Courtesy of Kansas State Athletics
MANHATTAN, Kan. —Catcher Raphael Pelletier homered twice, Jackson Wentworthstruck out a career-high eight batters and the Wildcats picked up their first series win over Oklahoma State since 2010, as K-State won 7-2 on Saturday afternoon at Tointon Family Stadium.
"You've heard me say it before, everything is predicated off good starting pitching and we got about as dominating of a performance that you'll get in the Big 12," said head coach Pete Hughes following K-State's sixth series win of the season. "That just allows your offense to play pressure-free. They know they have time to build a lead because they have a kid that's feeling it out there and in the matchup is in our favor. It just frees up your offense to do so many things."
In front of a crowd of 2,344 fans, K-State (24-14, 9-8 Big 12) collected the program's 11th overall series win over Oklahoma State (25-14, 10-7 Big 12) in school history since the series began in 1911.
Wentworth, who improved to 3-1 on the season, punched out seven of the first nine batters he faced that included striking out the side in the first and third innings.
The redshirt sophomore from Urbandale, Iowa, carried a no-hit bid into the fifth inning and surrendered just one run on solo home run from Ian Daughtery in the sixth.
"We had some key performances, and it has to happen on the offensive side when you get a good pitching performance. [Pelletier] has been hot of late, two homers and a double, he injected some energy in our offense. Up and down our lineup we had some kids that had a good day, and we did a great job situationally hitting," Hughes commented.
Pelletier, who finished 3-for-4 with two home runs and a double, drove in three of the Wildcats' seven runs while Jaden Parsonsfollowed with a two-run homer in the sixth for his first home run at K-State.
"You go and you situationally hit, you get a good start, you don't make any errors, it gives you a good chance to beat a good team, and to get a series win."
JJ Slack closed the game and allowed one earned in his 2 2/3 innings of work with a season-high five strikeouts.
K-State tagged the Cowboys' right-handed starter Brian Holiday (3-3) for five runs, all earned, on eight hits with seven strikeouts. Offensively, OSU was led by two-hit days from Daughtery and Carson Benge.
In his first start since April 18, 2023, Wentworth struck out the Cowboys in order to lead off the afternoon matchup.
The Wildcats looked to break through in the first as Brady Day singled through the left side before stealing second until Kaelen Culpepperwas issued a walk, but the duo was left stranded with Holiday's first strikeout of the game.
After the second 1-2-3 inning behind Wentworth, Pelletier launched a solo shot off the scoreboard in right field and handed K-State the one-run edge.
The Wildcats' catcher doubled the lead in the fourth frame with his second homer of the day, becoming the third Wildcat this season to produce a multi-home run game.
OSU ended Wentworth's no-hit bid in the fifth as Nolan Schubart lined a base hit off the glove of Day and into right field.
After five scoreless frames for the Cowboys, Daughtery belted a solo home run off the top of the wall in left field to make it a 2-1 ball game.
The Wildcats immediately responded and scored five runs across two innings, highlighted by a two-run homer by Parsons.
Slack relieved Wentworth in the seventh and inherited a runner on first with one out. The lefty issued a walk against the first batter he faced but struck out the next two batters looking to end the threat.
The Wildcats look to finish the sweep in Sunday's series finale with first pitch slated for 3 p.m. at Tointon Family Stadium.
Sunday's finale will be nationally televised and can be seen ESPNU and the ESPN app. Radio coverage is available on News Radio KMAN (93.3 FM, 1350 AM). A free live streaming audio available for all games at KStateSports.com/watch and on the K-State Sports app.