Kansas States overcome Texas Aggies for 33-28 Texas Bowl win

Jesse Ertz (16) tallied three touchdowns
and the game MVP award.
Photo by Darla Tamulitis, La Vita Loca Photography
Copyright 2016, All Rights Reserved

By Robert H Kelly
Copyright 2016 TexSport Publications

HOUSTON, TEXAS (December 28, 2016) The Kansas State Wildcats used a potent offense to keep the Texas A&M Aggies in check in route to a 33-28 win in the AdvoCare V100 Texas Bowl in Houston, Texas on Wednesday, December 28, 2016 at NRG Stadium in Houston. The win raised the Wildcats record to 9-4 for the season while the Aggies dropped to 8-5.

Kansas State head coach Bill Snyder discussed the win with the press after the game.

“You know, I’ve been impressed with the spirit of our players on this trip.  It goes back to the, what is the event they have here, the little rodeo deal.  What I was so impressed with, not the fact of who wins or loses, but the spirit that our players, unsolicited, that they showed during that period of time.  I’m don’t know if any of you were out there.  I enjoyed watching our players show that passion for the competitiveness of it and the spirit.  I kind of had a feeling it would carry over to this ballgame, and I think for the most part it did.”

Josh Reynolds caught 12 passes for 154 yards and
two touchdowns for the Aggies.
Photo by Darla Tamulitis, La Vita Loca Photography
Copyright 2016, All Rights Reserved

The Aggies tallied the first score of the game, receiving the initial kickoff and driving 75 yards in 10 plays for the score. Tailback Keith Ford took the handoff from quarterback Trevor Knight and rambled the final seven yards of the drive for the score. Daniel La Camera kicked the extra point to give Texas A&M an early 7-0 lead. A bit less than seven minutes later, the Wildcats received an Aggie punt and began their drive on their own 21-yard line. Quarterback Jesse Ertz connected with wide receiver Bryon Pringle on their first play of the possession, with a 79-yard pass, for Kansas State’s first score. Ian Patterson evened the score at seven points with his successful conversion.  The Wildcats then took the lead when Ertz rushed the final five yards of a 55-yard drive, on a quarterback keeper, for Kansas State’s second touchdown of the game. The Aggies limited the Wildcat score to six points when Patterson’s extra point attempt was blocked by Myles Garrett to make the score 13-7 at the 12:19 mark of the second quarter.

Texas A&M wasted no time in getting back the lead when they capped their next possession with a three-yard pass from Knight to wide receiver Ricky Seals-Jones for the Aggies’ second TD and the La Camera kicking conversion. The Aggies then held a slim 14-13 lead over the Wildcats. K-State took back the lead with a 40-yard field goal by Patterson with 6:13 left in the first half. They increased their lead to 23 points when Dominique Heath took a handoff from Knight on a second-and-five play and carried the ball 52 yards for the Wildcats’ third touchdown of the game. Patterson added the obligatory extra point to give Kansas State a 23-14 to close out the first half.

Head coach Kevin Sumlin discussed the Aggies’ season performance after the game.

"Oh, we’re not happy.  Just like I said last week at the press conference.  The message in there was, you know, I was thankful to these guys, to the seniors.  Really wanted it to be different tonight and send them out on a really good note because of how they’ve represented this program.  Didn’t get that done.  The message really was for the young players that this feeling that they have in that locker room right now, basically, don’t forget that.  Anytime and how we go to work from here on out, the guys that are coming back, this feeling should drive you even more throughout the spring.  We’ve got a bunch of guys that are coming in here mid-year too.   The guys who are here, the returning guys, they’ve got to be leaders in this program.  That feeling that you have right now should help motivate us even more throughout the spring and into next year.”

The Aggies began a comeback in the second half, beginning at drive with 10:56 on the clock in the third quarter. The Aggies moved the ball 90 yards in 10 plays and capped the drive with a four-yard pass from Knight to wide receiver Josh Reynolds for the touchdown. LaCamera added the extra point to cut the Wildcats’ lead to 23-21. Kansas State responded three minutes later with a Patterson 25-yard field goal to increase their lead to 26-21. The Wildcats increased their lead six minutes into the fourth quarter when Ertz carried the ball again on another quarterback keeper for another touchdown. As previously, Patterson kicked the conversion to give Kansas State a 33-21 lead. The Aggies scored with 7:50 left in the game on a 15-yard pass from Knight to Reynolds. 

