Kansas State University Athletics
Tuesday, March 23
Wichita, KS
6 p.m.
Kansas State University
at
Wichita State
Wildcats, Shockers Renew Rivalry Tuesday Night
Mar 22, 2021 | Baseball
MANHATTAN, Kan. – Winners of seven of its last 10 contests, K-State takes to the road to take on in-state rival Wichita State Tuesday night at 6 p.m. at Eck Stadium.
After five home runs and 17 runs scored in Sunday's rubber game with New Mexico, K-State (13-6) looks to match its best 20-game start to a season since 2010.
Dylan Phillips carries a 30-game on-base streak into the game, a career high, while Zach Kokoska is tied for the lead in the Big 12 with eight homers. As a team, the Wildcats rank fourth in the country with 30 home runs.
Zak Herbers will get this second midweek start, as he will be opposed by WSU's Jace Kaminska.
This will be the 98th all-time meeting in the series, as the Shockers own a 55-42 edge. K-State is 11-4 over the last 15 matchups.
Tuesday's game will be broadcast on ESPN+ and the ESPN app. Radio coverage will be available on News Radio KMAN (93.3 FM, 1350 AM) with live streaming audio available at K-StateSports.com/watch.
GAME #20
K-STATE (13-6) at WICHITA STATE (8-8)
Tuesday, March 23 // 6 p.m. // Eck Stadium // Wichita, Kan.
Projected Starters: RHP Zak Herbers (1-0, 3.60 ERA) vs. RHP Jace Kaminska (0-0, 4.15 ERA)
Watch: ESPN+ // ESPN app
Radio: KMAN (93.3 FM, 1350 AM) // Mitch Fortner, Christopher Brown
Listen Online: K-StateSports.com/watch // 1350KMAN.com
Live Stats
A LOOK AT K-STATE
After a weekend series victory over New Mexico, K-State begins a four-game road trip beginning with in-state rival Wichita State on Tuesday ... The Wildcats used five home runs to pound out season highs in runs (17) and hits (18) in a 17-8 win in Sunday's rubber game with the Lobos ... The victory not only sealed the series, but handed head coach Pete Hughes his 700th career win in his 24th season as a head coach ... Hughes, is 48-46 in three seasons at the helm of the Cats ... Cameron Thompson had four hits Sunday, including two homers for his first career multi-home run game, while Zach Kokoska, Caleb Littlejim and Dylan Phillips also homered ... Kokoska hit his team-leading eighth long ball with his first career grand slam ... Phillips recorded a career-high five RBI and connected on the 20th home run of his career ... Over the three-game series, K-State tallied seven home runs and 13 extra-base hits ... The Cats' 30 home runs have all come in the last 15 games ... Jordan Wicks set the tone Friday, striking out 10 to equal his career high ... It was his third double-digit strikeout outing of the year, while he has four quality starts in five starts ... The K-State bullpen boasted a 0.69 earned run average while striking out 12 against three walks ... Tyler Eckberg appeared twice, retiring all 14 hitters (4 2/3 innings) he saw with three strikeouts ... A victory Tuesday would tie the best start through 20 games for K-State since 2010 (14-6 in 2017).
SCOUTING WICHITA STATE
Wichita State (8-8) returns to Eck Stadium after a seven-game road swing, where the Shockers went 2-5 ... WSU picked up a road win over No. 13 Arizona, 10-9, but has lost four of its last five after a 1-3 week in Deland, Florida, against Stetson and FIU ... The Shockers are 5-3 at home this season ... Corrigan Bartlett has a team-leading .403 average, .449 on-base percentage and six doubles ... Garrett Kocis paces the shockers in home runs (9), RBI (24) and slugging (.898) while ranking second on the team with a .339 average ... Jace Kaminska will get his first start of the year Tuesday and owns an ERA of 4.15 (2 ER, 4.1 IP) ... Kaminska has struck out seven, walked five and opponents hit .350 against him
INSIDE THE SERIES
In a series that dates all the way back to 1906, Wichita State owns a 55-42 edge all-time ... K-State is 16-35 in Wichita after a 2-1 loss in the last meeting between the teams (2020) ... The Cats and Shockers have met at least once every year since 1985 ... The sides have alternated wins over the last six matchups and K-State is 6-4 in the last 10 games in the series ... K-State last won at Eck Stadium in 2018, losing in its last two visits ... Coach Hughes is 1-2 against Wichita State as head coach of the Cats ... Since 2013, the Wildcats are 11-4 vs. the Shockers, as WSU has not won consecutive games in the series since 2012.
