Kansas State University Athletics
Friday, March 12
Houston, TX
12 p.m.
Kansas State University
9-4
4
vs
3
Northern Illinois
1-7
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
R
H
E
Northern Illinois
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
2
3
6
0
K-State
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
3
4
7
1
Photo by: Maria Lysaker | NIU Athletics
Photo by: Maria Lysaker | NIU Athletics
Photo by: Maria Lysaker | NIU Athletics
Photo by: Maria Lysaker | NIU Athletics
Photo by: Maria Lysaker | NIU Athletics
Photo by: Maria Lysaker | NIU Athletics
Photo by: Maria Lysaker | NIU Athletics
Photo by: Maria Lysaker | NIU Athletics
Photo by: Maria Lysaker | NIU Athletics
Photo by: Maria Lysaker | NIU Athletics
Photo by: Maria Lysaker | NIU Athletics
Wildcats Score Three in Ninth to Walk-Off Huskies
Mar 12, 2021 | Baseball
HOUSTON – Down two runs in the bottom of the ninth, K-State's Dylan Phillips tied the game with a two-run single, stole two bases and then beat the throw home on a fielder's choice ground ball to give the Wildcats a 4-3 walk-off victory over Northern Illinois Friday at Reckling Park.
K-State (9-4) gave up a pair of unearned runs in the top of the ninth inning after the Cats had tied the game at a run apiece in the eighth. Dylan Caplinger, who was the seventh Wildcat to come to the plate in the final inning, recorded the game-winning RBI as he hit a groundball that allowed Phillips to scamper home and extend K-State's winning streak to three games.
"It started with a quality start from Kasey Ford," said head coach Pete Hughes. "He was really good again for us and we needed it. The conditions today weren't conducive to offense, so we had to try and create some of our own and get the running game going.
"Overall, it wasn't a great day at the plate for us, but we grinded out enough at-bats late to come through. I keep hammering to our guys that we've got to be the better team in the seventh, eighth and ninth innings. That's what winning programs do. But the bullpen, (Jaxon) Passino and (Tyler) Eckberg, pitched it well enough for us to give us a chance in the ninth."
Caleb Littlejim was hit by a pitch to start K-State's ninth-inning rally. Zach Kokoska followed with a single before the duo stole second and third, respectively. Phillips singled up the middle, scoring both, to knot up the score, 3-3.
Phillips swiped second base, Daniel Carinci worked a walk and then executed the Cats' second double steal of the frame. NIU reliever Kyle Seebach intentionally walked Cole Johnson to load the bases with one out, bringing Caplinger to the plate.
Ford turned in season highs in both innings (six) and strikeouts (5) in his first quality start of the season. The 6-foot-6 right-hander yielded just one earned run on four hits in a no-decision effort.
The game was scoreless through five innings, until Northern Illinois (1-7) led off the sixth with a solo home run from Matt Barnes.
In the fourth inning, K-State threw out two Huskies at the plate. Carinci threw out Kam Smith on a groundball to second base and Phillips gunned down Jake Dunham from left field to end the inning and keep NIU off the scoreboard.
The Huskies carried their one-run lead into the bottom of the eighth. Terrence Spurlin doubled to lead off the inning and Johnson entered as a pinch runner. Caplinger laid down a sacrifice bunt to move him to third, and Johnson later scored on a sacrifice fly off the bat of Kamron Willman.
Paddy McDermott, who had three hits on the day, and Jake Dunham each roped RBI doubles in the top of the ninth after a Wildcat error extended the frame.
Passino struck out three over his 2 2/3 innings of relief while Eckberg struck out the only hitter he faced, stranding a runner at second base.
Phillips and Willman led K-State with two hits each. Phillips registered two RBI while Willman drove in one.
Phillips now has an RBI in eight straight games and has reached base safely in 24 consecutive contests. Willman pushed his hitting streak to eight games and has reached baes in all 12 games he has played this season.
