Why Not Us?
Jun 07, 2024 | Baseball, Sports Extra
By: D. Scott Fritchen
For Kansas State baseball, this is it.
The indomitable Wildcats, who braved one of the nation's toughest schedules, and who rode the highs and lows of the ever-challenging Big 12 Conference before topping No. 5 Arkansas en route to the NCAA Fayetteville Regional Championship, have history within their grasp during what could be the greatest weekend in the program's 124-year history.
It all starts when K-State, 34-25, faces No. 12-overall seed Virginia, 44-15, in Friday's 6 p.m. first pitch here at Disharoon Park in Charlottesville, Virginia. The team will also meet at 2 p.m. Saturday in the best-of-three series. If necessary, the decisive game three will be at 2 p.m. Sunday. All games will be shown on ESPNU.
The winner will advance to the College World Series in Omaha, Nebraska.
Thus beckons the question: Why not K-State?
"I think we're a good team," K-State head coach Pete Hughes said after a practice at Disharoon Park on Thursday. "There are 16 of us left. We're way beyond thinking in terms of Cinderella. We've put up a national product here, and our kids are playing great on the big stage. This time of year, you have to stay healthy and get hot. It doesn't matter what your jersey name is.
"Our guys are way beyond that. We're just motivated to win a series against a great opponent."
K-State finished sixth in the Big 12, two spots lower than West Virginia, which is the only other Big 12 team to make it to a Super Regional. The Wildcats will face a mighty challenge on the road against a Virginia squad that is 29-7 at home and looks to advance to the CWS for the seventh time under head coach Brian O'Connor.
Virginia has advanced to a Super Regional in nine of the past 15 years. The Cavaliers went undefeated in the Charlottesville Regional capped by a 9-2 win over Mississippi State in the regional title game.
"I'm excited," O'Connor said after the win. "I can't sit still. What our pitching did this weekend, and our defense, was awesome. I told the team after the game, I'm as proud of this team as any team we've coached here."
K-State has plenty to be proud about as well after sweeping through the Fayetteville Regional, topping Louisiana Tech (19-4), then No. 5 Arkansas (7-6) before beating SEMO (7-2) for the Wildcats' first berth in a Super Regional since 2013. Five Wildcats were named to the regional all-tournament team led by shortstop Kaelen Culpepper, who was named MVP after going 7-for-12 with two home runs and seven RBI.
On the year, K-State has produced a slash line of .274/.379/.434 as a team with 96 doubles, 16 triples and 66 home runs with four starters hitting over .300 — Culpepper (.329), Brady Day (.325), Jaden Parsons (.308) and Brendan Jones (.303).
K-State will send lefty graduate Owen Boerema (6-3, 5.07 ERA) to the mound on Friday while Jackson Wentworth (5-5, 4.11 ERA) will start Saturday.
"We know to get to Omaha we have to be locked in for each individual game," Boerema said. "Our coaching staff does a really good job preparing us for each game and making sure we stay in the moment. Coach (Rudy) Darrow says to stay in the moment and be where your feet are."
Virginia, which ranks No. 18 by D1Baseball, is hitting .356, which ranks second in the nation with eight players hitting above .330, led by Bobby Whalen (.385). Virginia has recorded 114 home runs. Four different players have hit double-digit home runs.
"It's a scary batting average," Hughes said. "I don't have a player on our roster that's hitting what their team is hitting. That's where it starts right there."
Left-hander Evan Blanco (7-3, 3.57 ERA) will start for the Cavaliers on Friday.
"You look at their pitching depth and bullpen depth, and they do an unbelievable job managing a bullpen and they have a lot of moving parts there where they can match up on you," Hughes said. "We're playing a really good team right now that's dangerous offensively and that's hot on the mound."
One of the keys to the Wildcats' success on Friday could hinge on their ability to play carefree and pressure-free — traits that the team has brilliantly embraced.
"That's our culture," Hughes said. "They're not getting any pressure from me or the coaching staff, that's for sure. This game is hard enough. I challenged them with a really tough schedule, so there's some toughness that's been built. When you have some toughness, you have some confidence, and it allows you to play free and to play fast."
As for a couple things that Hughes has shared with his team as they embark upon this stage?
"The only thing I can tell them is when they play fast and with a chip on their shoulder, they're really good," Hughes said. "They went into a really difficult place to play last weekend, and they took it over for three days and it was fun to sit back and watch them. It's going to be the same mindset here. We talk about playing to win and everything we do in this program has got to be the same mindset, especially this time of year."
As K-State pitcher Tyson Neighbors puts it: "We've gotten hot at the right time and we're having fun and playing pressure-free baseball on one of the biggest stages. We just have to keep that momentum going throughout this weekend and we'll accomplish our goal and make it to Omaha."
