ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Owen Boerema pitched a seven-hitter for the first nine-inning complete game of his career and No. 6 seed Kansas State beat fourth-seeded West Virginia 8-4 on Wednesday in the Big 12 Tournament.
Kansas State (32-23) advances to play in another elimination game on Thursday. West Virginia (33-33), which was eliminated, dropped to 0 for 6 over the last three seasons in the tournament.
West Virginia put three runs on the board in the first inning, highlighted by Brodie Kresser’s two-run single.
But Boerema settled down and only allowing four hits after the first. He finished with 10 strikeouts.
The game turned in the fourth when Kansas State scored seven runs on only four hits. Kansas State had 13 batters come to the plate in the inning, six leading to a walk. Brady Day hit a two-run double with the bases loaded and David Bishop followed with a two-run single to go ahead for good at 4-3. Then Bishop scored on a wild pitch.
Boerema retired the side in the bottom of the fifth with a pair of strikeouts.
The Mountaineers walked in a run in the sixth to help Kansas State take a five-run lead.