Brad HIll
Kansas State Wildcats |
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The Kansas State baseball has consistently
been in an "always the bridesmaid, never the bride" situation
over the years. The Wildcats have won some big games here
and there, like when they knocked off #1 and eventual national
champion Texas at Disch-Falk in 2005, and their 2-1 win over
#7 Wichita State on the road at Eck Stadium last season, but
they’ve never quite had their pinnacle basebal moment.
The last time KSU won a conference championship in baseball
was way back in 1933 when the ‘Cats went 9-3 to earn
a share of the Big Six Conference title and the original King
Kong with Fay Wray was in theaters.  Additionally
they are the only one of two Big 12 teams with a baseball
program to never reach the College World Series (Texas Tech
being the other) - even Iowa State who dropped baseball in
2001 has made it to Omaha twice.
However, a championship purple pennant could
be flying in Manhattan soon. Ever since Head Coach Brad Hill
took over the program in 2004, Kansas State has been steadily
creeping up the standings, adding wins in one of the game’s
toughest conferences. In the year before Hill took over the
helm the ‘Cats went 15-37. The next season with Hill
as head coach they finished 26-30 – an eleven win increase.
Last season Kansas State finished at 34-24, and eighth in
the Big 12 – just the second time since 1996 the ‘Cats
finished higher than ninth place in the ten team league.
Hill came to Manhattan via Central Missouri
State University where he took over for current Arkansas coach,
Dave Van Horn after his departure and a Mule’s national
championship. While in Warrensburg Hill guided the Mules to
the Division II College World Series seven of nine seasons
and amassed a remarkable 418-91 (.821) overall record. CMSU
reached the NCAA Tournament each of his nine seasons and Hill
was honored as the Central Region Coach of the Year seven
times. His tenure was capped by the winning the national championship
in 2003. The repeat winning seasons established the Mules
as a baseball powerhouse and have continued to reap the rewards
of the foundation solidified by Hill as they still consistently
compete as one of DII top teams.
Two obviously reasons behind Hill’s
success is pitching and defense, fundamentals which Hill strives
for success in.
"Any successful team as you look through
programs that have success, it starts on the mound."
Hill believes, "I think something we’ve obviously aspired
to do is to have a strong staff that competes and not beats
us with walks. It takes strong pitching and defense to win.
If those two things are consistent, you’re going to
have a chance to be in the ballgame and have a chance to win."
The last three years the Wildcat team ERA
has dropped under 5.00 with a third-lowest in school history
mark of 4.68 last season. Before Hill arrived the staff ERA
hadn’t been below the 5.00 mark since the United States’
bicentennial way back in 1976 when Jessica Lange took over
Wray's role in the King Kong remake. Furthermore, with pitching
coach Sean McCann’s assistance, Wildcats pitchers had
the fourth-highest in school history 383 strikeouts, the second-lowest
hits per nine innings at 9.3 and the second-lowest opponents
batting average at .270.
Additionally, Hill and K-State can boast
one of the premier pitchers in the nation in Daniel Edwards
and potential all-time KSU win leader Brad Hutt. Edwards tied
a school record with 11 saves last season and registered a
team–low 2.27 ERA with 49 strikeouts in just 35.2 innings.
For his accomplishment he became just the ninth Wildcat to
earn all-American honors and the first since Kasey Weisaar
in 1999. Hutt, who is the ‘Cats Friday starter for the
third season, went 9-4 with a 3.07 ERA to earn All-Big 12
Honorable Mention and was just seven wins away at the start
of the season from becoming KSU’s all time wins leader.
Defensively the Wildcats have set similar
new standards, establishing new school records in each of
the past three seasons in fielding percentage and would have
made it three straight, but a mistake plagued three game series
at the end of the year dropped their overal fielding percentage
from .973 to .970. The .970 finish was good for 44th in the
nation. Also, the soft handed ‘Cats finished 27th in
the country in double plays per game after averaging one per
contest.
This season Hill has scheduled an eclectic
mix of talented teams to play in Manhattan which should have
KSU more than prepared once conference play starts. Those
making the trip include last year’s MAAC and Missouri
Valley tournament champions LeMoyne and Creighton as well
as America East and Missouri Valley regular season champions
Binghamton and Wichita State. Also making the trip this season
has been a talented Washington State ballclub as well as future
dates with a pair of 2007 College World Series participants,
Arizona State and UC Irvine.
Despite their recent improvements, there
is still progress to be made. Kansas State is compiling single
game victories against top ranked opponents, but not accumulating
the series wins needed to take the program to the next level.
A situation Hill understands and aims for.
"We haven’t broken in upper echelon
yet." Hill admits, "To do on consistent basis, kids have
to experience it. If we experience it once, it becomes easier.
We haven’t won the Big 12 or been in regional. Once
it happens once, it becomes much easier the second time around."
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