Kansas State University Athletics
Wednesday, March 9
Manhattan, Kan.
4 p.m.
Kansas State University
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Photo by: Lathe Cobb Photography
Cats Snag Home Opener from Huskers 6-4
Mar 09, 2022 | Baseball
MANHATTAN, Kan. – Griffin Hassall pitched four innings of one-hit ball, Nick Goodwin homered and K-State earned a 6-4 victory over Nebraska in its home opener Wednesday at Tointon Family Stadium.
K-State (4-7) scored five of its six runs in the fourth inning, an inning that was extended by a pair of Nebraska (4-8) errors. Goodwin led off the fourth with a home run, as the first four Wildcats recorded a hit off starter Emmet Olson.
Hassall retired the first eight Cornhusker batters he saw, including striking out the side in order in the second, to earn his first win of the year in his first start since 2019. Nebraska managed one walk and one hit against the right-hander, both coming in the third and resulting in the game's first run.
"Obviously, a tough day from an offensive perspective," head coach Pete Hughes said. "Credit to our guys, we had to put the ball in play and put some pressure on their defense and fundamentals. Getting our bunts down. Great job by putting pressure on Nebraska and also answering after they scored first.
"It's nice to play at home and play clean and play with some confidence. That happens because you get two really good performances from Hassall and (Collin) Rothermel."
Collin Rothermel tossed the game's final five innings to earn the first save of his career. The freshman scattered five hits and struck out four, with a walk and three earned runs allowed.
"I love seeing two walks total, and those were debatable," Hughes said of his two pitchers. "(For Hassall) four innings pitched, one hit, five strikeouts, one walk. He can really pitch. Both those guys, their pitchability is through the roof. Rothermel did a good job, he got settled in and handled a little traffic on the bases. He slowed the game down. He let up two base hits with an 0-2 count. That's two pitches away from a really, really good outing."
Goodwin's solo home run in the fourth, on the first pitch of the inning, tied the game at a run apiece. After the home run, Josh Nicoloff doubled before back-to-back bunt singles from Cole Johnson and Orlando Salinas handed the Cats a one-run lead.
"It felt really good," Goodwin said of his first homer of the year. "Especially in this kind of weather and these kind of conditions, you're not trying to hit home runs, you're just trying to put the barrel on the ball. Fortunately, I got a pitch I could hit out of the park, up and in, so I put a good swing on it and it happened to go out."
Also in the fourth inning. Dylan Phillips delivered an RBI fielder's choice. In total, K-State brought 10 to the plate and recorded four hits in the five-run inning.
A third Husker error helped result in K-State's final run in the fifth, as Nicoloff started the frame by reaching on an error and later scored on a sacrifice fly by Kaelen Culpepper.
Dominic Johnson produced K-State's only multi-hit game, going 2-for-3 with a run scored and two walks.
The Cornhuskers plated two in the seventh, getting an RBI double from Core Jackson to go with a run-scoring single from Jack Steil. NU managed its final run in the top of the ninth via a groundout by Efry Cervantes.
Olson was tagged for the loss after allowing four runs (two earned) on seven hits over his three innings of work.
Entering as a defensive replacement, Jackson led NU by going 2-for-2 with an RBI and two runs scored.
K-State limited Nebraska to 2-for-11 (.182) with two outs and 3-for-13 (.231) with runners in scoring position.
MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
Goodwin's leadoff home run in the fourth tied the game at a run apiece. His first homer of the year sparked a string of four straight Wildcats to record a hit in the inning. Aided by two Nebraska errors and two bunt singles, the Cats finished the fourth with five runs to take a 5-1 lead.
Culpepper lifted a sacrifice fly to tack on a run in the fifth.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
UP NEXT
K-State continues its homestand Friday against Central Connecticut State, beginning a three-game series. All three games will be televised on Big 12 Now on ESPN+. 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.
K-State (4-7) scored five of its six runs in the fourth inning, an inning that was extended by a pair of Nebraska (4-8) errors. Goodwin led off the fourth with a home run, as the first four Wildcats recorded a hit off starter Emmet Olson.
Hassall retired the first eight Cornhusker batters he saw, including striking out the side in order in the second, to earn his first win of the year in his first start since 2019. Nebraska managed one walk and one hit against the right-hander, both coming in the third and resulting in the game's first run.
"Obviously, a tough day from an offensive perspective," head coach Pete Hughes said. "Credit to our guys, we had to put the ball in play and put some pressure on their defense and fundamentals. Getting our bunts down. Great job by putting pressure on Nebraska and also answering after they scored first.
"It's nice to play at home and play clean and play with some confidence. That happens because you get two really good performances from Hassall and (Collin) Rothermel."
Collin Rothermel tossed the game's final five innings to earn the first save of his career. The freshman scattered five hits and struck out four, with a walk and three earned runs allowed.
