K-STATE POWERS PAST SDSU IN OPENER

Tuesday, March 9

Manhattan, Kan.

6 p.m.

South Dakota State University

5-6

Kansas State

7-4

South Dakota State

K-State

Photo by: SDSU Sports Information

3/9/2021 10:06:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

MANHATTAN, Kan. – Kansas State hit six home runs, including two each by Zach Koskoka and Daniel Carinci, to power past South Dakota State, 15-4, in the opening game of a two-game college baseball series Tuesday night at Tointon Family Stadium.

With the win, K-State improved to 7-4 overall. SDSU suffered its fourth consecutive loss to fall to 5-6 on the season.

The Wildcats' offensive outburst came after SDSU broke into the scoring column first with four runs on four hits in the top of the second inning. Freshman Jess Bellows started the Jackrabbit rally with an infield single, moved to second on a base hit by Derek Hackman and scored on Wyatt Andersen's single to left field.

Hackman later scored on a groundout for a 2-0 lead and Jamie Berg pushed the SDSU advantage to 4-0 with a double to left-center that scored both Andersen and Garrett Stout.

K-State countered with a four-run bottom of the second as Nick Goodwin led off with a home run off Jackrabbit starter Logan Smith and Carinci followed two batters later with a two-run shot. The final run of the frame scored after a Jackrabbit error on a base hit by Jordan Maxson.

Carinci gave the Wildcats the lead with a three-run homer as part a three-run third, while Kokoska got in the act with a solo shot to lead off the fourth to up the lead to 9-4.

Dylan Phillips launched a three-run shot over the fence in right field in the sixth inning, while Kokoska completed the onslaught with a three-run homer of his own in the bottom of the seventh. Phillips and Kokoska each tallied three of the Wildcats' 13 hits.

Berg and Hackman paced SDSU's nine-hit effort with two hits each.

Zak Herbers worked the first four innings for Kansas State to be credited with the win. He struck out three and walked one, with only one of the four runs he allowed earned. Jaxon Passino followed with three shutout innings in which he struck out seven.

Six different pitchers saw mound duty for the Jackrabbits.

UP NEXT
The two teams are scheduled to play their series finale Wednesday night. First pitch is again set for 6 p.m.

NOTES
* Kansas State leads the all-time series, which dates back to 1981, 11-1
* Bellows has hit safely in seven of eight games this season
* Hackman posted his second consecutive multi-hit game and third of the season
* Berg notched his second multi-hit game of the season and also recorded his first career multi-RBI game
* The Jackrabbits committed a season-high four errors
* SDSU dropped to 1-3 in series openers in 2021

-GoJacks.com-