SE: K-State Turns to Bench & Bullpen in Bounce-Back Performance
Apr 14, 2021 | Baseball, Sports Extra
By: Austin Siegel
1 - Just beyond the outfield wall at Tointon Family Stadium, K-State Track & Field keeps the throwing cage where the Wildcat practice the hammer throw.
You can see it during most K-State Baseball games, poking through the trees in center field, the home of the Wildcat student-athletes lovingly referred to as the "bomb squad."
They've had some company on College Avenue this season.
2 - With the score tied 2-2 in the third inning and Northern Colorado gaining momentum, Nick Goodwin stepped to the plate with a new pitcher on the mound.
One pitch. One swing. 3-2 ballgame.
Goodwin's solo shot just sneaked over the 375-feet sign in right center field, but it wasn't a wind-assisted homer. This one was all power. And it helped spark an 8-2 win for the Wildcats.
3 - The story coming into the season for K-State was a dynamic pitching staff. Those guys have delivered.
But Goodwin's homer was the latest example of a power surge in Manhattan this season.
"Anytime you have a visiting team that gets a little momentum, the quicker you can get that momentum back in your dugout the better," Hughes said. "That's deflating to an offense…Good, disciplined swing by Nick to get us back in it."
4 - K-State has now homered in 10-straight games, including nine against nationally ranked pitching.
That's 48 home runs on the year, second in the Big 12 and seventh in the entire country.
5 - Those performances at the plate are even more important during midweek games. K-State isn't facing Big 12 competition, but the 'Cats are also without their talented weekend rotation.
Wicks Day festivities always fall on a Friday, after all.
Goodwin's homer came after a two-run shot from Northern Colorado drew the Bears even in the top of the third. Hits like that can change a game.
"I was happy with our plate discipline," Hughes said. "You create some traffic on the base paths and good things happen. We haven't taken advantage of all the home runs we've had this year because we haven't gotten enough baserunners."
6 - The heart of the K-State order - Goodwin, Dylan Phillips and Zach Kokoska - has been the engine for the Wildcats on offense in 2021, but on Tuesday night, they didn't need to be the whole car.
With injuries a factor throughout the early part of conference play, Blake Burrows was the latest player to hop out of the dugout and into an impact role.
7 - The sophomore has been a defensive sub for the Wildcats through the first half of 2021. Burrows had four at-bats all season coming into the Northern Colorado game.
He would double that number before 9 p.m. on Tuesday night.
"I thought he did an awesome job. He got the game ball," Hughes said. "In terms of playing a full, complete game, he hasn't had the opportunity to do that this year, but his work ethic is impeccable. He's always the first guy here for early work every day, I watch him out my office window, he's the first guy here every single time. You put yourself in a position to be ready when your name is called."
8 - Batting leadoff on Tuesday, Burrows bunted his way on in the first inning and stole second. A single from the sophomore would keep the line moving as the Wildcats added to their lead in the fourth inning.
On that single, Burrows showed bunt, pulled his bat back and then poked a hit to the exact part of the infield the Northern Colorado second baseman had vacated to field his bunt attempt.
Burrows also drew a walk and made a diving catch in center field to hold off the Bears early in the game.
"He's one of the favorite guys in that clubhouse," Hughes said. "It didn't surprise me that he was ready to go."
9 - While Burrows was showing K-State's depth at the plate, a few of the team's bullpen arms helped slam the door on Tuesday night.
After Caleb Littlejim pitched five innings of two-run ball, striking out five Bears, Hughes turned to a bullpen that's had some ups and downs throughout the 2021 season.
All they did on Tuesday was hold Northern Colorado without a hit in the final four innings, setting down 11 Bears in a row at one point in that stretch.
10 - Elijah Dale had one inning of work in 2021 before pitching a perfect seventh inning on Tuesday night. Tyler Eckberg has been a regular in the later innings and showed why against the Bears, striking out the side in the ninth.
It was a drama-free win on Tuesday night, brought to you by K-State's supporting cast.
"We definitely needed that," Kokoska said. "We didn't swing the bats too well this weekend. Going into a game like this, we're feeling a little better. Connecting some things together definitely helps our team's confidence going into this weekend against Oklahoma."
1 - Just beyond the outfield wall at Tointon Family Stadium, K-State Track & Field keeps the throwing cage where the Wildcat practice the hammer throw.
You can see it during most K-State Baseball games, poking through the trees in center field, the home of the Wildcat student-athletes lovingly referred to as the "bomb squad."