"I love seeing two walks total, and those were debatable," Hughes said of his two pitchers. "(For Hassall) four innings pitched, one hit, five strikeouts, one walk. He can really pitch. Both those guys, their pitchability is through the roof. Rothermel did a good job, he got settled in and handled a little traffic on the bases. He slowed the game down. He let up two base hits with an 0-2 count. That's two pitches away from a really, really good outing."
Goodwin's solo home run in the fourth, on the first pitch of the inning, tied the game at a run apiece. After the home run, Josh Nicoloff doubled before back-to-back bunt singles from Cole Johnson and Orlando Salinas handed the Cats a one-run lead.
"It felt really good," Goodwin said of his first homer of the year. "Especially in this kind of weather and these kind of conditions, you're not trying to hit home runs, you're just trying to put the barrel on the ball. Fortunately, I got a pitch I could hit out of the park, up and in, so I put a good swing on it and it happened to go out."
Also in the fourth inning. Dylan Phillips delivered an RBI fielder's choice. In total, K-State brought 10 to the plate and recorded four hits in the five-run inning.
A third Husker error helped result in K-State's final run in the fifth, as Nicoloff started the frame by reaching on an error and later scored on a sacrifice fly by Kaelen Culpepper.
Dominic Johnson produced K-State's only multi-hit game, going 2-for-3 with a run scored and two walks.
The Cornhuskers plated two in the seventh, getting an RBI double from Core Jackson to go with a run-scoring single from Jack Steil. NU managed its final run in the top of the ninth via a groundout by Efry Cervantes.
Olson was tagged for the loss after allowing four runs (two earned) on seven hits over his three innings of work.
Entering as a defensive replacement, Jackson led NU by going 2-for-2 with an RBI and two runs scored.
K-State limited Nebraska to 2-for-11 (.182) with two outs and 3-for-13 (.231) with runners in scoring position.
MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
Goodwin's leadoff home run in the fourth tied the game at a run apiece. His first homer of the year sparked a string of four straight Wildcats to record a hit in the inning. Aided by two Nebraska errors and two bunt singles, the Cats finished the fourth with five runs to take a 5-1 lead.
Culpepper lifted a sacrifice fly to tack on a run in the fifth.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
- K-State scored six runs on eight hits, committed no errors and left eight on base.
- Nebraska scored four runs on six hits with three errors and stranded four baserunners.
- Goodwin hit his first home run of the year in the fourth inning.
- K-State has homered in four straight games and in five of its last six overall.
- Dominic Johnson led the Wildcats with two hits, going 2-for-3 with a run and two walks.
- Hassall picked up his first win of the season in his first start since 2019.
- Hassall allowed just one hit over four innings with five strikeouts and one walk.
- Rothermel earned his first save after tossing the game's final five frames.
- The duo combined for two walks and nine strikeouts.
- Phillips and Salinas each registered an RBI.
- Nicoloff doubled and scored twice.
- K-State limited Nebraska to 2-for-11 (.182) with two outs and 3-for-13 (.231) with runners in scoring position.
- The Huskers were led by Jackson's two hits, going 2-for-2 with two runs and an RBI.
- Nebraska leads the all-time series 173-116 as this was the first meeting since 2019.
- K-State is 72-79 at home against the Cornhuskers.
- The Cats have won three of the last four meetings with NU, dating back to 2018.
- Salinas has reached base safely in all 10 games in which he has appeared while Goodwin pushed his on-base streak to nine games.
- Goodwin and Salinas are each riding seven-game hitting streaks.
- K-State won its home opener for the third straight season.
UP NEXT
K-State continues its homestand Friday against Central Connecticut State, beginning a three-game series. All three games will be televised on Big 12 Now on ESPN+. 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 (1-2)
L: Olson, Emmett (0-2)
S: Rothermel, Collin (1)
Batting:
2B: Jessen, Luke 1 ; Jackson, Core 1
3B: Jackson, Core 1
RBI: Jessen, Luke 1 ; Jackson, Core 1 ; Cervantes, Efry 1 ; Steil, Jack 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Everitt, Griffin 1 ; Jackson, Core 2 ; Sartori, Luke 1
Batting:
2B: Nicoloff, Josh 1
HR: Goodwin, Nick 1
RBI: Phillips, Dylan 1 ; Goodwin, Nick 1 ; Salinas, Jr., Orlando 1 ; Culpepper, Kaelen 1
SH: Salinas, Jr., Orlando 1
SF: Culpepper, Kaelen 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Johnson, Dominic 1 ; Goodwin, Nick 1 ; Nicoloff, Josh 2 ; Salinas, Jr., Orlando 1 ; Culpepper, Kaelen 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
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2
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RBI
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4
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1
RBI
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Players Mentioned
INF
/ BaseballINF
/ Baseball
RHP
/ BaseballOF
/ BaseballOF/LHP
/ Baseball
RHP
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