Wildcats pounce early, claw out win over Cougars

Three-Run third inning propels K-State to victory
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The Kansas State baseball team opened its three-game weekend series with a solid 5-2 win over Big 12 rival Houston on Friday night at Tointon Family Stadium.

The Wildcats got on the board early, thanks to a two-run homer from left fielder Keegan O'Connor in the second inning. O'Connor drove a pitch over the left-field wall, bringing home A.J. Evasco and Sam Flores to give K-State an early 3-1 lead.

The offense kept rolling in the third, when the Wildcats added another run to extend the lead to 4-1. O'Connor struck again in the fourth, doubling to left-center to drive in what would be K-State’s fifth and final run of the night.

Houston responded with a run in the sixth inning, but the Cougars were unable to mount any serious threat against the Wildcats' pitching.

Senior right-hander Jacob Frost turned in an impressive performance on the mound, going seven full innings while allowing just four hits and two runs. He struck out eight Houston batters en route to earning the win.

The K-State bullpen closed the door over the final two innings, preserving the victory with solid relief work.

With the win, the Wildcats improved their standing in conference play, while Houston continued to struggle. The Cougars managed just four hits and were struck out 10 times in total.

Game two of the series is scheduled for Saturday, as K-State looks to clinch the series with another strong showing.

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