BAKERSFIELD, Calif.—Ross Kivett's two-RBI triple in the top of the
11th gave Kansas State a 7-5 victory over CSU Bakersfield
in the season opening baseball game Saturday afternoon at Hardt Field.
The Roadrunners opened the scoring in the bottom of the
fifth when DC Legg (R-Sr., Murrietta, Calif., Cypress
College) homered to left.
K-State jumped into the lead when Mike Kindel hit a three-run home run in top
of the seventh. The Wildcats made it 5-1 on a Wade Hinkle two-run blast.
CSUB cut it to 5-4 in the eighth, highlighted by a Cael
Brockmeyer (So., Vineyard Haven, Mass.,
Avon Old Farms HS) two-RBI double. The Roadrunners tied it in the bottom of the
ninth when Tyler Shryock (So., Tehachapi,
Calif., Desert Christian HS)
scored on a K-State error. Kivett's 11th inning gamewinning hit came with two
outs.
Sanay led the 'Runners as he went 3-of-5. Kevin Younger
(Jr., Bakersfield, Calif., Liberty HS) was 2-of-5. Kivett,
Jared King, and Hinkle each had two hits for the Wildcats.
“I was really happy with MacKenzie's performance,” said CSUB
head coach Bill Kernen. “He came out and only had 68 pitches through six
innings and had a 1-0 lead and really did a nice job. It's the first game of
the year and it is a little difficult to expect someone to pitch a complete
game. I was really happy with his performance. I was really happy with how
Carter did in his college debut.”
“We made some mistakes that ended up beating us and some
pitches that they hit out,” Kernen continued. “We had a catcher's interference
that probably made the difference in the game because he was on when a home run
went out and otherwise we win it 5-4 instead of tie it. But I was really happy
with the way we battled back and we never gave up.”
The series continues Sunday at 2 p.m. at Hardt Field.
~www.GoRunners.com~
