Kansas State University Athletics
Tuesday, April 6
Manhattan, KS
6 p.m.
Kansas State University
16-11
12
vs
2
Arkansas - Pine Bluff
2-18
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
R
H
E
Arkansas-Pine Bluff
0
0
0
0
2
0
0
0
2
3
2
K-State
0
2
3
1
1
2
1
2
12
15
0
Photo by: Scott D. Weaver / K-State Athletics
Photo by: Scott D. Weaver / K-State Athletics
Photo by: Scott D. Weaver / K-State Athletics
Photo by: Scott D. Weaver / K-State Athletics
Photo by: Scott D. Weaver / K-State Athletics
Photo by: Scott D. Weaver / K-State Athletics
Photo by: Scott D. Weaver / K-State Athletics
Photo by: Scott D. Weaver / K-State Athletics
Photo by: Scott D. Weaver / K-State Athletics
Photo by: Scott D. Weaver / K-State Athletics
Photo by: Scott D. Weaver / K-State Athletics
Photo by: Scott D. Weaver / K-State Athletics
Photo by: Scott D. Weaver / K-State Athletics
Photo by: Scott D. Weaver / K-State Athletics
Photo by: Scott D. Weaver / K-State Athletics
Photo by: Scott D. Weaver / K-State Athletics
Photo by: Scott D. Weaver / K-State Athletics
Photo by: Scott D. Weaver / K-State Athletics
Photo by: Scott D. Weaver / K-State Athletics
Photo by: Scott D. Weaver / K-State Athletics
Photo by: Scott D. Weaver / K-State Athletics
Photo by: Scott D. Weaver / K-State Athletics
Photo by: Scott D. Weaver / K-State Athletics
Photo by: Scott D. Weaver / K-State Athletics
Photo by: Scott D. Weaver / K-State Athletics
Phillips Homers Twice in K-State’s 12-2 Win Over UAPB
Apr 06, 2021 | Baseball
MANHATTAN, Kan. – Dylan Phillips homered twice, Cameron Thompson registered four hits and starter Kasey Ford tossed three hitless innings in K-State's 12-2 eight-inning victory over Arkansas-Pine Bluff Tuesday night at Tointon Family Stadium.
Phillips matched Thompson's game-high four hits, as the sophomore was a single short of the cycle and produced his fourth career multi-homer game. As a team, K-State (16-11) tallied nine extra-base hits, including a two-run, fifth-inning home run from Thompson, in the run-rule shortened contest.
"Just another day where we had to improve as a baseball team," said head coach Pete Hughes. "I wanted to get Kasey Ford on the mound. It's really amazing that we won a series this past weekend and didn't need the services of Kasey. It was important for him to get on the mound and keep his pitch count down so he's available Friday night for us. I thought Kasey and Caleb (Littlejim) and Nico (Rodriguez) did a great job."
Ford struck out three and walked one in not allowing a hit in his scheduled short start. The senior right-hander improved to 2-0 on the season and saw his ERA drop to 0.94.
"Kasey had his best fastball of the year tonight," Hughes said. "He was 95 a bunch of times. That's a big number. He kept the fastball on both sides of the plate. Kasey was productive with the fastball, and Caleb was able to pitch off his secondary stuff and so was Nico. Pretty good game plan, and we threw enough strikes."
After Ford, Caleb Littlejim recorded seven strikeouts over three innings and Nico Rodriguez retired all six he faced over the final two innings. Ford, Littlejim and Rodriguez combined for 11 strikeouts against one walk, holding UAPB hitless with two outs (0-for-8).
Phillips ended the day 4-for-4 with a double, triple with four RBI and three runs scored. The four hits are a new career high, as he registered his first career triple and finished with a career-best 13 total bases.
"Dylan Phillips is a baseball player," Hughes said. "He's a hitter. It doesn't matter what day of the week or the opponent. He's going to get his hits. He provided enough cushion for us tonight to get settled in as an offense and as a pitching staff."
Phillips belted a solo homer in the third before a two-run blast in the sixth. The Omaha, Nebraska, native now has nine homers on the year and 24 in his career – tying him for eighth in K-State history.
