Texas Tech walks off Wildcats to sweep series

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Junior Blake Adams throws a pitch during the game against No. 6 Oklahoma State on April 3, 2022. (Archive photo by Kendall Spencer | Collegian Media Group)

Kansas State baseball allowed a walk-off two-run home run to Texas Tech on Sunday, falling 7-6 to the Red Raiders and securing a series sweep.

K-State led 6-4 entering the ninth inning with arguably its best pitcher on the mound: junior Blake Adams. The Red Raiders plated three runs on a solo homer by Zac Vooletich and a two-run, game-winning home run by projected future first-round draft pick Jace Jung.

This was the second loss of the series for the Wildcats after carrying a lead late into the ball game. On Friday, the Wildcats had a 3-1 lead in the sixth before seeing the Red Raiders drop five unanswered runs in a 6-3 victory.

Today, K-State had leads of 3-0, 4-1 and 5-2 at various points in the ballgame but could not hold the lead.

“That’s why you play nine innings,” head coach Pete Hughes said to K-State Sports. “You gotta keep adding to your lead against a team like that, and we didn’t do that today.”

Even with bullpen struggles, the offense continues to soar. K-State hit two more homers on Sunday, one from Dom Johnson and another from Nick Goodwin, who is hitting his stride after a poor start to the season.

Goodwin took Texas Tech starter Chase Hampton deep to left to start the second inning, his fourth home run of the season and third in the last seven days.

Goodwin added another RBI in the ninth, with a run-scoring single that gave the Wildcats a two-run lead.

Connor McCullough looked solid until the seventh, where he gave up two runs and was lifted for Adams. McCullough struck out five batters while walking two, but gave up a season-high ten hits.

“Connor was really good,” Hughes said to K-State Sports. “He kept them off-balance all game long.”

On Friday, Adams surrendered five runs — four of them earned — in a loss. On Sunday, he allowed three more runs in his second loss of the series.

K-State faces Texas in a three-game series starting at 6 p.m. on Thursday. All three games will air on ESPN+. Stay tuned to the Collegian for coverage of the baseball team.

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