From K-State Athletics
Caleb Littlejim earned the win on the mound with a quality start and hit a two-run home run to push K-State to a 7-2 win over Omaha Wednesday night at Tointon Family Stadium.
Littlejim threw a career-high six innings while allowing one run on three hits to go with four strikeouts. The junior two-way player was one of three Wildcats to homer in the game, as Will Brennan and Zach Kokoska went back-to-back in the fifth inning.
“That’s what we needed,” head coach Pete Hughes said after the game. “I just wanted these guys feeling good again headed into the weekend. We are always looking to get better but we need to play clean baseball, limit our walks, attack the strike zone and play error free.
“That’s a good team, offensively, so you’ve got to have stuff to get them out. (Littlejim) controlled his secondary stuff, his slider was a good pitch that kept them off balance, but he had a really good fastball today. He was 91-92 and I hadn’t seen that in a while from Caleb, so I’m happy for him. Our team needed him.”
K-State (14-20) snapped Omaha’s (20-7-1) six-game winning streak and handed the Mavericks their second loss over their last 18 games overall.
Kokoska finished 2-for-4 with two runs scored while Brennan and Littlejim each drove in two. Chris Ceballos added an RBI double as part of the Cats’ three-run first.
“Our offense has been putting a lot of pressure on themselves lately, so it was good to see those guys get a couple home runs and see some smiles on their faces in the dugout,” added Hughes. “There’s nothing like getting a couple runs and a home run early to get energy in our dugout and our guys kept it there.”
Littlejim’s homer came in the second inning after a three-run first to help K-State stake a 5-1 lead after two innings. Brennan added a sacrifice fly in the opening frame.
The first back-to-back home runs hit by Wildcat teammates since 2017, Kokoska’s and Brennan’s homers pushed the Cats’ lead to 7-1. It was Kokoska’s fifth home of the year and Brennan’s second of the season and of his career.
Max Gamm turned in an RBI double in the second and Parker Smejkal homered for Omaha in the top of the seventh to account for the two Maverick runs.
Sophomore right-hander Andrew Stratman tossed two innings in relief of Littlejim, allowing one run on one hit while Eric Torres tossed a perfect ninth inning with two strikeouts.
Senior Thomas Hughes also doubled, as five of the Cats’ seven hits went for extra bases.
Jackson Gordon took the loss for UNO after throwing one inning in the start and yielding three runs on two hits.