"I was just trying to be patient and get a pitch over the middle of the plate, fastball or breaking ball, and trust that I can hit with any count and wait and get a pitch that I like and go after it," said Phillips.
The Wildcats recorded a run in seven of the game's eight innings and scored multiple runs four separate frames.
K-State took advantage of a UAPB error in the second, plating two unearned runs. Phillips' third-inning homer along with an RBI single from Thompson and a sacrifice fly from Littlejim put the score at 5-0 after three.
Arkansas-Pine Bluff (2-18) got on the board via a two-run home run by Kacy Higgins in the fifth, putting the score at 6-2. The Golden Lions were held to just three hits on the night, including a double from Karsten Vasquez.
Thompson, who finished with three RBI in a 4-for-5 effort, turned in his second RBI single in the eighth inning. Terrence Spurlin singled behind him to score Blake Burrows, swelling the Wildcat lead to 10 runs and ending the contest.
Spurlin played in his first game since March 13 and went 2-for-3 with a double and a run batted in.
Eight different players registered a base hit for the Cats.
Trenton Ferguson suffered the loss for UAPB, allowing two runs (both unearned) on two hits over two innings with a walk.
The Cats and Arkansas-Pine Bluff conclude the two-game series Wednesday at 3 p.m. The game will stream on Big 12 Now on ESPN+ and the ESPN app. Radio coverage will be available on the News Radio KMAN (93.3 FM, 1350 AM) and live, free audio at K-StateSports.com/watch.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
Phillips matched Thompson's game-high four hits, as the sophomore was a single short of the cycle and produced his fourth career multi-homer game. As a team, K-State (16-11) tallied nine extra-base hits, including a two-run, fifth-inning home run from Thompson, in the run-rule shortened contest.
"Just another day where we had to improve as a baseball team," said head coach Pete Hughes. "I wanted to get Kasey Ford on the mound. It's really amazing that we won a series this past weekend and didn't need the services of Kasey. It was important for him to get on the mound and keep his pitch count down so he's available Friday night for us. I thought Kasey and Caleb (Littlejim) and Nico (Rodriguez) did a great job."
Ford struck out three and walked one in not allowing a hit in his scheduled short start. The senior right-hander improved to 2-0 on the season and saw his ERA drop to 0.94.
"Kasey had his best fastball of the year tonight," Hughes said. "He was 95 a bunch of times. That's a big number. He kept the fastball on both sides of the plate. Kasey was productive with the fastball, and Caleb was able to pitch off his secondary stuff and so was Nico. Pretty good game plan, and we threw enough strikes."
After Ford, Caleb Littlejim recorded seven strikeouts over three innings and Nico Rodriguez retired all six he faced over the final two innings. Ford, Littlejim and Rodriguez combined for 11 strikeouts against one walk, holding UAPB hitless with two outs (0-for-8).
Phillips ended the day 4-for-4 with a double, triple with four RBI and three runs scored. The four hits are a new career high, as he registered his first career triple and finished with a career-best 13 total bases.
"Dylan Phillips is a baseball player," Hughes said. "He's a hitter. It doesn't matter what day of the week or the opponent. He's going to get his hits. He provided enough cushion for us tonight to get settled in as an offense and as a pitching staff."
Phillips belted a solo homer in the third before a two-run blast in the sixth. The Omaha, Nebraska, native now has nine homers on the year and 24 in his career – tying him for eighth in K-State history.
"I was just trying to be patient and get a pitch over the middle of the plate, fastball or breaking ball, and trust that I can hit with any count and wait and get a pitch that I like and go after it," said Phillips.
The Wildcats recorded a run in seven of the game's eight innings and scored multiple runs four separate frames.
K-State took advantage of a UAPB error in the second, plating two unearned runs. Phillips' third-inning homer along with an RBI single from Thompson and a sacrifice fly from Littlejim put the score at 5-0 after three.
Arkansas-Pine Bluff (2-18) got on the board via a two-run home run by Kacy Higgins in the fifth, putting the score at 6-2. The Golden Lions were held to just three hits on the night, including a double from Karsten Vasquez.
Thompson, who finished with three RBI in a 4-for-5 effort, turned in his second RBI single in the eighth inning. Terrence Spurlin singled behind him to score Blake Burrows, swelling the Wildcat lead to 10 runs and ending the contest.
