Kansas State relievers Nate Williams and Jake Matthys combined for 3.2 scoreless innings to bolster a solid start by freshman Blake McFadden as the Wildcats edged Texas Tech, 4-3, Thursday in the opening round of the Phillips 66 Big 12 Championship at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark.

K-State improved to 40-16 on the year, reaching the 40-win mark for just the second time in school history. The Red Raiders dropped to 25-29.

Williams, who entered the game in the sixth inning with one out and the Wildcats on top 4-2, allowed a two-out RBI double to cut the lead to one. But the sophomore right-hander retired the next four batters before handing the game over the Matthys in the eighth.

Matthys, who broke the K-State freshman record for saves with seven, retired all six batters he faced with four strikeouts to finish the game.

“It was just a really clean, good ballgame,” said head coach Brad Hill. “Both sides pitched very well. We were fortunate enough to come out on top. Fortunately, some things went our way.”

Matthys, the Big 12 Freshman of the Year, needed only 19 pitches in his two scoreless innings and threw only four pitches out of the strike zone. He moved into a tie for third place in school history with his 29th appearance, which is the most by a freshman in school history.

McFadden (6-2) pitched out of tough situations in the first three innings by forcing Texas Tech to leave two on base in the second inning, while a caught stealing helped the right-hander face the minimum in the third. But in the fourth, Tech’s Eric Gutierrez hit two-run homer off the left-field foul pole to give Tech a 2-1 lead before McFadden settled down to get three consecutive outs and end the threat.

The Wildcat offense had to grind it out against one of the nation’s top pitchers, Trey Masek (5-2). K-State manufactured a run in the second inning without recording a hit when Jared King walked and stole second base before a pair of ground outs – the latter by Jon Davis – scored the game’s first run.

Tanner Witt led off the fourth with a double down the left-field line and Shane Conlon followed with a single to put runners on the corners. King drove home Witt with a sacrifice fly before pinch-hitter Kyle Speer doubled to the right-field wall, moving Conlon to third. Davis hit another sacrifice fly to produce the second run of the inning and Lance Miles, who pinch ran for Speer, scored on a wild pitch to build the lead to 4-2.

“You’ve got to tip your hat to (Masek),” said Conlon. “He pitched great and kept us off-balance. We had the one big inning that basically won us the ballgame. Our pitching staff threw great today and kept us in the game.”

Conlon finished with two hits and scored a run, while Davis registered his ninth multi-RBI game of the year. Gutierrez led Texas Tech by going 1-for-2 with two RBI and hit his fourth home run in as many games.

Top-seeded Kansas State continues play in Pool One Friday with a 12:30 p.m., contest against No. 5-seed Baylor at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark.

— KSU Sports Information —

Kansas State junior center B.J. Finney is one of 44 players nationally and three from the Big 12 Conference named to the 2013 Rimington Trophy Spring Watch List, the award committee has announced.

Finney, a native of Andale, is a former walk-on who has turned into a team leader for the Wildcats. Last season, he was a First Team All-Big 12 pick and a semifinalist for the Burlsworth Trophy which honors the nation’s top walk-on. The two-time team captain has started all 26 career games, including the last 25 at center heading into his junior campaign.

The Rimington Trophy is presented annually to the Most Outstanding Center in NCAA Division I-A College Football. Since its inception, the Rimington Trophy has raised over $2 million. The 14-year old award is overseen by the Boomer Esiason Foundation, which is committed to finding a cure for cystic fibrosis and has raised over $100 million for CF Research.

Dave Rimington, the award’s namesake, was a consensus first-team All-America center at the University of Nebraska in 1981 and 1982, during which time he became the John Outland Trophy’s only double winner as the nation’s finest college interior lineman. For more on the Rimington Trophy and a list of past recipients, visit www.rimingtontrophy.com

Other Big 12 centers on the list include Texas’ Dominic Espinosa and Oklahoma’s Gabe Ikard.

The Wildcats return 41 lettermen from last year’s 11-2 Big 12 Championship squad which is led by 2011 and 2012 Big 12 and National Coach of the Year Bill Snyder, who is in his 22nd season overall at Kansas State.

Kansas State returns 11 starters in 2013, while a total of 18 returners have earned starts during their Wildcat career. The Wildcats return nine players from 2012 that earned midseason or postseason All-Big 12 honors from various media outlets, including returning All-Americans Ty Zimmerman at safety and kick returner/wide receiver Tyler Lockett.

K-State opens the 2013 season and the new West Stadium Center August 30 with a primetime, nationally-televised home game on FOX Sports 1 against North Dakota State.

— KSU Sports Information —