NIU starter Michael Lasiewicz pitched into the eighth inning, scattering five hits in 7 1/3 innings with one run against him. Lasiewicz struck out four and walked one without factoring into the decision.
Seebach suffered the loss after he gave up three earned runs in an inning of work.
The Wildcats got their leadoff man on base in each of the final four frames and had a runner on third with less than two out in the sixth, seventh and ninth innings.
K-State ended the day 0-for-6 with two outs and 1-for-8 with runners in scoring position.
K-State and NIU face off at 10 a.m. Saturday, before the second game of a doubleheader against host Rice at 2 p.m. The second game will stream on C-USA.TV at ConferenceUSA.com/watch. Both games can be heard on News Radio KMAN (93.3 FM, 1350 AM) with live, free audio at K-StateSports.com/watch
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
K-State (9-4) gave up a pair of unearned runs in the top of the ninth inning after the Cats had tied the game at a run apiece in the eighth. Dylan Caplinger, who was the seventh Wildcat to come to the plate in the final inning, recorded the game-winning RBI as he hit a groundball that allowed Phillips to scamper home and extend K-State's winning streak to three games.
"It started with a quality start from Kasey Ford," said head coach Pete Hughes. "He was really good again for us and we needed it. The conditions today weren't conducive to offense, so we had to try and create some of our own and get the running game going.
"Overall, it wasn't a great day at the plate for us, but we grinded out enough at-bats late to come through. I keep hammering to our guys that we've got to be the better team in the seventh, eighth and ninth innings. That's what winning programs do. But the bullpen, (Jaxon) Passino and (Tyler) Eckberg, pitched it well enough for us to give us a chance in the ninth."
Caleb Littlejim was hit by a pitch to start K-State's ninth-inning rally. Zach Kokoska followed with a single before the duo stole second and third, respectively. Phillips singled up the middle, scoring both, to knot up the score, 3-3.
Phillips swiped second base, Daniel Carinci worked a walk and then executed the Cats' second double steal of the frame. NIU reliever Kyle Seebach intentionally walked Cole Johnson to load the bases with one out, bringing Caplinger to the plate.
Ford turned in season highs in both innings (six) and strikeouts (5) in his first quality start of the season. The 6-foot-6 right-hander yielded just one earned run on four hits in a no-decision effort.
The game was scoreless through five innings, until Northern Illinois (1-7) led off the sixth with a solo home run from Matt Barnes.
In the fourth inning, K-State threw out two Huskies at the plate. Carinci threw out Kam Smith on a groundball to second base and Phillips gunned down Jake Dunham from left field to end the inning and keep NIU off the scoreboard.
The Huskies carried their one-run lead into the bottom of the eighth. Terrence Spurlin doubled to lead off the inning and Johnson entered as a pinch runner. Caplinger laid down a sacrifice bunt to move him to third, and Johnson later scored on a sacrifice fly off the bat of Kamron Willman.
Paddy McDermott, who had three hits on the day, and Jake Dunham each roped RBI doubles in the top of the ninth after a Wildcat error extended the frame.
Passino struck out three over his 2 2/3 innings of relief while Eckberg struck out the only hitter he faced, stranding a runner at second base.
Phillips and Willman led K-State with two hits each. Phillips registered two RBI while Willman drove in one.
Phillips now has an RBI in eight straight games and has reached base safely in 24 consecutive contests. Willman pushed his hitting streak to eight games and has reached baes in all 12 games he has played this season.
NIU starter Michael Lasiewicz pitched into the eighth inning, scattering five hits in 7 1/3 innings with one run against him. Lasiewicz struck out four and walked one without factoring into the decision.
Seebach suffered the loss after he gave up three earned runs in an inning of work.
The Wildcats got their leadoff man on base in each of the final four frames and had a runner on third with less than two out in the sixth, seventh and ninth innings.