Spurlin played in his first game since March 13 and went 2-for-3 with a double and a run batted in.
Eight different players registered a base hit for the Cats.
Trenton Ferguson suffered the loss for UAPB, allowing two runs (both unearned) on two hits over two innings with a walk.
The Cats and Arkansas-Pine Bluff conclude the two-game series Wednesday at 3 p.m. The game will stream on Big 12 Now on ESPN+ and the ESPN app. Radio coverage will be available on the News Radio KMAN (93.3 FM, 1350 AM) and live, free audio at K-StateSports.com/watch.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
- K-State scored 12 runs on 15 hits with no errors and seven left on base.
- Arkansas-Pine Bluff scored two runs on three hits with two errors and two left on base.
- K-State scored a run in seven of eight innings.
- Phillips hit his eighth and ninth homers of the year and drove in four on the night.
- Thompson hit his seventh homer of the year.
- Phillips had a career-high four hits and finished a single shy of the cycle.
- Thompson also had four hits, equaling his season high, while driving in three.
- Spurlin also had a multi-hit performance in his return to the lineup for the Cats.
- Littlejim, Spurlin and Kamron Willman each drove in a run.
- K-State produced nine extra-base hits.
- K-State was 2-for-10 with two outs, 5-for-19 with runners on base and 4-for-14 with runners in scoring position.
- Ford (2-0) worked the first three innings without allowing a hit with three strikeouts and a walk.
- Ford, Littlejim and Rodriguez combined for 11 strikeouts and one walk.
- K-State won its third straight to improve to 16-11.
- The Wildcats hold a 4-0 series lead over Arkansas-Pine Bluff.
- Thompson made his 211th consecutive start, good for fourth in K-State history in career starts.
- Phillips now has 24 homers in his career, which is tied for eighth in school history.
- It was Phillips' second multi-homer game of the season and the fourth of his career.
- Thompson has 16 homers in his K-State career.
- Kokoska extended his on-base streak to 23 games, continuing his career-best stretch.
- K-State has 43 homers on the season, which is tops in the Big 12.
Cats Win 😼#KStateBSB pic.twitter.com/gFRo5GK4xQ
— K-State Baseball (@KStateBSB) April 7, 2021
🗣 and it's GONE! @DylanP_16 sends it over the left field wall #KStateBSB 3 - APBU 0 | Bot 3 pic.twitter.com/PLZ19O2nhT
— K-State Baseball (@KStateBSB) April 6, 2021
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Ford, Kasey (2-0)
L: Ferguson, Trenton (0-1)
Batting:
2B: Vasquez, Karsten 1
HR: Higgins, Kacy 1
RBI: Higgins, Kacy 2
Base Running:
RUNS: Hence, Braelin 1 ; Higgins, Kacy 1
SB: Hence, Braelin 1
HBP: Delacruz, Edwin 1
PO: Leach, Dante 1
Batting:
2B: Uselton, Cameron 1 ; Goodwin, Nick 1 ; Phillips, Dylan 1 ; Kokoska, Zach 1 ; Spurlin, Terrence 1
3B: Phillips, Dylan 1
HR: Phillips, Dylan 2 ; Thompson, Cameron 1
RBI: Phillips, Dylan 4 ; Thompson, Cameron 3 ; Spurlin, Terrence 1 ; Littlejim, Caleb 1 ; Willman, Kamron 1
SF: Phillips, Dylan 1 ; Littlejim, Caleb 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Uselton, Cameron 1 ; Goodwin, Nick 1 ; Phillips, Dylan 3 ; Ceballos, Chris 1 ; Kokoska, Zach 1 ; Burrows, Blake 1 ; Thompson, Cameron 2 ; Spurlin, Terrence 2
SB: Shade, Chad 1 ; Thompson, Cameron 1
HBP: Spurlin, Terrence 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
4
R
3
H
4
RBI
4
AB
5
R
2
H
4
RBI
3
AB
3
R
2
H
2
RBI
1
cf/rf
AB
5
R
1
H
1
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
OF
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
RHP/OF
/ BaseballOF/LHP
/ Baseball
RHP
/ BaseballINF
/ BaseballINF
/ Baseball
INF
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