And make history.
For Kansas State baseball, this is it.
The indomitable Wildcats, who braved one of the nation's toughest schedules, and who rode the highs and lows of the ever-challenging Big 12 Conference before topping No. 5 Arkansas en route to the NCAA Fayetteville Regional Championship, have history within their grasp during what could be the greatest weekend in the program's 124-year history.
It all starts when K-State, 34-25, faces No. 12-overall seed Virginia, 44-15, in Friday's 6 p.m. first pitch here at Disharoon Park in Charlottesville, Virginia. The team will also meet at 2 p.m. Saturday in the best-of-three series. If necessary, the decisive game three will be at 2 p.m. Sunday. All games will be shown on ESPNU.
The winner will advance to the College World Series in Omaha, Nebraska.
Thus beckons the question: Why not K-State?
"I think we're a good team," K-State head coach Pete Hughes said after a practice at Disharoon Park on Thursday. "There are 16 of us left. We're way beyond thinking in terms of Cinderella. We've put up a national product here, and our kids are playing great on the big stage. This time of year, you have to stay healthy and get hot. It doesn't matter what your jersey name is.
"Our guys are way beyond that. We're just motivated to win a series against a great opponent."
K-State finished sixth in the Big 12, two spots lower than West Virginia, which is the only other Big 12 team to make it to a Super Regional. The Wildcats will face a mighty challenge on the road against a Virginia squad that is 29-7 at home and looks to advance to the CWS for the seventh time under head coach Brian O'Connor.
Virginia has advanced to a Super Regional in nine of the past 15 years. The Cavaliers went undefeated in the Charlottesville Regional capped by a 9-2 win over Mississippi State in the regional title game.
"I'm excited," O'Connor said after the win. "I can't sit still. What our pitching did this weekend, and our defense, was awesome. I told the team after the game, I'm as proud of this team as any team we've coached here."
K-State has plenty to be proud about as well after sweeping through the Fayetteville Regional, topping Louisiana Tech (19-4), then No. 5 Arkansas (7-6) before beating SEMO (7-2) for the Wildcats' first berth in a Super Regional since 2013. Five Wildcats were named to the regional all-tournament team led by shortstop Kaelen Culpepper, who was named MVP after going 7-for-12 with two home runs and seven RBI.
On the year, K-State has produced a slash line of .274/.379/.434 as a team with 96 doubles, 16 triples and 66 home runs with four starters hitting over .300 — Culpepper (.329), Brady Day (.325), Jaden Parsons (.308) and Brendan Jones (.303).
K-State will send lefty graduate Owen Boerema (6-3, 5.07 ERA) to the mound on Friday while Jackson Wentworth (5-5, 4.11 ERA) will start Saturday.
"We know to get to Omaha we have to be locked in for each individual game," Boerema said. "Our coaching staff does a really good job preparing us for each game and making sure we stay in the moment. Coach (Rudy) Darrow says to stay in the moment and be where your feet are."
Virginia, which ranks No. 18 by D1Baseball, is hitting .356, which ranks second in the nation with eight players hitting above .330, led by Bobby Whalen (.385). Virginia has recorded 114 home runs. Four different players have hit double-digit home runs.
"It's a scary batting average," Hughes said. "I don't have a player on our roster that's hitting what their team is hitting. That's where it starts right there."
Left-hander Evan Blanco (7-3, 3.57 ERA) will start for the Cavaliers on Friday.
"You look at their pitching depth and bullpen depth, and they do an unbelievable job managing a bullpen and they have a lot of moving parts there where they can match up on you," Hughes said. "We're playing a really good team right now that's dangerous offensively and that's hot on the mound."
One of the keys to the Wildcats' success on Friday could hinge on their ability to play carefree and pressure-free — traits that the team has brilliantly embraced.
"That's our culture," Hughes said. "They're not getting any pressure from me or the coaching staff, that's for sure. This game is hard enough. I challenged them with a really tough schedule, so there's some toughness that's been built. When you have some toughness, you have some confidence, and it allows you to play free and to play fast."
As for a couple things that Hughes has shared with his team as they embark upon this stage?
"The only thing I can tell them is when they play fast and with a chip on their shoulder, they're really good," Hughes said. "They went into a really difficult place to play last weekend, and they took it over for three days and it was fun to sit back and watch them. It's going to be the same mindset here. We talk about playing to win and everything we do in this program has got to be the same mindset, especially this time of year."
As K-State pitcher Tyson Neighbors puts it: "We've gotten hot at the right time and we're having fun and playing pressure-free baseball on one of the biggest stages. We just have to keep that momentum going throughout this weekend and we'll accomplish our goal and make it to Omaha."
And make history.
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