BIG BAT CATS
After going without a home run in the season's opening weekend (four games), the Wildcats have erupted for 30 home runs over the last 15 games ... Junior Zach Kokoska leads the way with eight homers while sophomore Dylan Phillips and senior Cameron Thompson each have five ... Thompson homered twice Sunday to become the fourth different Wildcat to record a multi-homer game this season ... As a team, K-State has launched multiple home runs in eight of 19 games this season, including a season-high six against South Dakota State on March 9 ... The six homers were one shy of tying the program's single-game record and are the most in a game since the 2006 season ... 11 different Cats have homered this season, with five going deep more than once ... K-State's 30 home runs currently rank fourth in the country and lead the Big 12.
WHAMMER HAMMER
Going back to last season, Dylan Phillips has reached base safely in 30 consecutive games - a career-best streak ... Phillips has recorded a base hit in 28 of his last 30 games, including 12 multi-hit efforts ... With 25 runs batted in this season, Phillips has driven in 37 runs over his last 27 games while recording an RBI in 20 of his last 27 contests ... The two-way star saw a streak of 10 consecutive games with an RBI snapped March 14 at Rice ... Phillips is currently on a 10-game hitting streak, going 18-for-37 (.486) with five homers and 16 RBI in that span ... His season average of .400 is good for third in the Big 12 while his RBI total is second highest ... He ranks in the league's top seven in all three slash categories.
WICKY WICKY YEAH
K-State lefty Jordan Wicks racked up the preseason honors, including being named the 2021 Big 12 Co-Preseason Pitcher of the Year ... Wicks was tabbed a preseason all-American by D1Baseball, Baseball America, Collegiate Baseball and NCBWA ... The Conway, Ark., product is K-State's first preseason all-America nod since 2014 and the first Big 12 preseason of-the-year award winner ... Wicks was also one of 55 named to USA Baseball's Golden Spikes Award Watch List, which recognizes the nation's premier amateur player ... Following his 10-strikeout, seven scoreless innings against Oregon State, Wicks was named Big 12 Pitcher of the week and National Pitcher of the Week by the NCBWA ... Wicks struck out 10 more hitters against WMU and eight against EIU ... Wicks ranks third in the Big 12 with his 42 strikeouts and has reached double-digit strikeouts in three of five starts ... Four of his five starts this season have been quality efforts ... Dating back to last season, Wicks has allowed seven earned runs over 57 1/3 innings (1.09 ERA) with 68 strikeouts.
GOODWIN? MORE LIKE REALLY GOODWIN
K-State true freshman Nick Goodwin has done it all for the Wildcats through the season's first four weeks, ranking in the top three on the team in hits (22), doubles (5), home runs (4), extra-base hits (9) and RBI (14) and leads the team with seven stolen bases ... The Overland Park product strung together three straight multi-hit games against Western Michigan and put together an eight-game hitting streak from March 5-13... Goodwin has reached base in 17 of 19 games this season and has a hit in 15 contests.
IT'S NOT HOW YOU START
Wildcat starting pitchers this season have posted a 2.55 earned run average, allowing 29 earned runs over 102 1/3 innings with 109 strikeouts against 38 walks ... The K-State bullpen owns an ERA of 3.97 (30 ER, 68 IP) with 70 strikeouts against 33 walks ... The K-State pen held South Dakota State scoreless over 10 innings over the two games, and posted a scoreless streak of 12 innings ... Over the last nine games, Wildcat relievers have registered a 0.76 ERA (3 ER, 35.1 IP) with 49 strikeouts and 13 walks ... In the season's first 10 games, the bullpen yielded a 7.22 ERA (27 ER, 33.2 IP) with 21 strikeouts and 20 walks ... The Cats totaled 31 strikeouts over two games vs. SDSU, punching out 15 in the opener before a season-high 16 in the second game ... In the month of March, K-State starters are 5-2 with a 2.56 earned run average (18 ER, 63.1 IP) ... The pen has a March ERA of 2.01 (10 ER, 44.2 IP), with Jaxson Passino leading the way with 13 strikeouts in eight innings ... Eckberg and Kasey Ford have each allowed one earned run in eight innings in relief.
