Box Score MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – The West Virginia University baseball team scored two runs in the eighth inning and one in the ninth, but could not add any more in a 7-4 loss to Kansas State in the series finale on Sunday afternoon at Monongalia County Ballpark.
 
The Mountaineers (19-18, 4-8 Big 12) trailed 7-1 in the eighth inning, but rallied to send the tying run to the plate in the ninth with two outs. However, the Wildcats (17-23, 3-12) got a lineout to end the game, avoiding a sweep in the three-game series.
 
"We had a chance to jump back into the conference race, you look back at the end of the season, look back at this game and feel like it's one you should've won, but we're in a good place," WVU coach Randy Mazey said. "Offensively, we're playing pretty well, we have some guys pitching pretty well, we just need more."  
 
WVU's four runs came on 11 hits, as all but one starter had at least one hit, while six had an RBI or scored a run. Sophomore first baseman Marques Inman continued his hot hitting and was one of three Mountaineers with two hits. Junior right fielder Darius Hill and junior second baseman Kyle Gray each had a hit, an RBI and a run scored. Gray (14 games), Hill (13) and Inman (8) all extended their career-long hitting streaks in the contest.
 
Junior right-handed starter Braden Zarbnisky suffered the loss on the mound and falls to 2-2 on the season. In 4.0 innings, he allowed two runs on five hits with a strikeout and one walk. He departed in a 1-1 game after allowing a leadoff single in the fifth inning. At the plate, Zarbnisky also added an RBI and walked once.
 
K-State took a 1-0 lead in the second inning, on a leadoff triple and RBI single.
 
The Mountaineers tied the game at 1-1 in the fourth. Gray doubled with one out and scored on a two-out single up the middle by junior third baseman Andrew Zitel.
 
The Wildcats regained the lead with a pair of runs in the fifth, on two bases-loaded walks. Senior right-hander Shane Ennis, the fourth pitcher in the inning, got a double play to end the inning and limit the damage.
 
Kansas State extended its lead to 4-1 in the seventh with an RBI double before sophomore right-handed reliever Sam Kessler got a pair of strikeouts to strand two runners on. The Wildcats added three more runs in the eighth, on an RBI single and sacrifice fly before the final run scored with two outs on a wild pitch on a dropped third strike.
 
West Virginia chipped away with two runs on three hits in the eighth inning to cut the deficit to four, at 7-3. Sophomore center fielder Brandon White got things going with a walk and scored on a double down the right-field line by Hill. A single by Inman followed, which advanced Hill to third. Hill scored WVU's second run of the inning on a sacrifice fly to left by Gray.
 
WVU added a run in the ninth, on an RBI groundout by Zarbnisky that scored junior shortstop Jimmy Galusky. That cut the deficit to 7-4. With two outs, White and Hill both walked. However, a lineout ended the game.
 
The Mountaineers face in-state foe Marshall in Charleston, West Virginia, on Tuesday, April 24, at 6:30 p.m. ET. The game at Appalachian Power Park is hosted by Marshall, and tickets are available at HerdZone.com.
 
NOTES: West Virginia falls to 19-18 and 4-8 in Big 12 play … The loss snapped WVU's three-game win streak, while WVU has won nine of its last 13 games … The Mountaineers lead the all-time series vs. K-State, 10-8, and are 6-3 in Morgantown … Kyle Gray extended his hitting streak to a career-best 14 games, while Darius Hill ties his career-long hitting streak at 13 games … Gray has reached base in a career-long-tying 15 games in a row, while Braden Zarbnisky (14) and Hill (13) also tie their career-long reached-base streaks … Marques Inman extended his career-long reached base streak to 12 consecutive games.
 
Single game tickets and mini-packages for the 2018 season are on sale now. Fans can purchase tickets at WVUGAME.com, call 1-800-WVU GAME or visit the Mountaineer Ticket Office at the WVU Coliseum. The 2018 schedule, with game times, can be found on the baseball schedule page on WVUsports.com. A printable PDF and schedule breakdown also are available on WVUsports.com.
 
For more information on the Mountaineers, follow WVU Baseball on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram and visit WVUsports.com.