SE: Not Done Yet - K-State Baseball Back in Big 12 Semis
May 29, 2021 | Baseball, Sports Extra
By: Austin Siegel
1 - If you've been paying attention, the big inning didn't really feel that big at all. Only five runs?
That's all K-State Baseball could manage in the fourth inning against the No. 5 team in the country in an elimination game in the conference tournament?
It wasn't their biggest inning of the season, or even the week, but it was enough to see the Wildcats through in a 7-2 win over Texas Tech on Friday afternoon.
And for the first time in a decade, K-State Baseball has made it to the semifinals of the Big 12 Championship.
2 - "This is a great league, this is the highest level of college baseball," head coach Pete Hughes said. "You're going to need some toughness to get back in games and I think our guys have proven that over the last two weeks."
By that standard, Friday's elimination game against the Red Raiders felt almost routine.
In fact, it was the first time in its last 12 games against conference foes that K-State never trailed. The Wildcats jumped out to a 7-0 lead and went wire-to-wire against Texas Tech.
3 - But this was a victory built on all the wins that came before, a performance that looked eerily similar to some of the biggest victories of the season for the Wildcats.
"You get this late in the season, with all the reps that we've seen, we're 55 games in and our hitters' recognition is on point against some really good stuff," Hughes said. "College baseball gets really good this time of year when the database gets built up."
4 - For one thing, the Wildcats know what it feels like to beat Texas Tech. Only K-State and Baylor took a series off the Red Raiders this season, before the 'Cats knocked them out of the conference tournament on Thursday.
5 - The last time these schools faced off, back on April 3, the Wildcats used a five-run inning to put Texas Tech on the ropes. This time, the 'Cats got it done in the fourth inning.
With the heart of the order due up, Zach Kokoska singled to right field, before Nick Goodwin and Kamron Willman walked to load the bases.
Cameron Thompson, already with a tape-measure shot in the third inning to get the Wildcats on the board, ripped a double to score a pair. Then came a Cole Johnson single. Then Kokoska drew a walk with the bases loaded.
6 - Suddenly a 2-0 lead had ballooned to 7-0 and the Wildcats were rolling into the Big 12 semifinals.
"We're swinging it well," Thompson said. "It's awesome having everybody involved. It's not just one guy."
For the second day in a row, K-State found a way to do damage without relying on the long ball. Home runs from Thompson and Dylan Phillips got the Wildcats in business, including an absolute moon shot from Phillips, but the monster inning came without any homers.
7 - On the mound, Kasey Ford got the start for K-State, tossing 3 2/3 innings and allowing only one hit before turning the ball over to Tyler Eckberg.
And once again, a bullpen arm gave K-State the quality innings they needed to pull a massive postseason upset.
Eckberg threw five innings of scoreless baseball and didn't allow a hit before the ninth inning. Eric Torres recorded the final out, but the bullpen should be fresh for Saturday.
8 - "We feel like we can shut anybody down," Eckberg said. "Especially when the offense keeps putting up big innings like that five-spot."
For the record, Eckberg said he "probably" couldn't go on Saturday after his longest outing of the season. It's that time of year when nothing feels impossible.
9 - "He's the MVP of the game," Hughes said. "He came in there and settled us down, made his pitches, but more importantly thew up zeroes all the way to the end against a really good offense."
But Eckberg was only available against Texas Tech because Carson Seymour came in on Thursday morning and pitched six innings out of the bullpen against Baylor. And Torres, after recording the final out, should be available on Saturday against the Horned Frogs.
10 - It's not just that K-State has a shot at its first Big 12 Championship Game since 2008 this weekend. It's that the Wildcats have gotten there by playing baseball their way.
"We beat Texas Tech three out of four times [this season]," Hughes said. "If you look at our roster, our rotation, our lineup, we're built for the national tournament. Record-setting home runs and deep pitching with a first-round draft pick on our staff…I'm going to fight for our guys because they're fighting for me."
1 - If you've been paying attention, the big inning didn't really feel that big at all. Only five runs?
That's all K-State Baseball could manage in the fourth inning against the No. 5 team in the country in an elimination game in the conference tournament?
