Who needs a bullpen when you have Owen Boerema in the Big 12 Baseball Tournament

Kansas State baseball survives to play another day with a big win over West Virginia in the Big 12 Tournament.

Kansas State pitcher Owen Boerema (26) pitches during the fifth inning in the Longhorns' game against the Kansas State Wildcats at UFCU Disch-Falk Field, April 7, 2023.
Kansas State pitcher Owen Boerema (26) pitches during the fifth inning in the Longhorns' game against the Kansas State Wildcats at UFCU Disch-Falk Field, April 7, 2023. | SARA DIGGINS/AMERICAN-STATESMAN / USA

After falling to rival Kansas on day one of the Big 12 Baseball Tournament, the Kansas State Wildcats came back in a big way on day two against the West Virginia Mountaineers.

Wildcats starter Owen Boerema had a rocky start to the game with the first five batters for West Virginia reaching. The Mountaineers put up three runs on the Wildcats forcing K-State to play from behind early.

West Virginia chose to start reliever Hambleton Oliver, which for the first three innings seemed like a genius move. Oliver sat down the entire lineup in the first three innings, but the second time through the lineup was a very different story.

K-State started the fourth inning with a leadoff walk followed by two straight singles. The scoring started with a double by Brady Day to drive in two runs and make it a one-run game and still no outs in the inning.

The Wildcats continued to pile it on with a single by red-hot hitter David Bishop who drive in two more runs to give K-State the lead 4-3. It took till the Wildcat's seventh batter for the Mountaineers to record their first out of the inning.

Kansas State finished the inning scoring seven runs thanks to disciplined batting and drawing walks in key bases-loaded situations.

Boerema only allowed one more run and it was in the ninth inning when the Wildcats were already ahead 8-3. He finished the day with 10 strikeouts allowing only seven hits and two walks in nine innings.

The K-State bullpen received a much-needed day off after using four pitchers in their loss to Kansas on day one of the tournament.

This was a big performance by the Wildcats in a big win-or-go-home scenario. K-State survives and is set to play the loser of Oklahoma and TCU on Thursday, May 23 at 9:00 a.m. CT.