Kansas State University
Eastern Illinois University
Mar 05, 2017 | Baseball
GAME RECAP
0
14
NR
EASTERN ILLINOIS
PANTHERS
1-9 (0-0 OVC)
NR
K-STATE
WILDCATS
9-2 (0-0 Big 12)
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EIU | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| KSU | 0 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 4 | X | 14 | 13 | 1 |
- Time of Game: 2:21
- First Pitch: 1:01
- Temperature: 61 F
- Wind: S 21
- Attendance: 1,741
- ? GAMECENTER
- ? HIGHLIGHTS
- ? BOX SCORE
MANHATTAN, Kan. – Senior Parker Rigler made Kansas State baseball history Sunday by throwing the program's first no-hitter since 1991 in a 14-0 victory over Eastern Illinois at Tointon Family Stadium
The left-handed Edmond, Oklahoma, native threw the ninth no-hitter in K-State program history as he struck out six EIU hitters, walked two and threw 103 pitches en route to his second win of the season.
"It's a true honor," Rigler said of the achievement. "Another day just playing baseball for me and a lot of fun. When you put up 14 runs it makes it a lot easier to go out and attack hitters and not have to be too perfect. And absolute lock-down defense behind me, a lot of great plays made and a lot of effort being put forth there and my catcher Josh Rolette did a heck of a job, too, framing pitches and keeping the ball in front of him and keeping the runners at bay. He did an awesome job back there today, too."
"I didn't even realize it until about the eighth inning, to be honest," said head coach Brad Hill of Rigler's no-hitter. "I look up and see zeros and think, 'Wow, he hasn't allowed a hit yet?'; Pretty special. Congratulations to Parker, he deserves it. Great, great performance."
"You always recognize what situation you're in," added Rigler. "You just try not to let it dictate how you play and how you attack hitters. You just try to stay consistent and not change anything up.
"I'm a little superstitious, I had to sit in the same place in the dugout every inning and different things like that," Rigler said. "It was a lot of fun."
Rigler allowed just four baserunners through seven innings but found trouble in the eighth after the first two Panther batters reached base after a walk and a hit by pitch. Catcher Josh Turnock lined out to Cameron Thompson in center field and then Alex Stevenson hit into 6-3 double play to end the threat. It was the only inning in which EIU managed more than one baserunner.
Double plays also wiped out Panther baserunners in the second and fifth innings as Rigler retired Eastern Illinois in order in three of the final four innings and struck out EIU designated hitter Matt Dunavant to end the ballgame.
The senior lefty moved to 2-0 on the season and tossed the second complete game of his career.
K-State (9-2) opened the scoring early with four runs in both the second and third innings off EIU (1-9) starter Dustin Wilson.
Senior Quintin Crandall singled home Jake Scudder before second baseman Josh Ethier blasted his first career home run to put the Cats up 4-0 after two.
In the third, Wilson walked the first three batters to load the bases for sophomore catcher Josh Rolette, who doubled to left center. Following Hanz Harker's RBI single, the Wildcats led 8-0 after three innings.
K-State tacked on two more in the fifth and after a four-run eighth inning, that included a two-run shot by junior-transfer Kyle Barfield, the Cats had scored in double-figures for the third consecutive game.
"I like spreading it around, trust me," Hill added. "I like seeing twos and threes throughout the course of nine innings as opposed to just one big inning."
Four Wildcats collected multiple hits on the day while five had multi-RBI games, led by the senior Ethier who drove in a career-high three runs. Ethier finished 2-for-5 with a double and two runs scored to go along with his homer.
Rolette went 2-for-3 with two doubles, two RBI and two runs scored.
Hitting leadoff, Thompson was 2-for-5 with two RBI and recorded his seventh multi-hit game of the season.
K-State will welcome Northwestern State for a two-game series beginning Tuesday, March 7. Start times for both mid-week games will be 3 p.m. at Tointon Family Stadium and will be broadcast worldwide on K-StateHD.TV. Fans can listen to Brian Smoller and Matt Walters call the action on KMAN 1350 AM, 93.3 FM and streaming free online at k-statesports.com.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
• K-State scored 14 runs on 13 hits and committed one error and left seven runners on base. Eastern Illinois scored no runs on no hits and committed two errors while stranding three baserunners.
• Rigler's no-hitter was the first for K-State since 1991 and ninth in program history.
• Rigler struck out six, walked two and hit two batters while throwing 103 pitches.
• Four Wildcats had multi-hit days: Thompson, Rolette, Harker and Ethier.
• Five Cats had multi-RBI games: Thompson, Barfield, Rolette, Harker and Ethier.
• K-State hit .361 (13-for-36) in the game and .389 (7-for-18) with runners in scoring position.
• With a runner on third base and less than two out, K-State was 4-for-5 (.800).
• As a team, K-State was 5-for-8 (.625) when leading off the inning.
• K-State hit .462 (6-for-13) with two outs.
NOTES
• K-State now leads the all-time series with Eastern Illinois, 8-0, and is 7-0 at home.
• K-State has won its last five games and continues its best start to a season since 2011 when it started 11-2.
• With a single in the second, Crandall extended his career-long on-base streak to 19 games.
• Head coach Brad Hill now has 425 career victories as the Wildcat skipper. He needs just 11 more to become the winningest all-time coach in K-State history.
