Kansas State University Athletics
Tuesday, March 15
Omaha, Neb.
6 p.m.
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Early Offense, Hassall Lead Cats to Fifth Straight Win
Mar 15, 2022 | Baseball
OMAHA, Neb. – Griffin Hassall turned in season highs in innings and strikeouts while Cole Johnson and Josh Nicoloff each homered to power K-State to an 8-4 win over Omaha Tuesday night at Tal Anderson Field.
Hassall struck out six over his 5 2/3 innings, scattering a pair of hits in earning his second victory in as many starts. The junior right-hander from Newmarket, Ontario was perfect through three innings before allowing two hits in the fourth.
K-State (8-7) scored six runs over the game's first two innings, including five in the second that featured homers by both Johnson and Nicoloff. Nicoloff was a triple short of the cycle, finishing the night 3-for-5 with a season-high four runs batted in.
"We talk all the time about being a good team on the road, and that good teams can win away from home," head coach Pete Hughes said. "I was really glad to see us carry the momentum, both offensively and on the mound, from the weekend into a tough midweek matchup against a veteran club. We continue to work at being comfortable away from home and I think we are starting to see that.
"Griffin Hassall was tremendous today, really had command of all his pitches and, in particular, his secondary stuff. Through the first three innings he was unhittable and just continues to be a reliable option for us."
In the Cats' five-run second, Johnson led off the inning with a home run while Brady Day registered an RBI double. In total, K-State collected four hits and brought all nine to the plate in the inning.
Nicoloff, who belted a two-run homer in the second, added a two-run double in the fourth that gave the Wildcats an 8-0 lead.
Day reached base in all five plate appearances, ending 2-for-2 with three walks and three runs scored.
Four Wildcats managed multiple hits, as Dominic Johnson joined Nicoloff with a three-hit night. Johnson extended his hitting streak to 10 games and has registered two or more hits in six straight games. Nicoloff's hitting streak is now at nine games.
"They are both swinging really hot bats and seeing the ball well," added Hughes. "Josh Nicoloff is starting to get paid back with the work he's put in. He's really barreled up a lot of balls all year, but didn't always get the results he wanted early. But he hasn't wavered from his approach and the hits are finally coming to him."
Hassall allowed just three baserunners in his start and retired Omaha (5-11) in order in four times. The only blemish against Hassall was a two-run homer to Mike Boeve in the fourth, after which Hassall would retire the next five Mavericks he faced.
The Mavs added two more in the sixth, cutting the Wildcats' lead in half at 8-4. Noah Greise roped an opposite-field single that scored Boeve, but another run scored on the play on a K-State error.
Landry Wideman and Tyler Ruhl combined to keep Omaha hitless over the final three frames. Wideman struck out three over two innings before Ruhl worked a scoreless ninth.
In total, four K-State pitchers combined to allow just three hits in the game.
Boeve led UNO at the plate, going 1-for-3 with two RBI and two runs scored. Greise finished 1-for-4 while leadoff man Harrison Denk accounted for the last Omaha base hit.
Omaha utilized seven pitchers in the game, with starter Jackson Gordon lasting only 1 1/3 innings. Gordon left with five earned runs on four hits on his ledger, walking three without a strikeout.
Harrison Kreiling led the UNO staff with three shutout innings. Kreiling struck out four without a walk and surrendered two hits.
K-State's winning streak now sits at five games, as the Cats have won seven of their last eight.
MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
A five-run second inning was highlighted by a leadoff homer from Cole Johnson before a two-run shot from Nicoloff. Also in the inning, Day added an RBI double as the Cats brought nine to the plate.
Nicoloff added a two-run double in the fourth to extend the Wildcats' lead to 8-0.
Omaha responded with two runs in the fourth and two more coming in the sixth. The Mavericks' two in the sixth came on a single from Greise combined with two Wildcat errors on the play.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
UP NEXT
K-State returns to Tointon Family Stadium for a three-game series with Morehead State starting Friday at 6 p.m. All three games will be broadcast on Big 12 Now on ESPN+ and the ESPN app. Radio coverage can be heard on News Radio KMAN (93.3 FM, 1350 AM) with free, live audio is also available at K-StateSports.com/Watch.
Hassall struck out six over his 5 2/3 innings, scattering a pair of hits in earning his second victory in as many starts. The junior right-hander from Newmarket, Ontario was perfect through three innings before allowing two hits in the fourth.
K-State (8-7) scored six runs over the game's first two innings, including five in the second that featured homers by both Johnson and Nicoloff. Nicoloff was a triple short of the cycle, finishing the night 3-for-5 with a season-high four runs batted in.
"We talk all the time about being a good team on the road, and that good teams can win away from home," head coach Pete Hughes said. "I was really glad to see us carry the momentum, both offensively and on the mound, from the weekend into a tough midweek matchup against a veteran club. We continue to work at being comfortable away from home and I think we are starting to see that.
"Griffin Hassall was tremendous today, really had command of all his pitches and, in particular, his secondary stuff. Through the first three innings he was unhittable and just continues to be a reliable option for us."
In the Cats' five-run second, Johnson led off the inning with a home run while Brady Day registered an RBI double. In total, K-State collected four hits and brought all nine to the plate in the inning.
Nicoloff, who belted a two-run homer in the second, added a two-run double in the fourth that gave the Wildcats an 8-0 lead.
