PROVO, Utah — Aided by six home runs, K-State took game two of the three-game series against BYU with an 18-4 win on Friday night at Miller Park, tying the series at 1-1.
Despite holding Kansas State to a scoreless first inning, BYU began trailing the Wildcats 3-0 in the second. Kansas State notched at least one home run in the second, third, fourth and fifth innings, with seven runs in the fifth inning alone.
The Cougars’ first runs came in the fourth inning off the bats of Luke Anderson and Bryker Hurdsman, followed by one more in the sixth. The Wildcats took a 15-run lead with two more runs in the eighth.
BYU scored one run in the ninth inning but Kansas State struck out the Cougars' final batter and sealed the game with an 18-4 win.
Pitcher Garrison Sumner tied his career high with nine strikeouts on the night, and Nolan Ficklin doubled his season high with four strikeouts.
BYU Highlights
- Crew McChesney: 2-4, 2 RBI, 2 2B
- Cooper Vest: 2-4, R, 2B
- Luke Anderson: 1-2, R
- Tate Gambill: 2-4, 3B
- Easton Jones: 1-4, R, 2B
Game Summary
The Wildcats put the first two runs on the board in the top of the second with a triple to left center field, followed by a home run past right field and another run scored off a wild pitch. Luke Anderson prevented a fourth run by throwing a Kansas State batter out at home.
The Wildcats tallied three more runs in the third off two home runs to left field. Two more homers to left and center field in the fourth inning gave Kansas State a 9-0 lead.
Anderson walked to first to start the bottom of the fourth, then advanced to second base off a throw. Hurdsman singled to shortstop, and Anderson advanced to third. Hurdsman took second and Anderson scored BYU’s first run of the game off a balk. McChesney doubled to right center and brought Hurdsman home for another run, bringing the score to 9-2.
A single to right field, home run to center field, double to left center field and groundout to first base put another seven runs on the board for the Wildcats in the top of the fifth.
Vest doubled to right field in the sixth inning, then advanced to third off a groundout to first. Vest scored the Cougars’ third run of the game after McChesney doubled to left field.
Kansas State lengthened its lead 18-3 in the eighth with a double to right field and RBI single.
BYU put up one more run in the bottom of the ninth. Easton Jones doubled to left center and advanced to third after Matt Hansen singled to second. Jones then scored off a single from Chipper Beck.
Up Next
The Cougars will face the Wildcats in their final game of the series on Saturday, May 3, at 1:30 p.m. MDT at Miller Park. The game can be found on ESPN+ and BYU Radio.