Purple Completes Fall World Series Sweep
Oct 28, 2018 | Baseball
MANHATTAN, Kan. – In the finale of K-State's Purple-Grey Fall World Series Sunday, Team Purple completed a three-game sweep with a 3-1 win over Team Grey at Tointon Family Stadium, while the entire K-State baseball team participated in "Shave for the Brave" in support of childhood cancer as part of head coach Pete Hughes' 19 Ways program.
"I thought we took a lot of strides in the growth of our program," said Hughes after the game. "Since Day 1 out here, it all starts with the fundamentals. The team I watched today was fundamentally sound and if you can minimize your walks, free bases and play defense and pitch the baseball, it's a pretty good place to start. I thought we did that.
"I thought we pitched at a Big 12 level, to be honest with you, and I thought we played defense at a Big 12 level. That was our goal and I thought we accomplished it."
Purple starter Will Brennan along with relievers Daniel Powers, Zach Kokoska and Gavin Hinchliffe combined to allow just one run (unearned) on two hits over the seven-inning exhibition. Brennan tossed two perfect innings with three strikeouts while Kokoska yielded one hit over two innings in collecting the win.
Sophomore Gavin Hinchliffe came on to throw a perfect seventh inning with two strikeouts for the save.
Brennan, who hit leadoff for Purple, also had two hits at the plate, scoring a run and drawing a walk. Kokoska went 2-for-4 at the plate and scored the game's first run in the second inning on a sacrifice fly by freshman Mason Crews.
Grey's Jaxon Passino scored in the fourth inning to tie the game, 1-1, before Purple plated two in the top half of the sixth inning. Caleb Littlejim laid down a successful squeeze bunt and Dylan Phillips followed with a sacrifice fly to round out the scoring on the afternoon.
Freshman Joey Martin recorded a double – the game's only extra-base hit – and sophomore Terrence Spurlin registered a single to account for Grey's two hits.
Junior right-hander Kasey Ford, who started on the mound for Grey, went four innings and allowed one earned run on three this with a pair of strikeouts.
Passino, who pitched two innings, took the loss after giving up two runs on two hits.
The Fall World Series signifies the end of fall camp, as the Wildcats officially begin their 2019 season on Friday, February 15 with a four-game series at Cal State Northridge before making their way to the Tony Gwynn Classic hosted by San Diego State. K-State's home opener is set for Friday, March 1 with a three-game set against San Francisco.
"The first fall is critical because you have to assess what you have in your program," Hughes added of his first fall with the program. "It's evaluating 35 guys you know nothing about, that takes a good two weeks to do that and then you start working on the areas where you need to improve."
Season tickets are now on sale for the 2019 season and are available through the K-State Ticket Office by calling 1.800.221.CATS, visiting the ticket office inside Bramlage Coliseum or by going to k-statesports.com/tickets.
"I thought we took a lot of strides in the growth of our program," said Hughes after the game. "Since Day 1 out here, it all starts with the fundamentals. The team I watched today was fundamentally sound and if you can minimize your walks, free bases and play defense and pitch the baseball, it's a pretty good place to start. I thought we did that.
"I thought we pitched at a Big 12 level, to be honest with you, and I thought we played defense at a Big 12 level. That was our goal and I thought we accomplished it."
Purple starter Will Brennan along with relievers Daniel Powers, Zach Kokoska and Gavin Hinchliffe combined to allow just one run (unearned) on two hits over the seven-inning exhibition. Brennan tossed two perfect innings with three strikeouts while Kokoska yielded one hit over two innings in collecting the win.
Sophomore Gavin Hinchliffe came on to throw a perfect seventh inning with two strikeouts for the save.
Brennan, who hit leadoff for Purple, also had two hits at the plate, scoring a run and drawing a walk. Kokoska went 2-for-4 at the plate and scored the game's first run in the second inning on a sacrifice fly by freshman Mason Crews.
Grey's Jaxon Passino scored in the fourth inning to tie the game, 1-1, before Purple plated two in the top half of the sixth inning. Caleb Littlejim laid down a successful squeeze bunt and Dylan Phillips followed with a sacrifice fly to round out the scoring on the afternoon.
Freshman Joey Martin recorded a double – the game's only extra-base hit – and sophomore Terrence Spurlin registered a single to account for Grey's two hits.
Junior right-hander Kasey Ford, who started on the mound for Grey, went four innings and allowed one earned run on three this with a pair of strikeouts.
Passino, who pitched two innings, took the loss after giving up two runs on two hits.
The Fall World Series signifies the end of fall camp, as the Wildcats officially begin their 2019 season on Friday, February 15 with a four-game series at Cal State Northridge before making their way to the Tony Gwynn Classic hosted by San Diego State. K-State's home opener is set for Friday, March 1 with a three-game set against San Francisco.
"The first fall is critical because you have to assess what you have in your program," Hughes added of his first fall with the program. "It's evaluating 35 guys you know nothing about, that takes a good two weeks to do that and then you start working on the areas where you need to improve."
Season tickets are now on sale for the 2019 season and are available through the K-State Ticket Office by calling 1.800.221.CATS, visiting the ticket office inside Bramlage Coliseum or by going to k-statesports.com/tickets.
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