After five home runs and 17 runs scored in Sunday's rubber game with New Mexico, K-State (13-6) looks to match its best 20-game start to a season since 2010.
Dylan Phillips carries a 30-game on-base streak into the game, a career high, while Zach Kokoska is tied for the lead in the Big 12 with eight homers. As a team, the Wildcats rank fourth in the country with 30 home runs.
Zak Herbers will get this second midweek start, as he will be opposed by WSU's Jace Kaminska.
This will be the 98th all-time meeting in the series, as the Shockers own a 55-42 edge. K-State is 11-4 over the last 15 matchups.
Tuesday's game will be broadcast on ESPN+ and the ESPN app. Radio coverage will be available on News Radio KMAN (93.3 FM, 1350 AM) with live streaming audio available at K-StateSports.com/watch.
GAME #20
K-STATE (13-6) at WICHITA STATE (8-8)
Tuesday, March 23 // 6 p.m. // Eck Stadium // Wichita, Kan.
Projected Starters: RHP Zak Herbers (1-0, 3.60 ERA) vs. RHP Jace Kaminska (0-0, 4.15 ERA)
Watch: ESPN+ // ESPN app
Radio: KMAN (93.3 FM, 1350 AM) // Mitch Fortner, Christopher Brown
Listen Online: K-StateSports.com/watch // 1350KMAN.com
Live Stats
A LOOK AT K-STATE
After a weekend series victory over New Mexico, K-State begins a four-game road trip beginning with in-state rival Wichita State on Tuesday ... The Wildcats used five home runs to pound out season highs in runs (17) and hits (18) in a 17-8 win in Sunday's rubber game with the Lobos ... The victory not only sealed the series, but handed head coach Pete Hughes his 700th career win in his 24th season as a head coach ... Hughes, is 48-46 in three seasons at the helm of the Cats ... Cameron Thompson had four hits Sunday, including two homers for his first career multi-home run game, while Zach Kokoska, Caleb Littlejim and Dylan Phillips also homered ... Kokoska hit his team-leading eighth long ball with his first career grand slam ... Phillips recorded a career-high five RBI and connected on the 20th home run of his career ... Over the three-game series, K-State tallied seven home runs and 13 extra-base hits ... The Cats' 30 home runs have all come in the last 15 games ... Jordan Wicks set the tone Friday, striking out 10 to equal his career high ... It was his third double-digit strikeout outing of the year, while he has four quality starts in five starts ... The K-State bullpen boasted a 0.69 earned run average while striking out 12 against three walks ... Tyler Eckberg appeared twice, retiring all 14 hitters (4 2/3 innings) he saw with three strikeouts ... A victory Tuesday would tie the best start through 20 games for K-State since 2010 (14-6 in 2017).
SCOUTING WICHITA STATE
Wichita State (8-8) returns to Eck Stadium after a seven-game road swing, where the Shockers went 2-5 ... WSU picked up a road win over No. 13 Arizona, 10-9, but has lost four of its last five after a 1-3 week in Deland, Florida, against Stetson and FIU ... The Shockers are 5-3 at home this season ... Corrigan Bartlett has a team-leading .403 average, .449 on-base percentage and six doubles ... Garrett Kocis paces the shockers in home runs (9), RBI (24) and slugging (.898) while ranking second on the team with a .339 average ... Jace Kaminska will get his first start of the year Tuesday and owns an ERA of 4.15 (2 ER, 4.1 IP) ... Kaminska has struck out seven, walked five and opponents hit .350 against him
INSIDE THE SERIES
In a series that dates all the way back to 1906, Wichita State owns a 55-42 edge all-time ... K-State is 16-35 in Wichita after a 2-1 loss in the last meeting between the teams (2020) ... The Cats and Shockers have met at least once every year since 1985 ... The sides have alternated wins over the last six matchups and K-State is 6-4 in the last 10 games in the series ... K-State last won at Eck Stadium in 2018, losing in its last two visits ... Coach Hughes is 1-2 against Wichita State as head coach of the Cats ... Since 2013, the Wildcats are 11-4 vs. the Shockers, as WSU has not won consecutive games in the series since 2012.