It wasn't their biggest inning of the season, or even the week, but it was enough to see the Wildcats through in a 7-2 win over Texas Tech on Friday afternoon.
And for the first time in a decade, K-State Baseball has made it to the semifinals of the Big 12 Championship.
Bracket: Wrecked #KStateBSB x #Big12BSB pic.twitter.com/IsF71lngRn
— K-State Baseball (@KStateBSB) May 29, 2021
2 - "This is a great league, this is the highest level of college baseball," head coach Pete Hughes said. "You're going to need some toughness to get back in games and I think our guys have proven that over the last two weeks."
By that standard, Friday's elimination game against the Red Raiders felt almost routine.
In fact, it was the first time in its last 12 games against conference foes that K-State never trailed. The Wildcats jumped out to a 7-0 lead and went wire-to-wire against Texas Tech.
3 - But this was a victory built on all the wins that came before, a performance that looked eerily similar to some of the biggest victories of the season for the Wildcats.
"You get this late in the season, with all the reps that we've seen, we're 55 games in and our hitters' recognition is on point against some really good stuff," Hughes said. "College baseball gets really good this time of year when the database gets built up."
4 - For one thing, the Wildcats know what it feels like to beat Texas Tech. Only K-State and Baylor took a series off the Red Raiders this season, before the 'Cats knocked them out of the conference tournament on Thursday.
5 - The last time these schools faced off, back on April 3, the Wildcats used a five-run inning to put Texas Tech on the ropes. This time, the 'Cats got it done in the fourth inning.
With the heart of the order due up, Zach Kokoska singled to right field, before Nick Goodwin and Kamron Willman walked to load the bases.
Cameron Thompson, already with a tape-measure shot in the third inning to get the Wildcats on the board, ripped a double to score a pair. Then came a Cole Johnson single. Then Kokoska drew a walk with the bases loaded.
6 - Suddenly a 2-0 lead had ballooned to 7-0 and the Wildcats were rolling into the Big 12 semifinals.
"We're swinging it well," Thompson said. "It's awesome having everybody involved. It's not just one guy."
For the second day in a row, K-State found a way to do damage without relying on the long ball. Home runs from Thompson and Dylan Phillips got the Wildcats in business, including an absolute moon shot from Phillips, but the monster inning came without any homers.
Boom! It's over a ⛰@DylanP_16 puts the 'Cats up 2-0 over Texas Tech
— K-State Baseball (@KStateBSB) May 28, 2021
#KStateBSB x EMAW pic.twitter.com/xibmGy7XVT
7 - On the mound, Kasey Ford got the start for K-State, tossing 3 2/3 innings and allowing only one hit before turning the ball over to Tyler Eckberg.
And once again, a bullpen arm gave K-State the quality innings they needed to pull a massive postseason upset.
Eckberg threw five innings of scoreless baseball and didn't allow a hit before the ninth inning. Eric Torres recorded the final out, but the bullpen should be fresh for Saturday.
8 - "We feel like we can shut anybody down," Eckberg said. "Especially when the offense keeps putting up big innings like that five-spot."
For the record, Eckberg said he "probably" couldn't go on Saturday after his longest outing of the season. It's that time of year when nothing feels impossible.
Survive & Advance#KStateBSB x EMAW pic.twitter.com/Oc3icmfDX2
— K-State Baseball (@KStateBSB) May 28, 2021
9 - "He's the MVP of the game," Hughes said. "He came in there and settled us down, made his pitches, but more importantly thew up zeroes all the way to the end against a really good offense."
But Eckberg was only available against Texas Tech because Carson Seymour came in on Thursday morning and pitched six innings out of the bullpen against Baylor. And Torres, after recording the final out, should be available on Saturday against the Horned Frogs.
10 - It's not just that K-State has a shot at its first Big 12 Championship Game since 2008 this weekend. It's that the Wildcats have gotten there by playing baseball their way.
"We beat Texas Tech three out of four times [this season]," Hughes said. "If you look at our roster, our rotation, our lineup, we're built for the national tournament. Record-setting home runs and deep pitching with a first-round draft pick on our staff…I'm going to fight for our guys because they're fighting for me."
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