A mid-week loss to the middling Texas A&M-Corpus Christi Islanders didn't linger into the weekend, as Texas Longhorns baseball traveled to Manhattan and defeated the Kansas State Wildcats 6-3 on Friday, buoyed by a career-high four hits from first baseman Kacy Clemens, who looks like a new player after focusing solely on his hitting and beginning to wear glasses at the plate.
Entering the season, the junior was a career .210 hitter over two seasons with only five extra-base hits in 257 at bats for a slugging percentage of .237. Shortly after it began, he finally started wearing prescription glass to combat astigmatism at the request of his grandmother, his father, and pitching coach Skip Johnson.
The results have been incredible, as Clemens began Friday's game with a .267 average and 10 extra-base hits in 90 at bats, including two home runs. The hot streak continued with his four hits to pace the 'Horns against the 'Cats and featured a double and two-run home run in the seventh to stretch the lead to 6-1.
The elder Clemens also got some help from his younger brother, freshman shortstop Kody Clemens, who hit his own two-run home run in the third to take a 3-0 lead.
The defense helped out with two double plays -- but committed three more errors -- and starter Morgan Cooper was effective in going six innings and only allowing one run. With the big lead, a two-run home run allowed by reliever Travis Duke never threatened the outcome and Texas was able to pick up a much-needed win against Kansas State, which is still winless in Big 12 play after seven games.
Texas left-hander Ty Culbreth (5-2, 2.31) will take on right-hander Levi MaVorhis (3-2, 4.12) on Saturday at 2 p.m. CT.