K-State falls to TCU in the Big 12 semifinals

ARLINGTON, Texas K-State’s run at the Phillips 66 Big 12 Championship ended Saturday with a 6-3 loss to TCU in the semifinal round at Globe Life Field.

K-State (35-24), which reached the conference tournament semifinals for the third straight year, will find out its NCAA Tournament fate on Monday, May 29 at 11 a.m. The selection program will be broadcast on ESPN2.

“Obviously not the way you want to go into the tournament,” the head coach Pete Hughes said after the game. “I would have signed up for a hot offense to get just three hits today before the game, but we moved them to third base. We’ve played clean defense all year, we just didn’t get the job done today.”

The Wildcats held the Horned Frogs, a team that averaged 15 runs on 18 hits per game this year in the tournament, to just three in the semifinals.

Brady Daynative of Hampstead, NH recorded a game-high three hits while going 3-for-4 at the plate with a run as a junior. Nick Goodwin led off with two RBIs.

Collin Rothermel (1-3) took the loss, allowing four runs (three earned) on three hits with one strikeout and three walks.

“I thought he played with ease on the big stage with good composure against a really good offense,” Hughes said of Rothermel’s start.

“He started to look tired there at the end, but he executed his pitches and stayed out of the three-ball count for the most part. They really swung a lot to get the win.”

Senior Owen Boerema made his first relief appearance for the Wildcats, striking out four to bring his season total to 95. The Litchfield, Minn., product’s 95 strikeouts are tied for fourth on the school single-season record.

HOW DID IT HAPPEN

Rothermel held TCU scoreless through three innings as the San Diego, Calif., native allowed just one hit while retiring the side in the second and third innings.

Pelletier put the game in the fourth for the Wildcats when he blasted and sent his sixth homer of the season 394 feet to right field.

TCU took advantage of an error behind the plate to tie the score at 1-all in the bottom of the inning.

Cash Rugely and Brady Day each singled to lead the Cats’ two-run fifth in which the pair scored Goodwin’s fourth hit of the tournament.

Kurtis Byrne’s solo homer cut the Cats lead to one until a sacrifice fly to center tied the game for the second time.

Horned Frogs starter Stoutenborough, who allowed just four earned runs in his last four starts, was relieved in the sixth by Ben Abeldt.

TCU sent five batters to the plate in the sixth to grab a one-run lead, 4-3, but an overturned call in favor of the Wildcats pulled K-State off the field.

The Litchfield, Minn., product reeled off four straight to earn a 95^th strikeout of the year as it beats the seventh side.

The Frogs took advantage of the Cats’ third error to add a pair of insurance runs to seal the game.

INSIDE THE BOX

• K-State scored three runs on 12 hits and committed three errors with 10 left.
• TCU scored six runs on three hits with one error committee and three left on base
• TCU won the game on the Cats 35^th double play of the season
• Eight Wildcats produced a hit; three in several
• Day went 3-4 at the plate and scored a run
• Goodwin drove in a game-high two RBIs
• Day reached base with four consecutive plate appearances
• Rothermel (1-3) was credited with the loss, allowing four runs (three earned)
• Rothermel held TCU to just three hits in five innings
• Boerema threw three scoreless innings of relief with four strikeouts
• Abeldt (2-3) earned the win in the shade

NOTES

• K-State moves to 21-26 all-time in the Big 12 Championship
• Boerema finished fourth in single-season records with 95 strikeouts
• Saturday was the fifth meeting between cats and frogs this season
• TCU leads the all-time series 30-13; 4-1 in the conference tournament

NEXT

The Wildcats will find out their postseason fate on Monday, May 29, when the full 64-team field for the 2023 NCAA Tournament is announced. The selection show will air on ESPN2 at 11 a.m. CT, while the 16 regional sites will air Sunday, May 28 at 7:30 p.m.