K-State Takes Game Two Of the Doubleheader to End the Skid

A K-State baseball player pitches the ball. Courtesy: Zoe Taylor

A K-State baseball player bunts the ball. Courtesy: Zoe Taylor

A K-State baseball player stands with this foot on first base. Courtesy: Zoe Taylor

A K-State baseball player hits the ball. Courtesy: Zoe Taylor

K-State baseball players huddle together after the game. Courtesy: Zoe Taylor

The Wildcats (6-3) woke up late in the second game of the doubleheader to beat the Columbia Lions (1-3), 2-1, and end the three-game skid. K-State dropped game one of the Friday doubleheader 9-8, as an early offensive flurry from the Wildcats was matched late by the Lions to secure game one.  

Game two was a 180° from game one; the pitchers' duel ended up going K-State’s way late.  

The Ivy League preseason favorites sent Tomas Lopez (0-1) to the bump to face K-State. The Wildcats were forced to a bullpen game after Carson Liggett (1-0) started, but left after one inning of work with an injury. 

Inning Insights 

Liggit struggled to get through the first frame in his first start as a Wildcat, then left after facing five batters. For the Lions, Lopez stepped up to the task after a rocky first start in the series prior. Lopez pitched seven innings, allowing only one baserunner to get into scoring position.  

K-State totaled three hits against the Lions' starter, two of which were infield bloopers. Lopez, coming into the matchup with a 15.00 ERA, proved that his last outing was just a mishap. Facing the minimum in three of his seven innings. Lopez struck out three Bat Cats.  

The Wildcats were forced into a bullpen game after Liggett's early exit. Aaron Arnold allowed the only run by the Wildcat’s pitching staff, as Jimmy Chadwell singled in Owen Estabrook in the fourth inning. Arnold was followed by five scoreless innings from Miles Smith and Billy Eich.  

Lopez worked through some baserunners in the bottom of the seventh with help from the Lion defense. Estabrook gunned a Wildcat pinch runner, Donte Lewis, trying to swipe third base for the third out of the seventh. Lopez finally sat down after seven scoreless innings and watched K-State tag two on the scoreboard in the bottom of the eighth. After eight straight pitches out of the zone, Columbia’s Dan Mills was replaced by Baylor Hicks. Grant Gallagher stroked a double off the wall against Hicks to drive in K-State’s two runs. The two RBI double was enough to outlast the Lions, 2-1.  

What’s Next 

The rubber match of the series will be played Saturday afternoon, at 1 p.m. K-State will look to find life from the bats, after only totaling five hits in the second matchup of the doubleheader. K-State will send Lincoln Sheffield (2-0) to the bump, while the Lions send Thomas Santana (0-1). K-State will look to win its first home series of the 2026 campaign and start on the right foot at Tointon Family Stadium. Listen to Saturday’s game live on Wildcat 91.9 FM as Gavin Hyatt and Nate Conard call Saturday’s matchup.