Phillips Becomes K-State’s Home Run King Saturday

MANHATTAN, Kan. – In front of a sellout crowd at Tointon Family Stadium Saturday afternoon, Dylan Phillips launched two home runs to become K-State's all-time home run leader. However, it was No. 6 Oklahoma State who hung on for an 8-6 victory to clinch the weekend series.

Phillips, who entered the day tied with Scott Poepard with 37 career bombs, broke the mark that had stood since 1997 with a solo homer in the bottom of the first. The fourth-year junior from Omaha, Nebraska, added a two-run homer in the sixth, carding his seventh career multi-homer game and second of the season.

"It's just a culmination of four years of work that has gone into it," Phillips said. "Staying consistent with what I've done, not getting complacent or anything. It's just a sign of how my performance has been for four straight years."

Taking the field after the first inning, Phillips was the only Wildcat to jog out of the home dugout. He stood at first base and tipped his cap to the 2,344 fans who gave him a standing ovation.

"It was just a lot of happiness, to do it in front of all the great fans out here and to know they're supporting us," added Phillips. "I just couldn't be more thankful."

"I want to congratulate Dylan Phillips on a phenomenal accomplishment," head coach Pete Hughes said after the game. "It's more than a number, it's a kid who works his butt off – he's committed. It's a lot of hard work and preparation goes behind that number. He's helped us turn this culture around, that's for sure, on and off the field with his work ethic. Really happy for that kid and his family.

"It was a good day for him. I know he would've traded that record for a win in a second."

Phillips, who ended the day 2-for-4 with three runs batted in, lifted his second home run of the day in the sixth inning. His eighth long ball of the season helped K-State (13-13, 0-5 Big 12) trim its deficit to four runs at 7-3.

Down five in the bottom of the eighth, RBI doubles from both Dominic Johnson and Nick Goodwin plated three runs and brought the Wildcats within two, 8-6.

"[The game was] close, but we say that too much, too often," said Hughes. "We've got to play a complete nine-inning game and we didn't. I thought we got dominated by (Victor) Mederos early on and just couldn't get anything going against that guy. They had opportunistic hits on offense. Again, we can't stay away from that one big inning and damage control it. At least they hit their way to their runs today, which I can live with.

"I love the fight this team has. I'd like to see them get paid off through wins, that's what we're here for."

Phillips' sixth-inning homer came after Oklahoma State (20-7, 5-0 Big 12) put up a four spot in the top of the inning. OSU strung together four consecutive run-producing base hits, inflating its lead from two runs to six.

Caeden Trenkle sparked the run with an RBI single before Marcus Brown's triple ended K-State starter Griffin Hassall's outing. Chase Adkison added an RBI double while Hueston Morrill drove him in with a single, both coming off reliever German Fajardo.

Hassall (3-4) retired the first eight Cowboy hitters he saw in his fourth start before allowing four straight to reach with two outs in the third, resulting in two OSU runs.

He pitched into the sixth, ending with 5 1/3 innings and yielding six runs on seven hits. The 6-foot-3 right-hander struck out three and walked three.

In relief of Hassall, Fajardo surrendered two runs (one earned) on three hits over his 2 2/3 innings. He struck out three and walked two.

Phillips moved from first base to the mound for the ninth, retiring all three he faced including a strikeout. In his second outing of the year, Phillips has sat down all eight hitters he has seen.

Dominic Johnson joined Phillips with two hits to lead the Wildcat offense. Johnson went 2-for-4 with an RBI double.

Goodwin drove in two with his double in the eighth inning.

The Cowboys were led by Brown and Morrill, who each tallied a pair of hits. Adkison produced a team-best two runs batted in.

After giving up Phillips' first-inning home run, Mederos retired 15 of the next 16 he saw. The sophomore righty exited the game with two outs in the sixth inning after hitting a batter, walking one and surrendering Phillips' second homer.

Mederos (3-1) scattered just three hits and struck out four with one walk.

For the second straight day, Trevor Martin came on to close the door in the ninth. Martin earned his second save of the weekend and ninth of the year after carding a perfect frame.

The Cowboys extended their winning streak against K-State to 13 games, dating back to 2017.

MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
Phillips' career-setting homer gifted the Cats a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first.

Hassall retired the first eight OSU hitters he faced before four straight Cowboys reached with two outs in the third. Back-to-back RBI singles from Zach Ehrhard and Jake Thompson handed Oklahoma State a 2-1 lead.

A four-run sixth inflated OSU's lead to 7-1. In the inning, the Cowboys strung together four straight run-producing hits. Trenkle sparked the run with an RBI single before a triple from Brown, which ended Hassall's afternoon. Adkison ripped a double before Morrill singled to cap the scoring.

Phillips launched his second home run of the day in the bottom half of the sixth, bringing the Cats within four.

RBI doubles from Dominic Johnson and Goodwin added up to a three-run eighth, inching K-State within two.

Martin closed out the game for OSU for the second straight day, earning his second save of the series and ninth of the season with a perfect ninth inning.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

K-State scored six runs on seven hits with two errors and left three on base.
Oklahoma State scored eight runs on 10 hits, committed no errors and stranded six baserunners.
Phillips hit two home runs, going 2-for-4 with three RBI.
Phillips' career total now sits at 39, two more than any player in K-State history.
Dominic Johnson produced the Wildcats' other multi-hit game, finishing 2-for-4 with a double and an RBI.
K-State finished with five extra-base hits (three doubles, two home runs).
Goodwin doubled and drove in two.
On the mound, Phillips threw a perfect ninth inning after moving from first base.
Phillips has retired all eight hitters he has faced this season (two appearances).
Hassall went 5 1/3 innings with six runs allowed on six hits, walking three and striking out three.
Fajardo struck out three over 2 2/3 innings of relief, giving up one earned run on three hits.
Brown and Morrill both tallied two hits while Adkison drove in a team-high two runs.
K-State hit .333 with two outs to OSU's .300.
The Cats hit .500 with runners in scoring position while the Cowboys hit .385.

NOTES

With two home runs, Phillips broke Scott Poepard's program home run that had stood since 1997.
It was Phillips second multi-homer game of the season and the seventh of his career.
Oklahoma State leads the all-time series 176-58 (52-18 Big 12).
OSU has won the last 13 meetings in the series.
K-State is 38-70 at home against the Cowboys, dropping the last 14 in Manhattan.
The Cowboys have won 19 of the last 20 games overall in the series.
K-State is 0-6 against ranked teams this season and 0-3 against the top 10.

UP NEXT
K-State and Oklahoma State conclude the series Sunday at 1 p.m. The game can be seen 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 available at K-StateSports.com/Watch.

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Team Stats

Dominic Johnson

Dylan Phillips

Nick Goodwin

Josh Nicoloff

Players Mentioned

German Fajardo

Nick Goodwin

Griffin Hassall

Dominic Johnson

Dylan Phillips

Players Mentioned

German Fajardo

Nick Goodwin

Griffin Hassall

Dominic Johnson

Dylan Phillips

Kansas State University Athletics