Kansas State University Athletics
Friday, March 5
Manhattan, KS
3 p.m.
Kansas State University
vs
Eastern Illinois
Cats Look to Extend Winning Streak Against Eastern Illinois
Mar 04, 2021 | Baseball
MANHATTAN, Kan. – K-State continues an eight-game homestand and seeks to extend its four-game winning streak, as the Wildcats host Eastern Illinois at Tointon Family Stadium for a three-game series beginning Friday at 3 p.m.
K-State (5-2) swept a three-game set with Western Michigan to open its home schedule last weekend. The series with EIU (5-4) continues Saturday at 1 p.m. and will conclude Sunday at 1 p.m.
Lefty Jordan Wicks will take the hill on Friday for the Cats, while right-hander Carson Seymour will start Saturday's game. Connor McCullough will start in the series finale on Sunday.
The Wildcats hit five home runs against WMU, including two by true freshman Nick Goodwin. Goodwin hit a game-tying three-run homer in the eighth inning Friday to help the Cats erase a four-run deficit and win the series opener 9-8.
All three games of the series this weekend will be broadcast on Big 12 Now on ESPN+. Radio coverage will be available on News Radio KMAN (93.3 FM, 1350 AM) with live streaming audio at K-StateSports.com/watch and the K-State Sports app.
Single-game tickets for this weekend's series are now available through the K-State Ticket Office at K-StateSports.com/tickets or by calling (800) 221-CATS.
All fans in attendance will be required to wear a face covering and maintain social distance from other pods of fans. Due to health and safety guidelines, players will not be available for autographs before or after each game.
GAME #8
K-STATE (5-2) vs. EASTERN ILLINOIS (5-4)
Friday, March 5 // 3 p.m. // Tointon Family Stadium (2,344) // Manhattan, Kan.
Projected Starters: LHP Jordan Wicks (1-0, 2.77 ERA) vs. RHP Ky Hampton (2-0, 4.91 ERA)
Watch: Big 12 Now on ESPN+ // Brian Smoller, Mike Clark
Radio: KMAN (93.3 FM, 1350 AM) // Matt Walters, John Kurtz
Listen Online: K-StateSports.com/watch // 1350KMAN.com
Buy Tickets | Live Stats
GAME #9
K-STATE (5-2) vs. EASTERN ILLINOIS (5-4)
Saturday, March 6 // 1 p.m. // Tointon Family Stadium (2,344) // Manhattan, Kan.
Projected Starters: RHP Carson Seymour (1-0, 5.62 ERA) vs. LHP Trevor Nicholson (1-0, 1.54 ERA)
Watch: Big 12 Now on ESPN+ // Brian Smoller, Mike Clark
Radio: KMAN (93.3 FM, 1350 AM) // Matt Walters, John Kurtz
Listen Online: K-StateSports.com/watch // 1350KMAN.com
Buy Tickets | Live Stats
GAME #10
K-STATE (5-2) vs. EASTERN ILLINOIS (5-4)
Sunday, March 7 // 1 p.m. // Tointon Family Stadium (2,344) // Manhattan, Kan.
Projected Starters: RHP Connor McCullough (1-0, 1.46 ERA) vs. RHP Hayden Birdsong (0-2, 8.38 ERA)
Watch: Big 12 Now on ESPN+ // Matt Walters, Mike Clark
Radio: KMAN (93.3 FM, 1350 AM) // John Kurtz
Listen Online: K-StateSports.com/watch // 1350KMAN.com
Buy Tickets | Live Stats
A LOOK AT K-STATE
K-State continues its eight-game homestand against Eastern Illinois starting Friday ... The Wildcats have won four straight games after a three-game sweep of Western Michigan last weekend ... The Cats used a five-run eighth inning, highlighted by a game-tying three-run home run by Nick Goodwin, to claim a 9-8 comeback win in the series opener ... Goodwin homered again Saturday in an 11-3 victory before K-State held on for a 2-1 win over the Broncos on Sunday ... Terrence Spurlin had a team-high five base hits in the series with a home run and three RBI ... After not hitting a single home run in the season's first weekend, the Wildcat offense ignited for five long balls in three games against WMU ... K-State pitchers combined for a 3.33 earned run average with 25 strikeouts over 27 innings .. Jordan Wicks struck out 10 hitters in his second straight outing, fanning 10 over six innings in a no decision ... Starters Connor McCullough and Carson Seymour each earned their first victories of the season ... Tyler Eckberg earned his second save of the season on Saturday while Caleb Littlejim moved from center field to the mound to collect his first career save in the series finale.
