ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Dominic Johnson hit Kansas State’s first homer of the Big 12 Tournament and the seventh-seeded Wildcats beat sixth-seeded West Virginia 8-5 on Thursday to snap a five-game losing streak.
Kansas State (28-28) advances to play in another elimination game on Friday. West Virginia (33-22) hopes for an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament.
Raphael Pelletier’s sacrifice bunt on a squeeze play in the ninth gave Kansas State a four-run lead. West Virginia got its first two batters aboard in the ninth, chasing Ty Ruhl, but Dylan Phillips retired the next three for his seventh save of the season.
Kansas State starter Blake Adams (6-6) left the game with two outs in the seventh after nine strikeouts. Three Kansas State pitchers combined for 11 strikeouts to reach double digits for the first time in 10 games.
Cash Rugely and Dylan Phillips each had two two RBIs for Kansas State. Phillips was 3 for 5.
West Virginia starter Ben Hampton (8-5) allowed four earned runs in five innings. McGwire Holbrook, Braden Barry and Dayne Leonard each had an RBI single in the third inning to tie it at 3-all, but no Mountaineer had a multi-hit game.
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