Kansas State 4, (#15) Texas A&M 3

Saturday, April 11

Manhattan, Kan.

2:00 PM

Texas A&M

21-14, 8-7

Kansas State

26-9, 7-5

Texas A&M

Kansas State

Apr 11, 2009 | Baseball

Box Score

By: Texas A&M Athletics

April 11, 2009

Final Stats

MANHATTAN, Kan. - Carter Jurica's sacrifice fly in the bottom of the ninth inning capped a two-run rally and lifted Kansas State to a 4-3 win over No. 15 Texas A&M Saturday afternoon before a season-high 1,746 fans at Tointon Family Stadium.

With first base open, one out and the score tied 3-3, the Aggies intentionally walked Adam Muenster to load the bases. Jurica fell behind in the count 1-2 before lifting a high fly ball to right field. A&M's Brooks Raley made a strong throw to the plate, which was blocked by Kevin Gonzalez, but the runner, Rob Vaughn, was ruled to have touched the plate before the tag to end the game. The Wildcats (26-9, 7-5 Big 12) took the series with the victory, while the Aggies fell to 21-14 and 8-7.

True freshman Ross Hales was very strong in just his third career start, giving up two hits and allowing one run through the first six innings before being lifted in the seventh. He did not allow a hit until the fifth.

The game was a pitcher's duel early before A&M broke the deadlock in the fourth, as Brodie Greene led off the frame with his sixth home run of the year to put the Aggies up 1-0.

A&M would double its lead in the fifth. Designated hitter David Alleman, making his first career start, drew a five-pitch walk to lead off the inning and moved to second on a sacrifice. Kyle Colligan followed with a bunt single to third base to put runners on the corners and, with a 2-2 count on the next batter--Brooks Raley--Colligan broke for second. K-State threw down and tagged Colligan out sliding into the bag, but Alleman was able to beat the return throw home with a head-first slide for the Aggies' second run.

The Wildcats got their first hit off Hales with two outs in the fifth, as Rob Vaughn drove a 3-2 pitch over the fence in left center to make the score 2-1.

Kansas native Dylan Petrich got the run back in the seventh, launching his fourth home run of the season high over the trees in left field to put the Aggies back up by two.

Justin Bloxom led off the K-State seventh with a single up the middle, and Drew Biery followed with a double that landed just inside the line in right that put the tying run at second with no outs. The next batter, Jason King, lined a single off the glove of a leaping Shofner at third and into left field, scoring Bloxom to cut the A&M lead to one. Hales got the next batter to hit a soft liner to Shofner for the inning's first out. It would be his final batter of the afternoon, as the Aggies went to closer Nick Fleece out of the bullpen to face Vaughn.

Vaughn bunted a 1-0 pitch back at Fleece on a squeeze attempt, and the Aggie pitcher flipped the ball home to Gonzalez. Biery was caught in a rundown and was retired for the second out, but the Wildcats moved both runners into scoring position. Fleece then struck out Dane Yelovich with a full-count fastball to end the threat and preserve the lead.

K-State rallied with two outs in the eighth, putting two on base for Biery, but Fleece was able to strike him out to end the inning.

Jason King led off the ninth with a hard single to shortstop. One out later, back-to-back two-strike hits through the infield would drive King home and bring Muenster to the plate, setting the stage for Jurica's game-winner.

Fleece (3-1) took the loss, giving up four hits and two runs in 2 1/3 innings of relief. Three of the hits and both runs came in the decisive ninth inning. Hales went a career-long 6 1/3 innings, giving up four hits, two runs and three walks while striking out four.

Thomas Rooke (4-0) picked up the win in relief, allowing a hit in 1 2/3 innings of work. KSU starter Todd Vogel lasted 3 1/3 innings and allowed three hits, one run and one walk while striking out two.

Brodie Greene had two hits apiece to lead A&M, while Vaughn, Bloxom and King each had a pair of hits for KSU.

Texas A&M returns to action Tuesday when the Aggies head to Houston to face No. 1 Rice. First pitch at Reckling Park is set for 6:30 p.m. A&M then opens a season-long 13-game homestand against Nebraska on Friday evening.