SCOUTING EASTERN ILLINOIS
Eastern Illinois split a Tuesday doubleheader with Bellarmine Tuesday and enter the weekend with a 5-4 record ... The Panthers have won their first two weekend series of the year, taking two of three games from Nicholls State and Arkansas Little Rock ... This weekend's series will cap a 12-game road swing to begin the 2021 season ... EIU has scored 12 runs three times this season, including in each of its last three victories, and averages 7.6 runs per game ... Trey Sweeney leads the Panthers in slugging at .750 and has seven extra-base hits on the season (four doubles, a triple, two home runs) with 12 RBI ... Starters Trevor Nicholson and Hayden Birdsong have each struck out 14 batters over their two starts.
INSIDE THE SERIES
K-State leads the all-time series with Eastern Illinois, 8-0, dating back to 2004 ... The Cats are 7-0 at home against the Panthers, last hosting EIU in 2017 ... In the last matchup on March 5, 2017, Parker Rigler threw the program's first nine-inning no-hitter and eighth in K-State history in a 14-0 win ... K-State has scored double-digit runs in seven of its eight meetings with Eastern Illinois.
POWER SURGE
After going without a home run in the season's opening weekend, the Wildcats erupted for five home runs over three games against Western Michigan ... Freshman Nick Goodwin hit two home runs, including a game-tying, three-run shot in the eighth inning on Friday ... Zach Kokoska, Terrence Spurlin and Cameron Thompson also homered in the series and all now have 10 career home runs ... In total, K-State has five players with 10 or more career homers.
WHAMMER HAMMER
Going back to last season, Dylan Phillips has reached base safely in 18 consecutive games - a career-best streak ... Phillips has recorded a base hit in 17 of his last 18 games, including five multi-hit efforts ... With seven runs batted in this season, Phillips has driven in 19 runs over his last 15 games while recording an RBI in 11 of his last 15 contests ... The two-way star is the team leader in career home runs with 15, including 10 during his record-setting freshman season.
IRON MAN, CAM
Cameron Thompson has started every game during his Wildcat career and is now ninth in program history at 191 career starts ... With three hits over the weekend, Thompson is now tied for ninth in K-State history with 2019 base hits ... Thompson, a five-year senior and team captain, has started games in center field, third base, second base and shortstop ... Now slotted as the everyday third baseman, Thompson has led the Cats in hits in two of the last three seasons ... If the Pasadena, Texas, product starts all 52 scheduled regular-season games in 2021, he would tie Craig Wilson for the K-State record in career starts with 236 ... Thompson is also on the brink of K-State's career top-10 list in career singles, doubles, triples and games played.
WICKY WICKY YEAH
K-State lefty Jordan Wicks has 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 Friday against WMU and leads the Big 12 with his 20 strikeouts ... Dating back to last season, Wicks has allowed five earned runs over 39 innings (1.15 ERA) with 46 strikeouts.
GOODWIN'S GOOD START
K-State true freshman Nick Goodwin has done it all for the Wildcats through the season's first two weeks, leading the team in all three slash categories (.360/.500/.680) ... Goodwin also leads K-State in hits (9), RBI (9), home runs (2) and stolen bases (3) ... The Overland Park product strung together three straight multi-hit games last week and homered in back-to-back games against Western Michigan ... Goodwin has reached base in six of seven games this season and currently ranks in the Big 12's top 10 in hits, RBI, total bases and steals.
LATE-INNING TURNAROUND
In the opening weekend, opponents combined to outscore K-State 11-1 in the eighth and ninth innings ... In K-State's sweep of Western Michigan, the Wildcats responded by outscoring the Broncos 7-2 in the games' final two innings ... The Cats used a five-run eighth inning Friday to erase four-run deficit and take the series opener 9-8 ... Three of K-State's eight double plays have happened in the eighth or ninth innings, including the game-ending twin-killer Sunday to preserve a 2-1 win ... K-State is 3-1 in one-run games this season.
FROM THE PEN
Entering the 2021 season on a scoreless stretch that spanned 22 innings, the K-State bullpen combined to allow 16 earned runs in 12 2/3 innings (11.37 ERA) over four games to start the year ... Last weekend in a three-game sweep of WMU, the K-State pen lowered its ERA to 3.38, allowing four earned runs over 10 2/3 innings ... Tyler Eckberg picked up his second save of the season, and 10th of his career, while Caleb Littlejim collected the first save of his career Sunday after moving from center field to throw the final two innings in Sunday's 2-1 win ... Seven Wildcat relievers combined to allow WMU to hit .216 with eight base hits given up in the three-game set.
