Kansas State builds lead over La. Tech before bad weather delays NCAA Tournament game

Kansas State’s first day of baseball at the NCAA Tournament began with fireworks and ended with a question mark.

The Wildcats put themselves in an excellent position to defeat the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs by building a 9-4 after five innings of play on Friday at Baum-Walker Stadium in Fayatteville, Arkansas. But neither team was able to close out the game because of a pair of long weather delays.

First pitch was pushed back more than one hour because of rain and lighting in the area. Then play was later halted around 10 p.m. for the same reasons. Players and coaches on both sides waited until almost midnight to try and resume the game, but the game was eventually postponed for the night. Play is schedule to resume at 11 a.m. on Saturday.

That will make for a long day of baseball for both No. 3 seed K-State and No. 2 seed Louisiana Tech.

The winner of this game will take on No. 1 seed and host Arkansas on Saturday. The loser will play an elimination game against Southeast Missouri State. Adding four innings of morning baseball to the schedule could make things difficult.

But K-State will probably take its chances if it can remain hot at the plate.

For a team that hasn’t been known for its offense the season, the Wildcats lit up the scoreboard while playing in their first NCAA Regional in more than a decade.

K-State started Friday’s action red hot and scored seven runs in the first two innings.

The Wildcats got things started with two runs in the first and then a whopping five in the second. That frame was crammed full of big hits from Pete Hughes’ team. Chuck Ingram and Brady Day both hit home runs, while Kaelen Culpepper hit a triple. All of those hits went for extra bases after the Wildcats picked up two early outs.

That gave them a 7-0 lead before the second inning was even over. K-State was able to chase Louisiana Tech star pitcher Luke Nichols after 50 pitches and five outs. They got him for seven runs on five hits.

K-State added on two more runs to pull ahead by as much as 9-1, but Louisiana Tech battled back into the game before it was postponed.

Starting pitcher Owen Boerema had some control problems for K-State. The ace lasted just 4 1/3 innings and was removed from the game after throwing 87 pitches. He had a solid outing in some aspects, as he posted six strikeouts and only allowed two hits. But he also issued six walks, which made it impossible for coach Hughes to allow him to stay in the game and chew up innings.

Still, he left the game with K-State leading by eight and the Wildcats got out of the fifth inning with a 9-4 lead.

How will things end?

For now, this game is to be continued.