as all three men’s high jump entrants (Tejaswin Shankar, Kyle Alcine, and Devon Richardson) who are competing today.

Other

At least Gene Taylor is thinking ahead. During the Catbackers Tour stop in Kansas City earlier this week, Taylor brought up the need for the new Big 12 Commissioner to keep the conference at the table for the big media deals, and avoiding dropping too far behind after losing OU and Texas.