Littlejim Leads Cats to 7-2 Win over Omaha

MANHATTAN, Kan. – Caleb Littlejim earned the win on the mound with a quality start and hit a two-run home run to push K-State to a 7-2 win over Omaha Wednesday night at Tointon Family Stadium.

Littlejim threw a career-high six innings while allowing one run on three hits to go with four strikeouts. The junior two-way player was one of three Wildcats to homer in the game, as Will Brennan and Zach Kokoska went back-to-back in the fifth inning.

"That's what we needed," head coach Pete Hughes said after the game. "I just wanted these guys feeling good again headed into the weekend. We are always looking to get better but we need to play clean baseball, limit our walks, attack the strike zone and play error free.

"That's a good team, offensively, so you've got to have stuff to get them out. (Littlejim) controlled his secondary stuff, his slider was a good pitch that kept them off balance, but he had a really good fastball today. He was 91-92 and I hadn't seen that in a while from Caleb, so I'm happy for him. Our team needed him."

K-State (14-20) snapped Omaha's (20-7-1) six-game winning streak and handed the Mavericks their second loss over their last 18 games overall.

Kokoska finished 2-for-4 with two runs scored while Brennan and Littlejim each drove in two. Chris Ceballos added an RBI double as part of the Cats' three-run first.

"Our offense has been putting a lot of pressure on themselves lately, so it was good to see those guys get a couple home runs and see some smiles on their faces in the dugout," added Hughes. "There's nothing like getting a couple runs and a home run early to get energy in our dugout and our guys kept it there."

Littlejim's homer came in the second inning after a three-run first to help K-State stake a 5-1 lead after two innings. Brennan added a sacrifice fly in the opening frame.

The first back-to-back home runs hit by Wildcat teammates since 2017, Kokoska's and Brennan's homers pushed the Cats' lead to 7-1. It was Kokoska's fifth home of the year and Brennan's second of the season and of his career.

Max Gamm turned in an RBI double in the second and Parker Smejkal homered for Omaha in the top of the seventh to account for the two Maverick runs.

Sophomore right-hander Andrew Stratman tossed two innings in relief of Littlejim, allowing one run on one hit while Eric Torres tossed a perfect ninth inning with two strikeouts.

Senior Thomas Hughes also doubled, as five of the Cats' seven hits went for extra bases.

Jackson Gordon took the loss for UNO after throwing one inning in the start and yielding three runs on two hits.

K-State returns to Big 12 action as it travels to take on No. 14 Texas beginning Friday. The three-game series will be televised on the Longhorn Network and streaming on the ESPN app. Radio coverage is available on News Radio KMAN (93.3 FM, 1350 AM) with live audio streaming at K-StateSports.com/watch.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

K-State scored seven runs on seven hits without an error and left six on base.
Omaha scored two runs on four hits with one error and stranded four baserunners.
Brennan, Kokoska and Littlejim each homered for K-State.
Kokoska and Littlejim are tied for the team lead with five homers apiece.
Brennan and Kokoska hit back-to-back home runs in the fifth inning.
It marked the first back-to-back home runs hit by Wildcat teammates since Kyle Barfield and Josh Ethier did so on April 30, 2017 against Abilene Christian.
Littlejim turned in his first quality start, with a career-long six innings pitched.
Five of K-State's seven hits went for extra bases.
Jaxon Passino recorded his first hit of the season in his first start at second base.
Three Wildcat pitchers combined to strike out six and walk two while limiting Omaha to -for-10 with runners on base and 1-for-9 with two outs.

NOTES

K-State leads the all-time series 13-2.
The Wildcats are now 11-1 at home vs. Omaha.
K-State snapped Omaha's six-game winning streak and handed the Mavericks their second loss in their last 18 games overall.
K-State's three home runs matched its season high for a single game.
The game time of 1:59 marked K-State's shortest game of the season.

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Team Stats

Zach Kokoska

Caleb Littlejim

Will Brennan

Chris Ceballos

Players Mentioned

Kyle Barfield

Will Brennan

Chris Ceballos

Thomas Hughes

Zach Kokoska

Caleb Littlejim

Jaxon Passino

Andrew Stratman

Eric Torres

Players Mentioned

Kyle Barfield

Will Brennan

Chris Ceballos

Thomas Hughes

Zach Kokoska

Caleb Littlejim

Jaxon Passino

Andrew Stratman

Eric Torres

Kansas State University Athletics