K-State ended the day 0-for-6 with two outs and 1-for-8 with runners in scoring position.
K-State and NIU face off at 10 a.m. Saturday, before the second game of a doubleheader against host Rice at 2 p.m. The second game will stream on C-USA.TV at ConferenceUSA.com/watch. Both games can be heard on News Radio KMAN (93.3 FM, 1350 AM) with live, free audio at K-StateSports.com/watch
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
- K-State scored four runs on seven hits with one error and three left on base.
- Northern Illinois scored three runs on six hits with no errors and five left on base.
- K-State had two extra-base hits, a double by Willman in the sixth and a double by Spurlin in the eighth.
- Willman and Phillips each had two hits to pace K-State offensively.
- Ford worked the first six innings and allowed one run on four hits with one walk and five strikeouts.
- Eckberg (1-2) picked up the win in relief, striking out the only batter he faced in the top of the ninth.
- K-State had the leadoff man on base in each of the final four innings.
- K-State went 0-for-6 with two outs, 3-for-12 with runners on and 1-for-8 with runners in scoring position.
- Ford, Passino and Eckberg combined for nine strikeouts on the day.
- K-State holds a 3-0 series advantage against Northern Illinois.
- Thompson made his 197th consecutive start for the Wildcats, good for sixth place in K-State history.
- Goodwin has hits in 11 of 13 games this season.
- Phillips is on a career-high 24-game on-base streak dating back to last season.
- Willman has reached base in all 12 games he has played this year.
- Phillips has a team-high 17 RBI on the season and has an RBI in eight straight contests.
- Phillips has 29 runs over his last 21 games, going back to last season.
- It marked K-State's first walk-off victory of the season while the Cats improve to 4-2 in one-run games.
Cats Walk it Off!#KStateBSB pic.twitter.com/LWw4N2aiTi
— K-State Baseball (@KStateBSB) March 12, 2021
Caplinger gets it in play. Phillips slides home.
— K-State Baseball (@KStateBSB) March 12, 2021
Party in the outfield 🎉🍾#KStateBSB pic.twitter.com/rgyXAFNtaX
Friday Fun :)#KStateBSB pic.twitter.com/Ed7BOIybnt
— K-State Baseball (@KStateBSB) March 12, 2021
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Eckberg, Tyler (1-2)
L: SEEBACH, Kyle (0-1)
Batting:
2B: DUNHAM, Jake 1 ; MCKERMITT, Paddy 1
HR: BARNES, Matt 1
RBI: BARNES, Matt 1 ; DUNHAM, Jake 1 ; MCKERMITT, Paddy 1
Base Running:
RUNS: BARNES, Matt 1 ; LONTEEN, Dylan 1 ; RODRIGUEZ, Alex 1
SB: BARNES, Matt 1 ; SMITH, Kam 1 ; DUNHAM, Jake 1 ; MCKERMITT, Paddy 1
HBP: DUNHAM, Jake 1
Batting:
2B: Spurlin, Terrence 1 ; Willman, Kamron 1
RBI: Phillips, Dylan 2 ; Caplinger, Dylan 1 ; Willman, Kamron 1
SH: Caplinger, Dylan 1
SF: Willman, Kamron 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Littlejim, Caleb 1 ; Kokoska, Zach 1 ; Phillips, Dylan 1 ; Johnson, Cole 1
SB: Littlejim, Caleb 1 ; Kokoska, Zach 1 ; Phillips, Dylan 2 ; Carinci, Daniel 1
CS: Burrows, Blake 1
HBP: Littlejim, Caleb 1 ; Ceballos, Chris 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
lf/1b
AB
4
R
1
H
2
RBI
2
AB
2
R
0
H
2
RBI
1
AB
4
R
1
H
1
RBI
0
AB
4
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
C
/ Baseball
INF
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
INF/OF
/ BaseballOF
/ Baseball
RHP/OF
/ Baseball
INF
/ BaseballINF
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