BAYLOR BASEBALL EDGED BY KANSAS STATE 3-2

OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLAHOMA (May 25, 2009) Byron Wiley's sixth-inning RBI single snapped a 2-2 tie and proved to be the game-winning hit as seventh-seeded Kansas State defeated sixth-seeded Baylor 3-2 in pool-play action Saturday night at the Big 12 Conference Championship at Bricktown Ballpark. The Bears (32-26) finished third in Pool Two with a 1-2 record.

The Wildcats (29-28) advanced to Sunday's title game, going 2-1 in Pool Two with the tiebreaker over Oklahoma State. Kansas State makes its first Big 12 Championship title game appearance. With Kansas State's berth, all 10 Big 12 schools presently participating in baseball have made at least one title game appearance.

Trailing 2-1, Kansas State scored two runs on four hits in the sixth. Nate Tenbrink and Justin Bloxom opened the inning with back-to-back singles, putting runners on the corners. After Jason King struck out, Drew Biery singled up the middle to tie the game. Wiley laced the first pitch he saw back up the middle, scoring Bloxom as the game-winning run.

Baylor had chances in both the seventh and eighth innings but left the bases loaded in the seventh and a runner at second in the eighth. In all, the Bears stranded 10 runners on the night, including six in scoring position and three at third.

Kansas State starter Justin Murray (3-2) earned the victory; he allowed two runs on seven hits and two walks with three strikeouts over 6.0 innings, facing one batter in the seventh. Daniel Edwards closed the game with 1.2 scoreless innings, walking one and striking out three, for his 12th save of the season.

Baylor starter Kendal Volz (3-6) suffered the loss in his first outing since leaving the May 2 game against Texas with a strained oblique muscle. Volz allowed three runs on six hits and one walk with six strikeouts over 5.1 innings.

Kansas State took the game's first lead with a run on one hit in fourth. Tenbrink led off the inning with a single, stole second, moved to third on a sacrifice bunt and scored on Biery's groundout. Baylor answered in the top of the sixth with two runs on three hits. Booker led off with a double and later scored on Shaver Hansen's single. Hansen stole second and took third on an error before scoring on Dustin Dickerson's sacrifice fly.

Booker, Hansen and Adam Hornung all had two-hit nights for the Bears.

Baylor now awaits word from the NCAA Tournament Selection Committee. Pairings for the 2008 tournament will be announced Monday, May 26, at 11:30 a.m. CDT on ESPN.

NOTES: Baylor leads the all-time series 29-11, including a 28-10 advantage since the inception of the Big 12 Conference in 1997. However, Kansas State has won both neutral-site meetings, both coming in the Big 12 Championship. ... Dickerson (five games) and Hansen (three games) both extended hitting streaks.

BAYLOR BASEBALL BLANKS KANSAS STATE 3-0

MANHATTAN, KANSAS (April 13, 2008) Shawn Tolleson tossed a complete-game, four-hit shutout with a career-high 12 strikeouts as Baylor blanked Kansas State 3-0 in Sunday's Big 12 Conference series finale at Tointon Stadium. With the win, Baylor (22-13, 8-7) claimed the series victory two games to one, rebounding from a series-opener loss for the second time in Big 12 play this season. Kansas State (16-18, 3-9) was shutout in Big 12 play for the first time since a 3-0 loss to Missouri at home April 7, 2007.

Tolleson (4-1) joined Kyle Evans as the only Baylor pitchers to record multiple
complete-game shutouts in Big 12 play. Both Tolleson, who tossed a three-hit shutout in the Bears' 3-0 win against Oklahoma State last month, and Evans recorded both their shutouts in the same season. Evans had two, one of which was the league's first no-hitter, during the 2000 season.

Baylor scored all three runs in the third inning. Raynor Campbell started things with a one-out single, and Dustin Dickerson followed with a walk. Adam Hornung followed with a single up the middle to score Campbell.

The play was far from over, though. Kansas State centerfielder Dane Yelovich's throw home skipped away, allowing Dickerson to reach third and Hornung to reach second. Kansas State starter Lance Hoge was backing up the throw, but his attempt to get Dickerson at third sailed down the left-field line, allowing Dickerson to score. Aaron Miller followed with an RBI single to score Hornung from third.

That was all the offense Tolleson needed; although, the Bears had plenty of chances to break the game open. Baylor stranded 10 runners, all of which were in the game's first six innings and five of which were in scoring position. The Bears were 5-for-7 with two outs and no runners in scoring position but 0-for-5 with two outs and runners in scoring position.

