By Jerry Briggs
Special for The JB Replay

Keegan O’Connor’s three-run homer backed the pitching of lefthander Lincoln Sheffield as the third-seeded Kansas State Wildcats stayed alive in the NCAA Austin Regional with a 7-4 victory over the No. 4 HCU Huskies Saturday at UFCU Disch-Falk Field.

O’Connor’s blast, his 17th home run of the season, highlighted a four-run third inning against HCU starter Joshua Caravalho. Sheffield (7-4) pitched into the seventh inning to earn the victory. He allowed no runs on four hits in six and two thirds.

Caravalho (9-4) took the loss after getting knocked out in three and two thirds.

HCU made it interesting in the ninth inning when Jeremy Rader belted a two-run homer to account for the final score. Radar was playing a day after he had to exit Friday’s game against Texas with an injury.

But with a runner aboard and the potential tying run on deck, Kansas State reliever Tazwell Butler got Tevis Payne on a fly ball to right field to end the game.

Coach Pete Hughes’ Wildcats, who lost their opener Friday night to UTSA, 10-2, will advance in the losers’ bracket to play again on Sunday afternoon. Kansas State, with a 32-25 record, will need to win twice to play on Monday for the regional title.

With the loss, the Huskies became the first team out of four in Austin to be eliminated. They will exit with an 0-2 record in the double-elimination format after riding a 5-0 sweep to the Southland Conference postseason title.

Clay VanderLaan finished his first season as HCU’s head coach at 32-25.

Saturday’s results

Losers’ bracket
Kansas State 7, HCU 4
(HCU is eliminated)

Winners’ bracket
UTSA vs. Texas, 8 p.m.

Seeds, records

1 – Texas (43-12)
2 – UTSA (45-13)
3 – Kansas State (32-25)
4 – HCU (32-25)

Sunday’s schedule

Losers’ bracket
Kansas State vs. TBA, 2 p.m.

Winners’ bracket
Texas or UTSA vs. TBA, an hour after the conclusion of the first game.