Hitter of the Week: The freshman recipient really did some damage over the weekend

The No. 10 Texas Tech baseball team traveled to Manhattan, Kansas, for a three-game series at Kansas State as they resumed Big 12 play over the weekend. This week’s hitter of the week may be a freshman, but he really did some damage on Kansas State, particularly on Saturday.

Freshman designated hitter Cole Stilwell compiled four hits on Saturday. He started out with a couple of strikes in game one, but I’m sure he was just warming up and getting a feel for the Kansas State bullpen. In the seventh inning he hit an RBI single to center field allowing Fulford to score and putting the Red Raiders ahead 5-3. He advanced to second on a passed ball and then third on a single from Klein, but the inning came to an end before he could reach home plate.

Along with Junior Brian Klein, Stilwell provided most of Tech’s offensive success. In game two of the series, the Red Raiders trailed 3-0 in the third, but a single out to right field by Stillwell got the team moving in the right direction. With Stillwell and Jung on base, Klein then stepped in with a two RBI double down the left field line to put the Red Raiders on the board. In the fifth, Stillwell once again got the rally moving with a one-out double and scored on a Klein single to left to tie the score.

Sunday was tough for the Red Raiders. They took the series over KSU, but dropped the finale. Stilwell started and ended the game striking out. He also walked in the third and fourth, but nothing came out of it. His only successful hit of the evening was a single through left side in the sixth, but Jung flied out to left field ending the inning before anyone could get back to home plate. It was not the perfect ending we were all hoping for, but something tells me we have not seen the last of Stilwell.