Kansas State University Athletics
Wednesday, May 26
Oklahoma City, OK
12:30 p.m.
Kansas State University
31-22
6
vs
7
TCU
37-16
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
R
H
E
Kansas State
4
1
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
6
8
1
TCU
2
1
0
0
0
3
0
0
1
7
12
1
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
TCU Walks Off Wildcats in Big 12 Championship Opener
May 26, 2021 | Baseball
OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. – TCU's Phillip Sikes delivered a walk-off RBI single to give the eighth-ranked Horned Frogs a 7-6 victory over K-State in both team's opening game of the 2021 Phillips 66 Big 12 Baseball Championship Wednesday afternoon at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark.
K-State (31-22), the No. 7 seed in the tournament, struck early with a four-run first highlighted by a Dylan Phillips' three-run home run. The Wildcats held a 6-3 lead in the sixth before second-seeded TCU (37-16) tied the game with a three in the sixth.
Wildcat starter Jordan Wicks became the program's all-time strikeout leader, racking up nine strikeouts in his 5 2/3 innings of work. Wicks' career strikeout total now sits at 230, as he broke the mark previously set by Andy Replogle (1973-75).
"Yeah, tough, tough game definitely," assistant coach Austin Wates said following the game. "I thought Wicksy battled through that start. He made a couple really good pitches, they put enough barrel on it get some big hits. At the end of the day, I think they executed better.
"You got your guy on the mound and get a couple runs on the board and a lead early, but, again, that's part of the game. We still had our chances to win that baseball game even when they tied it in that sixth inning. That's part of it. The team that executes better usually wins the game."
After allowing three runs in the first two innings, Wicks surrendered just one base hit over the next three frames and took a 6-3 lead into the sixth. After allowing a two-out RBI single to Phillips Brown, Wicks was lifted from the game with two runners on base.
Zach Humphreys tied the game at 6 with a triple to the right field corner on an 0-2 pitch delivered by reliever Eric Torres. Wicks' line ended with six earned runs on nine hits and two walks. All three of the Frogs' runs came with two outs in the sixth.
"Jordan's our guy," said Wates. "He comes to the field every day to work and always gives us a chance to win a game. Whether or not he's got his best stuff or not, whether he's got his best command or not, he'll always figure out a way to get at least five innings for us. That's what he did today."
Hunter Wolfe led off the ninth with a double and later stood on third with one out after a fly ball by pinch-hitter Conner Shepherd. With the infield squeezed in, Sikes singled up the middle to score the game-winning run off Tyler Eckberg.
The Wildcats had their leadoff hitter on in both the eighth and ninth innings. Zach Kokoska began the eighth with a double, snapping a stretch of 11 straight K-State hitters retired by the TCU bullpen.
TCU relievers River Ridings and Garrett Wright combined to strike out the next three K-State hitters to strand the go-ahead run in scoring position.
Kamron Willman singled to lead off the ninth, as his and Kokoska's hits were the only hits after the fourth inning. Drew Hill, along with Ridings and Wright combined to allow just three hits over seven innings in relief of starter Jacob Meador.
"They have one of the best bullpens in our league," added Wates of the Horned Frogs' pen. "Whether or not they get a good or bad start, they always got someone behind them to keep the game relatively close."
Wright picked up the win after logging the final 1 1/3 innings, striking out one with one hit allowed. Eckberg took the loss after one run allowed on two hits in two-thirds of a frame.
Fifth-year senior Cameron Thompson, starting his K-State record 237th career game, led off the game with a walk and came around to score on Nick Goodwin's single as part of the Cats' four-run first. Goodwin and Kokoska came home on Phillips' team-leading 15th homer.
"Cam's one of the leaders in the clubhouse," Wates said of Thompson. "Everybody looks up to him, he's a guy that's started every game here. He's got a great personality. He's always there, always ready to go and always ready to learn. Again, a lot of guys look up to the kid, especially with as many games as he's played and as much as he's done for this program. He means a lot to us."
TCU responded with a pair in the bottom half of the inning, getting a two-run double from Wolfe. Four straight Frogs reached off Wicks before an inning-ending double play limited the damage.
Kokoska registered the third of three K-State singles in the second inning, scoring Dylan Caplinger with two outs to push the Cats' lead to three runs. Caplinger and Terrence Spurlin each singled prior to Kokoska.
