Feb. 5, 2000

Box Score

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. -- Kansas State outfielder Kasey Weishaar was 3-for-4 at the plate with four RBI to lead the Wildcats to a 9-7 victory over the Washington State Cougars in front of 645 spectators at Albuquerque Sports Stadium in second round play of the Spalding Baseball Fiesta.

KSU built an early 8-0 lead before the Cougs nearly forged an eight-run comeback over the last four innings. The Wildcats improved its 2000 season record to 2-0 behind a strong pitching effort by sophomore Luke Robertson. Robertson scattered five hits and allowed three runs in 5.2 innings of work to earn the win. The KSU bullpen nearly cost the Wildcats the game, allowing four runs to cross the plate in the final three innings. Left-handed reliever Scott Tallman did not allow a run over an inning and a third to pick up his first save.

Washington State (1-2) starting pitcher Tyson Thompson took the loss in his 2000 debut. The sophomore right-hander struggled with his control in three innings of work, allowing five runs, seven hits and three walks. Senior Reggie Rivard bounced back from a rough opening day start to pitch well out of the bullpen. Rivard held the Cougars close down the stretch, scattering five hits and two runs in four and a third innings.

The Wildcats jumped out to an early 4-0 lead after the second inning much in part to the hot hitting of Weishaar and first baseman Greg English. The duo combined to go 4-for-4 in the first two frames with all four RBI. English pushed two runs home in the second with a sharp single to left off Thompson. Weishaar, who hit .429 at the plate in 1999, produced run-scoring singles in each of the first two innings.

KSU added to its lead in the fifth on back-to-back doubles by J.D. Loudabarger and Bentson Oleen to give the Wildcats a 7-0 advantage. KSU threatened to add more, but Rivard needed just one pitch to get out of an inherited bases loaded jam.

Down 8-0 after five innings, designated hitter Mike Knight started a Cougar rally in the sixth with a leadoff triple to deep center field. Sophomore Evan Hecker knocked him home with a groundout to second base to put WSU on the board. Senior Ray Hattenburg scored two runs on a two-out double off the right field fence to pull WSU to 8-3.

The Cougars continued on the comeback trail in the seventh cutting KSU's lead to 8-6. Redshirt freshman Wes Falkenborg scored Bookie Gates with a pinch-hit double to center field. Knight added to the rally with his third hit of the game and later scored on a Shawn Stevenson double down the left field line.

WSU nearly erased the eight-run deficit in the eighth, but left the tying run stranded on third base. Gates pulled the Cougs to within one scoring Jordan Nilsen on his second triple in as many games. After a KSU insurance run in the ninth, WSU sent the go-ahead run to the plate before Tallman could get Nilsen to fly out to deep left field to end the game.

A host of Cougar hitters had a good day at the plate with Knight's three-hit performance leading the way. Knight is now hitting .625 (5x8) during the tournament. Hattenburg continued his torrid hitting at the plate with a 2-for-5 game and extended his current hitting streak to six games dating back to the final week of 1999. The senior is now hitting .429 (6x14) in 2000 and moved into ninth place in the Cougar record books with a .355 career batting average.

The Cougars will close out play in the Spalding Baseball Fiesta with a 9:30 a.m. game against 19th-ranked Texas A&M. WSU defeated the Aggies Friday by a score of 5-3. Lanakila Niles or Matt O'Brien are probable starters for the Cougs.

KSU  130 121 001 - 9  15  1
WSU  000 003 310 - 7  12  1
Luke Robertson, Chad Duckers (6), Blake Johnson (7), Scott Tallman (8), and Tim Doty.
Tyson Thompson, Les McTavish (4), Reggie Rivard (5), and Jon Baeder, Zach Bode (6), Ryan Smith (8).
W - Robertson (1-0), L - Thompson (0-1), S - Tallman (1), HR - None.
T - 3:25,  A - 645.
KSU Hits - Weishaar 3, English 2, Ammirato, Cavender 2, Tabor 3, Loudabarger 2, Oleen 2.
WSU Hits - Nilsen 2, Knight 3, Hecker, Hattenburg 2, Falkenborg, Stevenson, Gates, Bailie.
2B - Tabor, Loudabarger, Oleen, Hattenburg (2), Falkenborg (1), Stevenson (1).
3B - Knight (1), Gates (2), E - Tabor, Gates (1).