*Courtesy of K-State sports information*
MANHATTAN, Kan. – After tossing a complete-game victory at Oklahoma last Friday, K-State’s Parker Rigler was named Big 12 Co-Newcomer of the Week for the period ending May 8, the conference office announced. Rigler shared the honor with Steven Gingery of Texas Tech.
A native of Edmond, Oklahoma, Rigler led the Wildcats’ to a series-opening 9-3 win over the Sooners in Norman by throwing his first career complete game and first by a Wildcat this season. The southpaw surrendered lone runs in the first, second and third innings but allowed just one hit after the third. He closed out his season-long performance by retiring 18 of the last 20 batters he faced.
Rigler, a transfer from Cowley College (KS), earned his second straight victory with the outing. The junior also struck out four and walked one.
The complete game was the first for K-State since Nate Griep turned one in against Oklahoma on May 8, 2015. It was also the first by a first-year Wildcat since Griep at Oklahoma in 2014.
In 13 appearances (12 starts) this season, Rigler is second on the team in strikeouts (61) while his .245 batting average against is best among Wildcat starters. In his last two outings, Rigler is 2-0 with a 2.40 ERA (4er, 15.0ip), 11 strikeouts and two walks.
Rigler’s newcomer of the week honor is the fourth conference weekly award earned by K-State this season. Jake Scudder (Newcomer, February 29), Jake Wodtke (Player, March 7) and Josh Rolette (Newcomer, March 14) help round out the quartet.
K-State returns to action this weekend when it hosts KU in a pivotal Sunflower Showdown series Friday-Sunday. The three-game set, the Wildcats’ final home series of the season, gets started with a 6:30 p.m. first pitch on Friday at Tointon Family Stadium.
