From K-State Athletics
Three K-State pitchers combined to throw a five-hit shutout while Cameron Thompson homered for the second straight game in a 5-0 win over Nebraska Tuesday night at Haymarket Park.
Starter Caleb Littlejim went five innings and freshman Eric Torres added a career-high three frames while Will Brennan tossed a scoreless ninth to give K-State (17-21) its second straight shutout victory.
K-State has thrown back-to-back shutouts for the first time since 2008 and consecutive road shutouts for the first time since 1967. The game marked the first time Nebraska has been shut out this season and the sides split the season series, with each side throwing a shutout on the road.
“They pitched out of trouble,” head coach Pete Hughes said. “Caleb didn’t have his best stuff today, but he pitched out of trouble. Where we ran into our problems earlier in the year was learning to damage control innings and slow the game down and make the next pitch. I thought Caleb was outstanding with that.
“Freshman Eric Torres comes in, and that was the most we have extended him, and what a matchup that was for us. He was collected and threw a ton of strikes.”
Littlejim stranded runners in each of the first four frames, including a bases-loaded jam in the first inning. In total, the junior two-way player forced the Huskers into 0-for-9 with runners on base with seven left on the base paths.
The trio of Wildcat hurlers combined to keep Nebraska (20-11) hitless in 16 at-bats with runners on base and snapped the Huskers’ three-game winning streak. NU had won seven of its last eight entering the night.
Brennan and Torres allowed one hit with one walk over the game’s final four innings. Torres struck out a career-best six hitters without a walk to help the Wildcats to their fourth win in the last five games.
At the plate, Brennan went 2-for-4 with a double, triple and two runs scored. Thompson homered for the second straight game, hitting a leadoff home run in the third inning. Chris Ceballos and Terrence Spurlin each registered two hits with a doubled and an RBI in the game.
“That’s why we put them (at the top of the order),” Hughes said of Brennan and Thompson. “They got us going. Cam with the big home run and Will with that triple in that last inning. Those guys make us go. And a guy who lays the barrel on the ball and gets big hits is Terrence Spurlin. That was a big two-out hit, he picked us up.
“Playing good two-out baseball, damage control our innings and another error-free night gives you a chance to win.”
K-State plated three of its five runs with two outs.
K-State spotted Littlejim with a 2-0 lead after a half inning of play with two doubles and a pair of two-out RBI. Brennan started with a double, his 13th of the year, and later scored on a two-out single by Zach Kokoska. Ceballos followed Kokoska with a double down the right field line for his team-leading 26th run batted in.
Thompson’s homer to lead off the third pushed the Cats’ lead to three runs. It was the junior’s second homer of the year and fifth of his career.
After issuing a leadoff walk, Littlejim left the game in the sixth in favor of Torres. Torres retired all three he faced in the inning to keep the shutout intact and help the Cats carry a 3-0 lead into the seventh inning.
Torres went on to sit down the first seven he faced before Joe Acker managed a one-out single in the bottom of the eighth. Torres struck out the side in the eighth, helping him to his career-high output.
Spurlin’s second hit of the night was a single with two outs that scored Kokoska. Spurlin, who earlier doubled in the game, produced K-State’s third two-out RBI. Kokoska led off the inning with a walk and later stood on third after a sacrifice bunt dropped down by Ceballos.
Brennan’s second extra-base hit of the night, a one-out triple in the ninth, helped the Cats add an insurance run. Thomas Hughes legged out an infield single to score Brennan and extend the lead to five runs.
Acker led Nebraska with his 2-for-3 effort. Catcher Luke Roskam drew three walks.
NU starter Chad Luensmann took the loss after yielding two earned runs on three hits over two innings.
K-State out-hit the Huskers 10-5, including a 5-0 edge in extra-base hits.
