Wichita State’s pitching allowed a season-high six homers to Kansas State on Tuesday night as the Wildcats romped to a 14-8 win in Manhattan.
In a repeat of WSU’s game earlier this season against Kansas State — and the team’s plight against power-conference schools in midweek games in general — the Shockers fell behind early and, despite a late-inning offensive flurry, couldn’t catch up.
Wichita State fell to 12-28 on the season, extending an eight-game losing streak that is the team’s longest since 2022. WSU has lost 12 of its last 13 games against Division I opponents.
KSU improved to 24-17, snapping a five-game losing streak.
Wichita State has suffered from a frustrating trend this season. The team seems to only be able to manufacture runs when the pitching is struggling.
In its 13 games this year in which the offense scored eight or more runs, the Shockers have allowed 10.4 runs per game. In its 27 games scoring seven or fewer, the team has only allowed 6.2 per game.
Kansas State had just four more total hits than WSU, but six more extra-base hits and three fewer runners left on base. Simply put, the Wildcats were able to power to easy scores while the Shockers had to struggle and manufacture each of their runs.
Wichita State scored in the first inning, but the bats went cold for the next four. During that time, Kansas State exploded to take an 8-1 lead.
The Shockers rallied for a three-spot in the sixth, aided by two sacrifice hits. However, with two outs in the bottom of the inning, the Wildcats responded with a two-run homer. Another run scored when a runner attempted to steal third base and senior catcher Mauricio Millan’s throw hit him in the arm. The ball got away, and the runner took home plate.
Yet again, the Shockers rallied for three runs in the seventh and manufactured another run in the eighth to cut the K-State lead to three.
But the Wildcats ended any hopes of a comeback with a walk, RBI double and two-run homer to clear the bases.
Millan and sophomore Kam Durnin each had three hits, combining for more than half of WSU’s total.
WSU head coach Brian Green threw eight pitchers in the loss, five of whom allowed runs. Only junior Caleb Anderson and sophomore Drew Iverson made it through a full inning without giving up a score.
Wichita State will attempt to snap its losing streak in a three-game weekend series in Eck Stadium against South Florida. The Shockers, currently in last place in the American Athletic Conference, are taking on the current runner-up. The first pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m. on Friday, April 25.