Tolleson used 110 pitches on the day, 75 of which were strikes. He allowed singles in the first, fourth and seventh innings before Tyler Ruch's one-out bunt single in the ninth. Tolleson, whose previous career high for strikeouts was seven last weekend against Kansas, struck out the game's final two batters swinging.

Hoge (1-3) took the loss; he allowed three runs, two earned, on five hits and three walks with one strikeout over 2.2 innings.

Campbell finished the day 3-for-4, while Miller was 2-for-4. The Bears tallied 10 hits on the day.

Baylor returns to action Tuesday, hosting Dallas Baptist for a 6:30 p.m. CDT first pitch at Baylor Ballpark.

NOTES: Baylor leads the all-time series 29-10, including a 10-8 edge in games played at Manhattan. The Bears are 28-9 against the Wildcats since the inception of the Big 12 in 1997, including a 28-8 mark in regular-season meetings. Campbell has hit safely in 10 consecutive Big 12 games, a career-long streak and the longest by a Baylor player since Ben Booker hit safely in 13 straight league games last season.

BAYLOR BASEBALL EDGES KANSAS STATE 5-4

MANHATTAN, KANSAS (April 12, 2008) Aaron Miller's pinch-hit, two-out RBI single in the top of the eighth gave Baylor a 5-4 victory at Kansas State in Saturday afternoon's Big 12 Conference action at Tointon Stadium. Baylor (21-13, 7-7) snapped a five-game losing streak at Kansas State (16-17, 3-8) that dated back to the 2004 season. The Bears also improved to 10-5 in one-run games, reaching double figures in one-run victories for the first time since the 2005 squad was 15-8.

Dustin Dickerson walked to leadoff the eighth and moved to second on Adam Hornung's sacrifice bunt. After Jon Ringenberg struck out, Miller laced 1-2 Daniel Edwards offering just inside the left-field line to score Dickerson and break a 4-4 tie. It was the first career pinch hit for Miller, who did not start for the first time this season.

Kansas State threatened in the bottom of the ninth. Nate Tenbrink led off with a
pinch-hit single through the right side. After an Adam Muenster sacrifice bunt pushed pinch runner Dane Yelovich to second, Jordan Cruz walked to put the potential winning run on base. However, Tim Matthews struck out Justin Bloxom and got Jason King to ground out, ending the game.

Craig Fritsch (2-2) was the first of three relievers for the Bears and earned the win; he allowed two runs on two hits and two walks with three strikeouts over 3.0 innings. Matthews recorded his second save of the season. Starter Willie Kempf allowed two runs on five hits and three walks with three strikeouts but left the game after loading the bases to start the fifth inning. Randall Linebaugh bridged the gap from Fritsch to Matthews with 1.1 scoreless innings.

Chase Bayuk (1-3) took the loss in relief; he allowed one run on no hits and two
walks with a strikeout over 1.1 innings. Starter Justin Murray was touched for four runs, two earned, on six hits and no walks with four strikeouts over 5.2 innings.

Baylor scored one run in five different innings, building leads of 3-0 and 4-1 before Kansas State tied the game in the seventh. Beamer Weems doubled with one out in the first, moved to third on a passed ball and scored on Dickerson's RBI groundout. Raynor Campbell reached on a one-out error in the second, took third on Ben Booker's single and then scored on a Landis Ware groundout.

Campbell pushed the Bears' lead to 3-0 with a two-out solo homer to right in the
fourth; it was the first opposite-field homer of Campbell's career. Kansas State got on the board in the bottom of the inning. The Cats loaded the bases with three straight one-out singles. Byron Wiley beat out Baylor's double-play attempt to score a run, but Wiley was picked off first to end the inning.

Kansas State tied the game with two runs on two hits and a walk in the seventh. Muenster singled with one out and moved to second on a Cruz single. Bloxom then singled off the wall in right to score Muenster and push Cruz to third. King followed with a slow grounder to short, scoring Bloxom.

Seven Bears had one hit, while Dickerson and Campbell each scored twice. Bloxom's 2-for-5 day was the only multiple-hit outing of the day for either team.

Baylor and Kansas State conclude the series Sunday at 1 p.m. CDT. The Bears send right-hander Shawn Tolleson (3-1, 4.15 ERA) to the mound. The Wildcats counter with southpaw Lance Hoge (1-2, 3.67 ERA).

NOTES: Baylor leads the all-time series 28-10, including a 9-8 edge in games played at Manhattan. The Bears are 27-9 against the Wildcats since the inception of the Big 12 in 1997, including a 27-8 mark in regular-season meetings. Campbell has hit safely in nine consecutive Big 12 games.