K-State opens Big 12 with sweep of Cowboys

K-State took their first step towards another successful run in the Big 12 this weekend — and it was an impressive one.

With timely hitting and a more controlled pitching effort than Friday, the Wildcats completed a weekend series sweep of Oklahoma State on Sunday afternoon.

It was the first conference-opening sweep for the Wildcats since the inception of the Big 12 conference.

The Wildcats took both games of the double header Sunday by scores of 9-3, and a 13-3 run-rule victory in seven innings.

The double header was scheduled after Saturday's action was canceled because of inclement weather in the Manhattan area.
I
t was a truly impressive and convincing showing by the Wildcats in their first Big 12 series of the season, compiling 18 hits in the 16 innings of play on Sunday.

"It's not easy to sweep in this league even at home," head coach Brad Hill said. "Obviously on the road it is almost impossible to do that. For us to be able to accomplish that is a start."

It's a start towards a repeat and perhaps even an improvement upon last year's record-breaking season. The Wildcats are now atop the Big 12 standings, as the only team with a perfect 3-0 conference record after the first weekend of Big 12 play.

The Wildcats (19-3 3-0 Big 12) will have a quick turnaround before their next action, as in-state rival Wichita State (14-7) comes to Manhattan on Tuesday for a 6:30 p.m. clash with the Wildcats.

Senior right-hander Ryan Daniel lasted five innings in the first game of the double header, giving up three earned runs on eight hits before junior Thomas Rooke took over in the sixth.

After an inconsistent performance on Friday night, the lefty silenced the Cowboy bats while on the mound by allowing just one hit in four innings.

"I struggled on Friday night," Rooke said. "I [knew] I had to move on from that. I came in and just tried to throw strikes, which is what they put me in there to do."

Striking out a career-high seven batters in four innings, Rooke was in control on the mound in the first game, and the Wildcat offense took advantage.

K-State scored three runs in both the sixth and eighth inning, to take a 9-3 lead, after Mike Kindel began the inning by drawing a walk. The offensive surge was all Rooke needed to guide K-State to the 9-3 victory in the first game.
After the 30-minute layover between games, The Wildcat bats remained hot.

K-State took advantage of several opportunities given to them by the Cowboys in the second game, including five walks in seven innings. K-State built a 4-2 lead over the Cowboys early in the game, before exploding for eight runs in the fourth inning.

Oklahoma State pitchers Ian McCarthy and Brian Denny combined to walk three Wildcat hitters during the fourth inning explosion, as K-State pushed their lead to 12-2 and put itself in position to run rule the Cowboys.

"It was just a great approach by everyone today, " junior first baseman Kent Urban, who went 7-for-12 in the series, said.

First pitch for the Wildcats' game against Wichita State on Tuesday is set of 6:30 p.m. The game will be broadcast on Kansas 22.

Notes
* With a single in each of the two games, centerfielder Nick Martini extended his Big 12 leading hitting streak to 19 games. The streak is fourth in school history. Martini went 5-for-9 in the series.

* K-State's last three game sweep in Big 12 conference play came last season on April 3-4, when the Cats swept Nebraska on the road.

* The Wildcats made the most of their free passes this weekend as Oklahoma State walked 19 K-State hitters.

* The Wildcats have beat the Cowboys in their last six meetings, dating back to their 2008 victory on March 30.

* The Wildcat pitching rotation turned in another solid performance during the weekend. With Kyle Hunters win on Sunday, the rotation remained perfect on the year. Hunter moved to 5-0, while the staff moved to 12-0 combined on the year.

-Photo Rob Mikinski