Manhattan ? Sophomore left-hander Andy Marks allowed just one hit over seven innings, but Kansas University suffered a 2-1 Big 12 Conference baseball setback to Kansas State on Friday at Tointon Stadium.
Kansas State scored two runs in the bottom of eighth on a pair of hits and an error to edge the Jayhawks in the first game of a three-game series.
KU fell to 22-27 overall and 8-14 in the Big 12, while K-State improved to 30-17 and 8-11 in conference play.
Marks allowed just one hit to K-State designated hitter Tyler Link to lead off the sixth. Prior to that hit, Marks had allowed just one base runner, walking Link with one out in the third.
Marks yielded to Paul Smyth (3-4) in the eighth.
With one out in the eighth, the Wildcats’ Rob Vaughn and Adam Muenster collected back-to-back singles to tie the score at 1. Three batters later, pinch hitter Eddie Vasquez hit a hard ground ball to first that took a funny hop on KU first baseman Preston Land and plated the winning run.
It was the sophomore first baseman’s third error of the season in 338 chances.
Kansas took a 1-0 lead in the top of the fifth on a wild pitch. Junior Casey Larson, who had two of the Jayhawks’ six hits, led off the inning with a double and advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt by Kyle Murphy. Larson scored the game’s first run when K-State starting pitcher Brad Hutt uncorked a wild pitch.
The series moves to Lawrence for single games at 3 p.m. today and 1 p.m. Sunday.