After the Frogs scraped across a run in the second, Thompson extended the Wildcat lead back to three runs with a sacrifice fly in the fourth. Caleb Littlejim, who singled with one out, scored the Cats' final run of the day.
Kokoska turned in the team's only multi-hit game, going 2-for-3 with an RBI. Phillips drove in three, as all six runs were driven in by the top five hitters in the order.
Torres went on to strike out five in two innings of work in relief of Wicks, with Humphreys' game-tying hit as the only he allowed.
Humphreys paced the Frogs' offense with his 3-for-4, three-RBI day. Porter Brown and Wolfe each carded a pair of hits.
In the start, Meador lasted just two innings after he yielded five hits and five earned runs.
Four TCU pitchers combined for 11 strikeouts and one walk.
K-State will take on No. 6 seed Baylor in a winner-take-all contest Thursday at 9 a.m. The game will be broadcast on ESPNU and streaming on the ESPN app. Radio coverage can be heard on the K-State Sports Radio Network with live, free audio streaming at K-StateSports.com/watch.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
K-State (31-22), the No. 7 seed in the tournament, struck early with a four-run first highlighted by a Dylan Phillips' three-run home run. The Wildcats held a 6-3 lead in the sixth before second-seeded TCU (37-16) tied the game with a three in the sixth.
Wildcat starter Jordan Wicks became the program's all-time strikeout leader, racking up nine strikeouts in his 5 2/3 innings of work. Wicks' career strikeout total now sits at 230, as he broke the mark previously set by Andy Replogle (1973-75).
"Yeah, tough, tough game definitely," assistant coach Austin Wates said following the game. "I thought Wicksy battled through that start. He made a couple really good pitches, they put enough barrel on it get some big hits. At the end of the day, I think they executed better.
"You got your guy on the mound and get a couple runs on the board and a lead early, but, again, that's part of the game. We still had our chances to win that baseball game even when they tied it in that sixth inning. That's part of it. The team that executes better usually wins the game."
After allowing three runs in the first two innings, Wicks surrendered just one base hit over the next three frames and took a 6-3 lead into the sixth. After allowing a two-out RBI single to Phillips Brown, Wicks was lifted from the game with two runners on base.
Zach Humphreys tied the game at 6 with a triple to the right field corner on an 0-2 pitch delivered by reliever Eric Torres. Wicks' line ended with six earned runs on nine hits and two walks. All three of the Frogs' runs came with two outs in the sixth.
"Jordan's our guy," said Wates. "He comes to the field every day to work and always gives us a chance to win a game. Whether or not he's got his best stuff or not, whether he's got his best command or not, he'll always figure out a way to get at least five innings for us. That's what he did today."
Hunter Wolfe led off the ninth with a double and later stood on third with one out after a fly ball by pinch-hitter Conner Shepherd. With the infield squeezed in, Sikes singled up the middle to score the game-winning run off Tyler Eckberg.
The Wildcats had their leadoff hitter on in both the eighth and ninth innings. Zach Kokoska began the eighth with a double, snapping a stretch of 11 straight K-State hitters retired by the TCU bullpen.
TCU relievers River Ridings and Garrett Wright combined to strike out the next three K-State hitters to strand the go-ahead run in scoring position.
Kamron Willman singled to lead off the ninth, as his and Kokoska's hits were the only hits after the fourth inning. Drew Hill, along with Ridings and Wright combined to allow just three hits over seven innings in relief of starter Jacob Meador.
"They have one of the best bullpens in our league," added Wates of the Horned Frogs' pen. "Whether or not they get a good or bad start, they always got someone behind them to keep the game relatively close."
Wright picked up the win after logging the final 1 1/3 innings, striking out one with one hit allowed. Eckberg took the loss after one run allowed on two hits in two-thirds of a frame.
Fifth-year senior Cameron Thompson, starting his K-State record 237th career game, led off the game with a walk and came around to score on Nick Goodwin's single as part of the Cats' four-run first. Goodwin and Kokoska came home on Phillips' team-leading 15th homer.
"Cam's one of the leaders in the clubhouse," Wates said of Thompson. "Everybody looks up to him, he's a guy that's started every game here. He's got a great personality. He's always there, always ready to go and always ready to learn. Again, a lot of guys look up to the kid, especially with as many games as he's played and as much as he's done for this program. He means a lot to us."
