College report: Neighbors helps K-State record 21 strikeouts; Mullen and UT-Tyler head to College World Series
May 18—Royse City-ex Tyson Neighbors helped the Kansas State Wildcats set a team record for most strikeouts in a baseball game.
Neighbors, Owen Boerema, Blake Dean and J.J. Slack combined for 21 strikeouts during the Wildcats' 7-6 win in 12 innings on Thursday over Brigham Young.
Neighbors struck out a team-high seven during three innings of relief. He allowed two hits, one walk and one earned run on a home run.
The junior right-hander, who got off to a rocky start this season and missed some time with an injury, has lowered his earned run average to a team-best 3.08. He's allowed only 17 hits and 14 walks in 26 1/3 innings with 40 strikeouts. Opposing hitters are batting only .177 against him. His fastball has topped the 100 mph mark this season. He owns a 1-1 record with a team-high seven saves.
The 30-21 Wildcats were scheduled to play BYU twice more at home in Manhattan this weekend before wrapping up the regular season. — Cassidi Mullen, a senior outfielder from Royse City, singled and scored a run to help UT-Tyler beat Oklahoma Christian 3-0 in the finals of the NCAA Division II South Central Super Regionals softball tournament. That victory sends 53-8 UT Tyler to the College World Series for the third straight year. The Patriots have advanced to the World Series in all three seasons as an NCAA Division II softball program.
The Patriots are to open the World Series on Sunday against Augustana at Boombah-Soldiers Creek Park in Longwood, Florida.
Mullen also pounded two hits and scored a run in the Patriots' prior 6-3 victory over Oklahoma Christian.
Mullen, who was a second-team All-Lone Star Conference selection, currently ranks second on the team with a .371 batting average. She's pounded 56 hits, including five triples, has scored 41 runs and has driven in 24 runs. She's also 10-of-10 on stolen base attempts
Mullen's fielding percentage remains perfect at 1.000. She hasn't made an error in 62 chances with 59 putouts and three assists.
The Patriots wrapped up LSC play with a 37-5 record. They've won 26 of their last 27 games.