BIG BAT CATS
After going without a home run in the season's opening weekend (four games), the Wildcats have erupted for 30 home runs over the last 15 games ... Junior Zach Kokoska leads the way with eight homers while sophomore Dylan Phillips and senior Cameron Thompson each have five ... Thompson homered twice Sunday to become the fourth different Wildcat to record a multi-homer game this season ... As a team, K-State has launched multiple home runs in eight of 19 games this season, including a season-high six against South Dakota State on March 9 ... The six homers were one shy of tying the program's single-game record and are the most in a game since the 2006 season ... 11 different Cats have homered this season, with five going deep more than once ... K-State's 30 home runs currently rank fourth in the country and lead the Big 12.
WHAMMER HAMMER
Going back to last season, Dylan Phillips has reached base safely in 30 consecutive games - a career-best streak ... Phillips has recorded a base hit in 28 of his last 30 games, including 12 multi-hit efforts ... With 25 runs batted in this season, Phillips has driven in 37 runs over his last 27 games while recording an RBI in 20 of his last 27 contests ... The two-way star saw a streak of 10 consecutive games with an RBI snapped March 14 at Rice ... Phillips is currently on a 10-game hitting streak, going 18-for-37 (.486) with five homers and 16 RBI in that span ... His season average of .400 is good for third in the Big 12 while his RBI total is second highest ... He ranks in the league's top seven in all three slash categories.
WICKY WICKY YEAH
K-State lefty Jordan Wicks racked up the preseason honors, including being named the 2021 Big 12 Co-Preseason Pitcher of the Year ... Wicks was tabbed a preseason all-American by D1Baseball, Baseball America, Collegiate Baseball and NCBWA ... The Conway, Ark., product is K-State's first preseason all-America nod since 2014 and the first Big 12 preseason of-the-year award winner ... Wicks was also one of 55 named to USA Baseball's Golden Spikes Award Watch List, which recognizes the nation's premier amateur player ... Following his 10-strikeout, seven scoreless innings against Oregon State, Wicks was named Big 12 Pitcher of the week and National Pitcher of the Week by the NCBWA ... Wicks struck out 10 more hitters against WMU and eight against EIU ... Wicks ranks third in the Big 12 with his 42 strikeouts and has reached double-digit strikeouts in three of five starts ... Four of his five starts this season have been quality efforts ... Dating back to last season, Wicks has allowed seven earned runs over 57 1/3 innings (1.09 ERA) with 68 strikeouts.
GOODWIN? MORE LIKE REALLY GOODWIN
K-State true freshman Nick Goodwin has done it all for the Wildcats through the season's first four weeks, ranking in the top three on the team in hits (22), doubles (5), home runs (4), extra-base hits (9) and RBI (14) and leads the team with seven stolen bases ... The Overland Park product strung together three straight multi-hit games against Western Michigan and put together an eight-game hitting streak from March 5-13... Goodwin has reached base in 17 of 19 games this season and has a hit in 15 contests.
IT'S NOT HOW YOU START
Wildcat starting pitchers this season have posted a 2.55 earned run average, allowing 29 earned runs over 102 1/3 innings with 109 strikeouts against 38 walks ... The K-State bullpen owns an ERA of 3.97 (30 ER, 68 IP) with 70 strikeouts against 33 walks ... The K-State pen held South Dakota State scoreless over 10 innings over the two games, and posted a scoreless streak of 12 innings ... Over the last nine games, Wildcat relievers have registered a 0.76 ERA (3 ER, 35.1 IP) with 49 strikeouts and 13 walks ... In the season's first 10 games, the bullpen yielded a 7.22 ERA (27 ER, 33.2 IP) with 21 strikeouts and 20 walks ... The Cats totaled 31 strikeouts over two games vs. SDSU, punching out 15 in the opener before a season-high 16 in the second game ... In the month of March, K-State starters are 5-2 with a 2.56 earned run average (18 ER, 63.1 IP) ... The pen has a March ERA of 2.01 (10 ER, 44.2 IP), with Jaxson Passino leading the way with 13 strikeouts in eight innings ... Eckberg and Kasey Ford have each allowed one earned run in eight innings in relief.
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