K-State (5-2) swept a three-game set with Western Michigan to open its home schedule last weekend. The series with EIU (5-4) continues Saturday at 1 p.m. and will conclude Sunday at 1 p.m.
Lefty Jordan Wicks will take the hill on Friday for the Cats, while right-hander Carson Seymour will start Saturday's game. Connor McCullough will start in the series finale on Sunday.
The Wildcats hit five home runs against WMU, including two by true freshman Nick Goodwin. Goodwin hit a game-tying three-run homer in the eighth inning Friday to help the Cats erase a four-run deficit and win the series opener 9-8.
All three games of the series this weekend will be broadcast on Big 12 Now on ESPN+. Radio coverage will be available on News Radio KMAN (93.3 FM, 1350 AM) with live streaming audio at K-StateSports.com/watch and the K-State Sports app.
Single-game tickets for this weekend's series are now available through the K-State Ticket Office at K-StateSports.com/tickets or by calling (800) 221-CATS.
All fans in attendance will be required to wear a face covering and maintain social distance from other pods of fans. Due to health and safety guidelines, players will not be available for autographs before or after each game.
GAME #8
K-STATE (5-2) vs. EASTERN ILLINOIS (5-4)
Friday, March 5 // 3 p.m. // Tointon Family Stadium (2,344) // Manhattan, Kan.
Projected Starters: LHP Jordan Wicks (1-0, 2.77 ERA) vs. RHP Ky Hampton (2-0, 4.91 ERA)
Watch: Big 12 Now on ESPN+ // Brian Smoller, Mike Clark
Radio: KMAN (93.3 FM, 1350 AM) // Matt Walters, John Kurtz
Listen Online: K-StateSports.com/watch // 1350KMAN.com
Buy Tickets | Live Stats
GAME #9
K-STATE (5-2) vs. EASTERN ILLINOIS (5-4)
Saturday, March 6 // 1 p.m. // Tointon Family Stadium (2,344) // Manhattan, Kan.
Projected Starters: RHP Carson Seymour (1-0, 5.62 ERA) vs. LHP Trevor Nicholson (1-0, 1.54 ERA)
Watch: Big 12 Now on ESPN+ // Brian Smoller, Mike Clark
Radio: KMAN (93.3 FM, 1350 AM) // Matt Walters, John Kurtz
Listen Online: K-StateSports.com/watch // 1350KMAN.com
Buy Tickets | Live Stats
GAME #10
K-STATE (5-2) vs. EASTERN ILLINOIS (5-4)
Sunday, March 7 // 1 p.m. // Tointon Family Stadium (2,344) // Manhattan, Kan.
Projected Starters: RHP Connor McCullough (1-0, 1.46 ERA) vs. RHP Hayden Birdsong (0-2, 8.38 ERA)
Watch: Big 12 Now on ESPN+ // Matt Walters, Mike Clark
Radio: KMAN (93.3 FM, 1350 AM) // John Kurtz
Listen Online: K-StateSports.com/watch // 1350KMAN.com
Buy Tickets | Live Stats
A LOOK AT K-STATE
K-State continues its eight-game homestand against Eastern Illinois starting Friday ... The Wildcats have won four straight games after a three-game sweep of Western Michigan last weekend ... The Cats used a five-run eighth inning, highlighted by a game-tying three-run home run by Nick Goodwin, to claim a 9-8 comeback win in the series opener ... Goodwin homered again Saturday in an 11-3 victory before K-State held on for a 2-1 win over the Broncos on Sunday ... Terrence Spurlin had a team-high five base hits in the series with a home run and three RBI ... After not hitting a single home run in the season's first weekend, the Wildcat offense ignited for five long balls in three games against WMU ... K-State pitchers combined for a 3.33 earned run average with 25 strikeouts over 27 innings .. Jordan Wicks struck out 10 hitters in his second straight outing, fanning 10 over six innings in a no decision ... Starters Connor McCullough and Carson Seymour each earned their first victories of the season ... Tyler Eckberg earned his second save of the season on Saturday while Caleb Littlejim moved from center field to the mound to collect his first career save in the series finale.
