K-State Baseball Opens Official Practices Friday
Jan 27, 2017 | Baseball
2017 K-State Baseball Quick Facts
MANHATTAN, Kan. – Just three weeks from the season opener, the Kansas State baseball team officially opened its 2017 season with the beginning of team practices Friday.
K-State, who opens the season on February 17 in Kissimmee, Florida, features a nine-member senior class and 15 returning letterwinners and are led by 14th-year head coach Brad Hill.
Top returners include Big 12 Newcomer of the Year Jake Scudder and All-Freshman Team catcher and designated hitter Josh Rolette. Scudder led K-State hitters in all three Triple Crown categories with his .333 average, seven home runs and 45 RBI. Scudder, a senior transfer from Iowa Western Community College, is the first Wildcat to earn the Big 12 Newcomer of the Year award. Rolette hit .290 in his freshman campaign and was second on the team in home runs (6), doubles (13) and walks (24).
Other key returners include seniors Steve Serratore and Jake Wodtke, who each hit over .300 in 2016. Wodtke finished second on K-State with seven stolen bases a season ago while Serratore posted a .412 on-base percentage with three home runs and 22 RBI.
The K-State pitching staff is under the guidance of second-year pitching coach Tyler Kincaid, who leads a group of 19 hurlers – seven returners, three junior college transfers and nine freshmen. Returning upperclassmen include Jordan Floyd, Nick Jones, Colton Kalmus and Parker Rigler. Rigler led the team in starts with 15 a season ago and finished second on the squad with 73 strikeouts in 77 1/3 innings and Floyd paced the team in relief appearances with 30, recording 30 strikeouts in 37 1/3 innings and helping to combine for a pair of shutouts.
Hill has led the Wildcats to the Big 12 Baseball Championship in nine of the last 10 seasons and has guided the program to its first NCAA Regional appearance. K-State has reached the postseason under Hill in 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2013.
The 2017 season starts on February 17 when the Wildcats open four games in Kissimmee, Florida, against Ohio State (twice), Pitt and Delaware. The Cats will then head to South Carolina to face the Gamecocks, St. John’s and Liberty (twice) before returning home to Tointon Family Stadium for their home opener on March 3.
Season tickets are now available for all 33 Wildcat home games at Tointon Family Stadium, with ticket packages starting at less than $3 a game. Fans can purchase season tickets by visiting www.k-statesports.com/tickets, calling 1-800-221-CATS (2287) or by stopping by the K-State Athletics Ticket Office in Bramlage Coliseum.
During conference play, K-State will host preseason No. 1 TCU (March 31-April 2) and No. 25 Texas Tech (April 13-15).