TCU responded with a pair in the bottom half of the inning, getting a two-run double from Wolfe. Four straight Frogs reached off Wicks before an inning-ending double play limited the damage.
Kokoska registered the third of three K-State singles in the second inning, scoring Dylan Caplinger with two outs to push the Cats' lead to three runs. Caplinger and Terrence Spurlin each singled prior to Kokoska.
After the Frogs scraped across a run in the second, Thompson extended the Wildcat lead back to three runs with a sacrifice fly in the fourth. Caleb Littlejim, who singled with one out, scored the Cats' final run of the day.
Kokoska turned in the team's only multi-hit game, going 2-for-3 with an RBI. Phillips drove in three, as all six runs were driven in by the top five hitters in the order.
Torres went on to strike out five in two innings of work in relief of Wicks, with Humphreys' game-tying hit as the only he allowed.
Humphreys paced the Frogs' offense with his 3-for-4, three-RBI day. Porter Brown and Wolfe each carded a pair of hits.
In the start, Meador lasted just two innings after he yielded five hits and five earned runs.
Four TCU pitchers combined for 11 strikeouts and one walk.
K-State will take on No. 6 seed Baylor in a winner-take-all contest Thursday at 9 a.m. The game will be broadcast on ESPNU and streaming on the ESPN app. Radio coverage can be heard on the K-State Sports Radio Network with live, free audio streaming at K-StateSports.com/watch.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
- K-State scored six runs on eight hits with one error and three left on base.
- TCU scored seven runs on 12 hits with one error and nine left on base.
- K-State scored four runs in the first and led 6-3 in the sixth.
- Phillips hit his team-leading 15th home run – a three-run shot in the first.
- Kokoska had K-State's only multi-hit day, going 2-for-3 with a double.
- The Wildcats had two extra-base hits.
- Wicks struck out nine over 5 2/3 innings, allowing six earned runs on nine hits.
- Wicks became K-State's all-time strikeout leader and now has 230 career strikeouts.
- Torres struck out five in two innings of relief.
- Humphreys had three hits and three RBI for TCU.
- The TCU bullpen combined for seven innings with one unearned run allowed on three hits.
- K-State was 4-for-10 with runners on base and 3-for-8 with runners in scoring position.
- Thompson made his 237th consecutive start, breaking Craig Wilson's record for most career starts in K-State history.
- K-State has 84 homers on the year, extending its single-season program record.
- Phillips has a team-high 55 RBI this season.
- The K-State pitching staff has a combined 506 strikeouts, which is the most ever in a single season in program history.
- TCU leads the all-time series 22-11 (16-8 Big 12).
- K-State and TCU have split four meetings this season.
- K-State is now 4-9 against ranked teams.
- The Wildcats have lost their last seven Big 12 Championship contests.
- This marked the first-ever meeting between K-State and TCU in the Big 12 Championship.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Wright, Garrett (2-1)
L: Eckberg, Tyler (4-5)
Batting:
2B: Kokoska, Zach 1
HR: Phillips, Dylan 1
RBI: Thompson, Cameron 1 ; Kokoska, Zach 1 ; Goodwin, Nick 1 ; Phillips, Dylan 3
SH: Caplinger, Dylan 1
SF: Thompson, Cameron 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Thompson, Cameron 1 ; Kokoska, Zach 1 ; Goodwin, Nick 1 ; Phillips, Dylan 1 ; Littlejim, Caleb 1 ; Caplinger, Dylan 1
SB: Thompson, Cameron 1
CS: Burrows, Blake 1
HBP: Kokoska, Zach 1
Batting:
2B: Wolfe, Hunter 2
3B: Humphreys, Zach 1
RBI: Brown, Porter 1 ; Humphreys, Zach 3 ; Wolfe, Hunter 2 ; Sikes, Phillip 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Brown, Porter 1 ; Humphreys, Zach 1 ; Taylor, Brayden 1 ; Wolfe, Hunter 1 ; Rodgers, Gray 1 ; Sacco, Tommy 1 ; Boyers, Luke 1
SB: Henry, Austin 1 ; Boyers, Luke 1
HBP: Wolfe, Hunter 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
3
R
1
H
2
RBI
1
AB
4
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
AB
4
R
1
H
1
RBI
1
AB
4
R
1
H
1
RBI
3
Players Mentioned
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RHP/OF
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/ Baseball
LHP
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INF
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