SCOUTING EASTERN ILLINOIS
Eastern Illinois split a Tuesday doubleheader with Bellarmine Tuesday and enter the weekend with a 5-4 record ... The Panthers have won their first two weekend series of the year, taking two of three games from Nicholls State and Arkansas Little Rock ... This weekend's series will cap a 12-game road swing to begin the 2021 season ... EIU has scored 12 runs three times this season, including in each of its last three victories, and averages 7.6 runs per game ... Trey Sweeney leads the Panthers in slugging at .750 and has seven extra-base hits on the season (four doubles, a triple, two home runs) with 12 RBI ... Starters Trevor Nicholson and Hayden Birdsong have each struck out 14 batters over their two starts.
INSIDE THE SERIES
K-State leads the all-time series with Eastern Illinois, 8-0, dating back to 2004 ... The Cats are 7-0 at home against the Panthers, last hosting EIU in 2017 ... In the last matchup on March 5, 2017, Parker Rigler threw the program's first nine-inning no-hitter and eighth in K-State history in a 14-0 win ... K-State has scored double-digit runs in seven of its eight meetings with Eastern Illinois.
POWER SURGE
After going without a home run in the season's opening weekend, the Wildcats erupted for five home runs over three games against Western Michigan ... Freshman Nick Goodwin hit two home runs, including a game-tying, three-run shot in the eighth inning on Friday ... Zach Kokoska, Terrence Spurlin and Cameron Thompson also homered in the series and all now have 10 career home runs ... In total, K-State has five players with 10 or more career homers.
WHAMMER HAMMER
Going back to last season, Dylan Phillips has reached base safely in 18 consecutive games - a career-best streak ... Phillips has recorded a base hit in 17 of his last 18 games, including five multi-hit efforts ... With seven runs batted in this season, Phillips has driven in 19 runs over his last 15 games while recording an RBI in 11 of his last 15 contests ... The two-way star is the team leader in career home runs with 15, including 10 during his record-setting freshman season.
IRON MAN, CAM
Cameron Thompson has started every game during his Wildcat career and is now ninth in program history at 191 career starts ... With three hits over the weekend, Thompson is now tied for ninth in K-State history with 2019 base hits ... Thompson, a five-year senior and team captain, has started games in center field, third base, second base and shortstop ... Now slotted as the everyday third baseman, Thompson has led the Cats in hits in two of the last three seasons ... If the Pasadena, Texas, product starts all 52 scheduled regular-season games in 2021, he would tie Craig Wilson for the K-State record in career starts with 236 ... Thompson is also on the brink of K-State's career top-10 list in career singles, doubles, triples and games played.
WICKY WICKY YEAH
K-State lefty Jordan Wicks has 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 Friday against WMU and leads the Big 12 with his 20 strikeouts ... Dating back to last season, Wicks has allowed five earned runs over 39 innings (1.15 ERA) with 46 strikeouts.
GOODWIN'S GOOD START
K-State true freshman Nick Goodwin has done it all for the Wildcats through the season's first two weeks, leading the team in all three slash categories (.360/.500/.680) ... Goodwin also leads K-State in hits (9), RBI (9), home runs (2) and stolen bases (3) ... The Overland Park product strung together three straight multi-hit games last week and homered in back-to-back games against Western Michigan ... Goodwin has reached base in six of seven games this season and currently ranks in the Big 12's top 10 in hits, RBI, total bases and steals.
LATE-INNING TURNAROUND
In the opening weekend, opponents combined to outscore K-State 11-1 in the eighth and ninth innings ... In K-State's sweep of Western Michigan, the Wildcats responded by outscoring the Broncos 7-2 in the games' final two innings ... The Cats used a five-run eighth inning Friday to erase four-run deficit and take the series opener 9-8 ... Three of K-State's eight double plays have happened in the eighth or ninth innings, including the game-ending twin-killer Sunday to preserve a 2-1 win ... K-State is 3-1 in one-run games this season.
FROM THE PEN
Entering the 2021 season on a scoreless stretch that spanned 22 innings, the K-State bullpen combined to allow 16 earned runs in 12 2/3 innings (11.37 ERA) over four games to start the year ... Last weekend in a three-game sweep of WMU, the K-State pen lowered its ERA to 3.38, allowing four earned runs over 10 2/3 innings ... Tyler Eckberg picked up his second save of the season, and 10th of his career, while Caleb Littlejim collected the first save of his career Sunday after moving from center field to throw the final two innings in Sunday's 2-1 win ... Seven Wildcat relievers combined to allow WMU to hit .216 with eight base hits given up in the three-game set.
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