After Saturday’s victory over Temple gave the Northwestern baseball team its best winning percentage in more than 16 years, some players started thinking the team could crack USA Today’s Top 25.

“We want national recognition,” junior pitcher Dan Konecny said.

The Cats (6-2) might have received that recognition had they held onto their 2-1 lead Sunday against Kansas State (5-2). But after NU’s 4-3 loss, the squad lost its chance — at least for this week.

Competing in the Wiregrass Classic in Dolan, Ala., NU won two of three games. In the opener, the Cats managed a 6-1 victory over host Troy State (8-5) in 13 innings. The next day, two Cats pitchers combined to throw a 3-0 shutout against Temple (0-3).

Against Troy State, Konecny threw nine innings of one-run ball. But that wasn’t enough to record his third victory of the season. After throwing 116 pitches, NU’s ace left the 1-1 game.

“I wish I hadn’t given up that first run,” Konecny said. “We would have been out of there in nine innings instead of 13.”

The game remained tied until the top of the 13th inning, when the Cats erupted for five runs. Sophomore shortstop Jon Mikrut knocked a three-run triple to break the game open. And freshman pitcher Dan Brauer (1-0) struck out eight through the final five innings to get the win.

“Everyone has a lot of confidence now,” Mikrut said. “It’s always more fun when you’re winning.”

In the second game, sophomore pitcher J.A. Happ — an All-Big Ten selection last year — dominated Temple’s hitters. The southpaw allowed three hits through 6.2 innings of work.

Mikrut went 2-for-2 from the plate and recorded the game’s last out. Mikrut, one of NU’s two closers, picked up his second save of the year.

Kansas State wasn’t so kind to the pitcher. Mikrut entered the game with a 2-1 lead but allowed two runs in the eighth and one in the ninth to suffer his first loss of the season.

“That type of thing happens,” Mikrut said. “You have to get over it. I was upset that we lost, but as a closer you must get through that and be ready for the next game.”

Despite dropping a close contest to Kansas State, Konecny said he is pleased with the team’s start.

“We’re happy to get two out of three,” he said. “But it was a little disappointing to lose that last game when we definitely should have won it.”

But Mikrut is confident NU will win its share of close games.

“That’s how baseball is,” he said. “Things go your way sometimes, and sometimes they don’t.”