Day reached base in all five plate appearances, ending 2-for-2 with three walks and three runs scored.
Four Wildcats managed multiple hits, as Dominic Johnson joined Nicoloff with a three-hit night. Johnson extended his hitting streak to 10 games and has registered two or more hits in six straight games. Nicoloff's hitting streak is now at nine games.
"They are both swinging really hot bats and seeing the ball well," added Hughes. "Josh Nicoloff is starting to get paid back with the work he's put in. He's really barreled up a lot of balls all year, but didn't always get the results he wanted early. But he hasn't wavered from his approach and the hits are finally coming to him."
Hassall allowed just three baserunners in his start and retired Omaha (5-11) in order in four times. The only blemish against Hassall was a two-run homer to Mike Boeve in the fourth, after which Hassall would retire the next five Mavericks he faced.
The Mavs added two more in the sixth, cutting the Wildcats' lead in half at 8-4. Noah Greise roped an opposite-field single that scored Boeve, but another run scored on the play on a K-State error.
Landry Wideman and Tyler Ruhl combined to keep Omaha hitless over the final three frames. Wideman struck out three over two innings before Ruhl worked a scoreless ninth.
In total, four K-State pitchers combined to allow just three hits in the game.
Boeve led UNO at the plate, going 1-for-3 with two RBI and two runs scored. Greise finished 1-for-4 while leadoff man Harrison Denk accounted for the last Omaha base hit.
Omaha utilized seven pitchers in the game, with starter Jackson Gordon lasting only 1 1/3 innings. Gordon left with five earned runs on four hits on his ledger, walking three without a strikeout.
Harrison Kreiling led the UNO staff with three shutout innings. Kreiling struck out four without a walk and surrendered two hits.
K-State's winning streak now sits at five games, as the Cats have won seven of their last eight.
MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
A five-run second inning was highlighted by a leadoff homer from Cole Johnson before a two-run shot from Nicoloff. Also in the inning, Day added an RBI double as the Cats brought nine to the plate.
Nicoloff added a two-run double in the fourth to extend the Wildcats' lead to 8-0.
Omaha responded with two runs in the fourth and two more coming in the sixth. The Mavericks' two in the sixth came on a single from Greise combined with two Wildcat errors on the play.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
- K-State scored eight runs on 11 hits, committed two errors and left nine on base.
- Omaha scored four runs on three hits with one error and stranded two baserunners.
- Nicoloff recorded a season-high three hits, including his third home run, and four RBI.
- Dominic Johnson also added three hits with a double and has registered multiple hits in each of his last six games.
- Day reached base in all five plate appearances with a double and three walks.
- Cole Johnson homered for the second time in his last three games, going 2-for-4.
- Four Wildcats produced multi-hit games, as eight of the team's 11 hits came from the top three in the order.
- Raphael Pelletier threw out two baserunners trying to steal second base.
- Hassall earned his second straight win after season highs in innings (5 2/3) and strikeouts (6).
- Four K-State pitchers combined to allow just three hits with nine strikeouts.
- Boeve hit his team-leading fourth homer of the season for UNO, a two-run shot in the fourth inning.
- The Mavericks used seven pitchers in the game, with Harrison Krieling throwing a team-high three innings.
- Omaha combined to issue seven walks with nine strikeouts.
- K-State leads the all-time series 15-2, dating back to 1976.
- K-State has won the last six meetings in the series.
- The Wildcats are now 4-1 on the road against the Mavericks.
- Dominic Johnson pushed his hitting streak to 10 games, with multiple hits in each of his last six contests.
- Nicoloff now has a nine-game hitting streak and Cole Johnson owns an eight-game streak.
- K-State has homered in eight straight games (12 home runs in that span).
UP NEXT
K-State returns to Tointon Family Stadium for a three-game series with Morehead State starting Friday at 6 p.m. All three games will be broadcast on Big 12 Now on ESPN+ and the ESPN app. Radio coverage can be heard on News Radio KMAN (93.3 FM, 1350 AM) with free, live audio is also available at K-StateSports.com/Watch.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Hassall, Griffin (2-2)
L: Jackson Gordon (0-2)
Batting:
2B: Johnson, Dominic 1 ; Day, Brady 1 ; Nicoloff, Josh 1
HR: Nicoloff, Josh 1 ; Johnson, Cole 1
RBI: Day, Brady 1 ; Nicoloff, Josh 4 ; Goodwin, Nick 1 ; Johnson, Cole 1
SF: Goodwin, Nick 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Johnson, Dominic 2 ; Day, Brady 3 ; Nicoloff, Josh 1 ; Johnson, Cole 1 ; Pelletier, Raphael 1
SB: Phillips, Dylan 1
PO: Johnson, Cole 1
Batting:
HR: Mike Boeve 1
RBI: Mike Boeve 2 ; Noah Greise 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Harrison Denk 1 ; Drew Reetz 1 ; Mike Boeve 2
SB: Garrett Kennedy 1
CS: Tyson Gerdes 1 ; Jack Lombardi 1
HBP: Mike Boeve 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
5
R
2
H
3
RBI
0
AB
5
R
1
H
3
RBI
4
AB
5
R
1
H
2
RBI
1
Players Mentioned
RHP
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/ BaseballOF
/ BaseballINF
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