FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (KWCH) – The Kansas State Wildcats will play for a spot in the Super Regionals after a 7-6 win Saturday night against Arkansas.
K-State, the region’s No. 3 seed, scored six runs in the fifth innings to overcome two runs scored by No. 1 Arkansas earlier in the inning.
After four scoreless innings, the Razorbacks scored on an error and an RBI single in the same at-bat.
But the Wildcats stormed back with RBIs on three-straight at-bats. The highlight of the inning came when Kaelen Culpepper followed up with a 3-run blast to center field for a 6-2 lead.
Arkansas scored runs in the seventh and eighth to pull within 6-4 before freshman Nick English drilled a solo home run to left in the bottom of the eighth.
The Razorbacks got back within one run thanks to a two-run home run, but Tyson Neighbors managed to secure the 3.1 inning save, polishing off the inning with a strikeout with the tying run on base.
Kansas State will play the winner of Arkansas and SEMO at 7 p.m. Sunday night for a chance at the regional title and a trip to super regionals. If Kansas State wins, they will advance to a best-of-3 series. If the Wildcats lose, they will play a winner-take-all championship game on Monday.
Kansas State began the day by continuing Friday night’s contest against Louisiana Tech, which resulted in a 19-4 win. The Wildcats led 9-4 entering the sixth inning when play was halted just after 10 p.m. Friday due to storms in the area. The game was suspended after 11 p.m. and resumed Saturday morning.
Culpepper became the first Wildcat to hit for the cycle since 2014 in the victory.
