Senior Cameron Thompson produced four hits for the second straight day and Nick Goodwin drove in four, as K-State shut out Arkansas-Pine Bluff 12-0 in seven innings Wednesday at Tointon Family Stadium.
Thompson equaled his season-high hit total while Goodwin's four RBI was a career best in helping K-State (17-11) sweep the two-game midweek series. Five Wildcat pitchers combined for a five-hit shutout, led by Zak Herbers who logged three innings and a career-high six strikeouts in the win.
"Good two days," said head coach Pete Hughes. "I thought we played clean baseball. Kept the bats going and more importantly got a lot of guys a lot of work that we needed to get on the mound again and get some guys out in the field to keep building depth in our program. It was important that we did that.
"I thought we were really good on the mound today with just two walks. I always look at command and presence in guys that haven't pitched in a while. So, it was a productive two days for our program. Nothing like winning, that's for sure."
In addition to his second consecutive four-hit day, Thompson homered for the third straight game. He finished 4-for-4 with a double, two RBI and four runs scored. Thompson has hit safely in each of the last four games, going 10-for-16 with two doubles, three homers and eight RBI in that stretch.
"He just had some hard luck in the beginning (of the season)," Hughes said of Thompson's recent success. "Great for him to always have the team first and stay in the right frame of mind to allow him to get out of it. I think since that home run this weekend, that big home run on Saturday, that's all you need is that one hit sometimes and he's kept it going. It'll be great to have him in a good frame of mind feeling good about himself heading into this weekend series."
K-State plated three runs in each of the first three innings, jumping out to a 9-0 lead over UAPB (2-19) after three. K-State scored three more in the fifth to finish off a run-rule shortened contest.
Eight Wildcats came to the plate in the first, with Thompson's eighth homer of the year standing as the game's first run. Terrence Spurlin added a two-run single in the first frame.
Thompson produced an RBI double in the third to go with RBI singles from Goodwin and Dylan Phillips. Phillips ended the day 2-for-3 with two runs scored.
Goodwin added a two-run triple in the fifth, going 2-for-4. Zach Kokoska also doubled, as the Cats tallied four extra-base hits in the win.
The Wildcat offense has registered double-digit runs in three straight games and double-digit hits in four straight outings.
Phillips started the game on the mound and tossed on scoreless inning before giving way to Herbers. Herbers' scattered just two hits over his three innings with one walk in earning his second win of the season.
Elijah Dale, Brett Wozniak and Gavin Hinchliffe each logged one inning to preserve the Wildcats' second shutout of the campaign. The five K-State pitchers combined for 12 strikeouts and two walks.
Arkansas-Pine Bluff went hitless with runners in scoring position (0-for-6) while the Cats hit .385 (5-for-13).
Tony Horn, Jr. took the loss for the Golden Lions, allowing three earned runs on five hits in his one inning of work.
The Cats head to Austin, Texas, to take on third-ranked Texas, with a three-game series starting Friday at Disch-Falk Field. The entire series will be broadcast on the Longhorn Network and the ESPN app. Radio coverage will be available on the News Radio KMAN (93.3 FM, 1350 AM) and live, free audio at K-StateSports.com/watch.
