This may not have been how they had it planned, but K-State baseball is 4-0.
After falling behind by three runs in the bottom of the seventh inning, the Wildcats responded with four runs of their own in the top of the eighth to knock off Coastal Carlina 5-4 on Thursday in Myrtle Beach, S.C. It was the first of four games for K-State in the Caravelle Resort’s Baseball at the Beach tournament.
Wildcat starter Kyle Hunter stumbled out of the gate, allowing the Chanticleers to plate a run in the bottom half of the first, but he settled down and did not allow another runner to cross until the fourth. The junior threw six innings of two-run ball, but picked up his second no-decision in as many starts this season.
Down 2-0 in the sixth, K-State cut the deficit in half, scoring on a throwing error by Coastal Carolina third baseman Tripp Martin. The Chanticleers pushed the lead out to three in the seventh, however, when Wildcat reliever Evan Marshall was roughed up for two earned runs before he could get out of the inning.
With shortstop Tanner Witt and center fielder Ryan Moore already on base in the eighth, K-State left fielder Nick Martini drew a walk to load the bases. Moore and Brown both scored moments later on a fielding error to make it a one-run game, and the Wildcats plated two more in the frame to ultimately take the lead for good. Closer James Allen cane in to pitch the ninth and retired the side in order to earn his third save of the season.
Offensively, the Wildcats were led by Brown, who went 2-for-4 from the plate. He failed to drive in a run, but he scored twice in the contest.
K-State will return to tournament action tomorrow when it travels to Conway, S.C., for an afternoon game against Western Kentucky. The Wildcats will send junior starter Matt Applegate to the mound to face the Hilltoppers. First pitch is set for 1 p.m.