The Kansas State baseball team lost the second game of the two-game season series with Creighton 8-3 on Wednesday night in Omaha, Nebraska.
The Wildcats had a late comeback bid foiled in the ninth. With the bases loaded and two outs, sophomore outfielder Cameron Thompson struck out swinging to end the Wildcat threat.
K-State did all of its offensive damage in the seventh and eighth innings, but ultimately came up short.
In the top of the seventh, junior outfielder Drew Mount scored on a ground out by senior infielder Trent McMaster.
Mount finished the day one for four with one run scored and one strikeout. His lone hit was a lead-off single in that first inning.
The McMaster RBI left a runner on third for freshman catcher Jordan Maxson, who promptly grounded out to end the inning.
K-State would threaten again in the eighth, when Thompson walked to load the bases with just one out, down 8-1.
Freshman infielder John Sorensen ripped a double down the first baseline to score two runs and bring the Wildcats to within five runs of extra innings.
Unfortunately for K-State, Creighton’s junior left-hander Denson Hull got senior outfielder Hanz Harker to swing at an 0-2 pitch to end the inning.
K-State’s starting pitcher, sophomore Jared Marolf, lasted only two innings. He gave up three runs on four hits and was saddled with the loss. His ERA now sits at 4.38 and he is 1-4 on the year.
His reliever, freshman Andrew Stratman, gave up five runs in two-thirds of an inning.
The Wildcat pitching staff as a whole recorded only six strikeouts and used six pitchers as they struggled through the game.
Creighton scored three runs in the first, and then turned around and put five more on the scorecard in the third to seal the win early.
The Bluejays’ starting pitcher, senior lefty Preston Church, provided a quality start, five-and-one-third innings of two hit baseball. He gave up no runs.
Creighton beat K-State 13-3 in Manhattan on March 16. This win gave the team the season series with the Wildcats.
Creighton moved to 17-6 on the year and extended its winning streak to seven straight games.
The Wildcats are now 15-4 this year. They have dropped two straight. K-State is an abysmal 4-8 away from home and 3-6 in true road game.
K-State’s next action will be a three-game weekend series against the Oklahoma State Cowboys in Manhattan starting Friday at 6:30 p.m.