They've had some company on College Avenue this season.
2 - With the score tied 2-2 in the third inning and Northern Colorado gaining momentum, Nick Goodwin stepped to the plate with a new pitcher on the mound.
One pitch. One swing. 3-2 ballgame.
Nick Goodwin adding to the 'Cats big 💣 season
— K-State Baseball (@KStateBSB) April 14, 2021
✅ K-State homered in 10 straight games
✅ 48th home run of the season
✅ 13 different players with at least one home run #KStateBSB x @NCAACWS pic.twitter.com/wXxYE8qlAg
Goodwin's solo shot just sneaked over the 375-feet sign in right center field, but it wasn't a wind-assisted homer. This one was all power. And it helped spark an 8-2 win for the Wildcats.
3 - The story coming into the season for K-State was a dynamic pitching staff. Those guys have delivered.
But Goodwin's homer was the latest example of a power surge in Manhattan this season.
"Anytime you have a visiting team that gets a little momentum, the quicker you can get that momentum back in your dugout the better," Hughes said. "That's deflating to an offense…Good, disciplined swing by Nick to get us back in it."
4 - K-State has now homered in 10-straight games, including nine against nationally ranked pitching.
That's 48 home runs on the year, second in the Big 12 and seventh in the entire country.
5 - Those performances at the plate are even more important during midweek games. K-State isn't facing Big 12 competition, but the 'Cats are also without their talented weekend rotation.
Wicks Day festivities always fall on a Friday, after all.
Goodwin's homer came after a two-run shot from Northern Colorado drew the Bears even in the top of the third. Hits like that can change a game.
"I was happy with our plate discipline," Hughes said. "You create some traffic on the base paths and good things happen. We haven't taken advantage of all the home runs we've had this year because we haven't gotten enough baserunners."
6 - The heart of the K-State order - Goodwin, Dylan Phillips and Zach Kokoska - has been the engine for the Wildcats on offense in 2021, but on Tuesday night, they didn't need to be the whole car.
With injuries a factor throughout the early part of conference play, Blake Burrows was the latest player to hop out of the dugout and into an impact role.
7 - The sophomore has been a defensive sub for the Wildcats through the first half of 2021. Burrows had four at-bats all season coming into the Northern Colorado game.
He would double that number before 9 p.m. on Tuesday night.
"I thought he did an awesome job. He got the game ball," Hughes said. "In terms of playing a full, complete game, he hasn't had the opportunity to do that this year, but his work ethic is impeccable. He's always the first guy here for early work every day, I watch him out my office window, he's the first guy here every single time. You put yourself in a position to be ready when your name is called."
Goodwin homers, Littlejim goes five and the pen doesn't allow a hit over four innings in an 8-2 win Tuesday night over UNC.#KStateBSB Recap 🗞️📊📸👇https://t.co/oIfudWx278
— K-State Baseball (@KStateBSB) April 14, 2021
8 - Batting leadoff on Tuesday, Burrows bunted his way on in the first inning and stole second. A single from the sophomore would keep the line moving as the Wildcats added to their lead in the fourth inning.
On that single, Burrows showed bunt, pulled his bat back and then poked a hit to the exact part of the infield the Northern Colorado second baseman had vacated to field his bunt attempt.
Burrows also drew a walk and made a diving catch in center field to hold off the Bears early in the game.
"He's one of the favorite guys in that clubhouse," Hughes said. "It didn't surprise me that he was ready to go."
9 - While Burrows was showing K-State's depth at the plate, a few of the team's bullpen arms helped slam the door on Tuesday night.
After Caleb Littlejim pitched five innings of two-run ball, striking out five Bears, Hughes turned to a bullpen that's had some ups and downs throughout the 2021 season.
All they did on Tuesday was hold Northern Colorado without a hit in the final four innings, setting down 11 Bears in a row at one point in that stretch.
10 - Elijah Dale had one inning of work in 2021 before pitching a perfect seventh inning on Tuesday night. Tyler Eckberg has been a regular in the later innings and showed why against the Bears, striking out the side in the ninth.
Painted it right on the black #KStateBSB x @elidale02 pic.twitter.com/0HefL1XBNt
— K-State Baseball (@KStateBSB) April 14, 2021
It was a drama-free win on Tuesday night, brought to you by K-State's supporting cast.
"We definitely needed that," Kokoska said. "We didn't swing the bats too well this weekend. Going into a game like this, we're feeling a little better. Connecting some things together definitely helps our team's confidence going into this weekend against Oklahoma."
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