UC IRVINE BASEBALL

BLOXOM ENDS IT

MANHATTAN, Kan. — Kansas State sophomore Justin Bloxom hit a walk-off, two-run home run in the bottom of the 11th inning, lifting the Wildcats past the UC Irvine baseball team, 9-7, in a nonconference game Wednesday.

The No. 11 Anteaters had battled back from a 5-0 deficit, as junior Brock Bardeen hit a pinch-hit, two-run home run for UC Irvine (25-10) in the eighth inning. The blast tied the score at 7-7.

Sophomore left fielder Francis Larson also had a pair of hits for the Anteaters, including a double, as UCI suffered an extra-inning loss for the first time this season.

Junior center fielder Ollie Linton had a stolen base for UCI, tying the school single-season mark of 28 set by Stacy Parker in 1989.

UCI closer Eric Pettis suffered his first collegiate loss after giving up Bloxom’s home run.

The Wildcats improved to 19-21.

— From staff reports

Nonconference

Kansas State 9, UC Irvine 7

SCORE BY INNINGS

Bibona, Necke (1), Avison (4), Calahan (6), Slaught (7), Stowell (7), Pettis (9) and Lowenstein; Morris, Hornbeck (6), Hurley (7), Edwards (8), Rooke (10) and Dellasega, Vaughn. W – Rooke, 5-1. L – Pettis, 3-1. 2B – Orloff (UCI), Larson (UCI), Asaro (UCI), Tavelli (UCI), Bloxom (KSU), King (KSU). HR – Bardeen (UCI), Bloxom (KSU).