Box Score

WICHITA, Kan.?  A three-run Shocker rally in the sixth fell just short of toppling the No. 21 Kansas State Wildcats as the Shocks fell, 4-3, in front of a season-high 5,586 fans at Eck Stadium on Wednesday night.

Kansas State steadily built a 4-0 lead before the Shockers spoiled the cushion with a three-hit, three-run sixth. Although junior left fielder Bret Bascue led off the Shockers' final at bat with a single to help the Shockers out hit their in-state rival 8-6, it wasn't enough to overcome the deficit.

Freshman right-hander Chance Sossamon silenced the Wildcats in their last trips to the plate, tossing two scoreless innings of relief.

Freshman lefty Brian Flynn (1-3) tied a career-high on Wednesday, throwing 5.2 innings on the mound. Working diligently to quieting the Wildcats' bats from the night before, Flynn allowed four runs, three earned, by scattering six hits throughout his evening.

Right-handed starter Daniel Ryan (2-1) earned the win for the Wildcats. Ryan allowed three runs, two earned, on six hits in five innings of work.

Before the two met this season, Clint McKeever had not accumulated a batting average against Kansas State. The junior first baseman changed that drastically in the two-game series that wrapped up Wednesday night. McKeever finished the series 5-for-8 with two runs scored and an RBI. Three of those hits came on Wednesday night as McKeever led the offense with a 3-for-4 performance. Freshman shortstop Tyler Grimes kept pace with the junior, hitting 2-for-4 with a run scored.

For the Wildcats, first baseman Justin Bloxom led the offense with a 1-for-3 day that included a pair of walks and an RBI.

Kansas State struck first in the top of the second. What likely could have been a double play turned into a run for the Wildcats. Third baseman Jason King drew a one-out walk before moving to third on catcher Rob Vaughn's single to right. Although it appeared as if Flynn has coaxed Jordan Cruz to ground into a double play, he reached on a fielder's choice to collect the RBI and give the ?Cats a 1-0 lead.

Centerfielder Dane Yelovich beat out an infield single to start the top of the third. A pair of stolen bases and a groundout later, the Wildcats' second run crossed the plate.  

Two innings later, Kansas State gained a run from an unexpected source. A two-out single put shortstop Carter Jurica on before McKeever misplayed a groundball to keep the inning alive. The sure-handed first baseman's first error after 299 put outs extended the inning. That left enough time for clean-up hitter Justin Bloxom to knock in Jurica and stretch the lead, 3-0.

A pair of back-to-back singles looked threatening before a heads-up play saved a run for the Shockers in the top of the sixth. A long single to right-center off the bat of Daniel Dellasega had Cruz on the run, but junior centerfielder Ryan Jones caught him up after a wide turn at third base. Freshman shortstop Tyler Grimes took the throw from Jones and zipped it to third baseman Taylor Gilmore for the out. A hit later, Flynn's day finished in lieu of reliever Justin Kemp.

Although Kemp got himself into trouble with a pair of hit batsmen and a walk, he left the bases loaded to finish the inning down just one run further, 4-0.

In the bottom half of the inning, the Shockers took their turn on the scoreboard. Grimes tagged his second hit of the night to lead off the inning. Catching a break, an error on a groundball from Jones put two on with no one out. Carrying the offensive load, McKeever belted his third hit in as many at bats to drive in Grimes. A wild pitch scored Jones and an RBI single from junior left fielder Bret Bascue brought the Shockers within one, 4-3.

The Shockers hit the road this weekend, traveling to Springfield, Mo., for a three-game series against the Missouri State Bears. The first pitch is scheduled to for 6:30 p.m. on Friday. The game will be broadcast on Kansas 22 with Bruce Haertl and Shane Dennis calling the action.

-Wichita State-