Three Wildcats Named to Phillips 66 All-Big 12 Teams

K-STATE SPORTS INFORMATION

May 22, 2012

OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. – Kansas State placed three players on the Phillips 66 All-Big 12 Baseball teams as the conference announced its postseason awards on Tuesday. Sophomore outfielder Jared King and senior first baseman Wade Hinkle earned second-team honors, while junior outfielder Tanner Witt was an honorable mention selection.

King picked up his second-straight second-team designation, while Hinkle and Witt were honored for the first time in their careers. The Wildcats have now placed at least three players on the All-Big 12 teams in each of the last four years, while K-State has earned 33 All-Big 12 citations since head coach Brad Hill’s first season in 2004.

In addition, relief pitcher Nate Williams was named to the Big 12 All-Freshman Team, marking the second-straight season the Wildcats have had a player on the squad in its second year of existence.

King became the first Wildcat since Andy Replogle in 1973 and 1974 to earn either first or second team all-conference honors as both a freshman and sophomore. The Dublin, Ohio, product won the Big 12 regular-season batting title with a .378 average and hit seven home runs with 45 RBI. He finished second in the conference in hits (79), total bases (120) and slugging percentage (.574), while he ranked in the top 10 in seven other categories. The outfielder has hit .418 over the final 14 regular-season games to help K-State earn its sixth-straight Big 12 Championship appearance.

Hinkle finished the regular season with a .335 batting average to rank second on the team and ninth in the Big 12. The Albuquerque, N.M., product, who collected 10 home runs and 48 RBI to lead the team in both categories, is one of three players in conference with at least 10 home runs and is also second in the Big 12 in both walks (44) and on-base percentage (.481). The first baseman is looking to become the first Big 12 player since 2008 to finish in the top five of the league in both home runs and walks.

Witt had his best production year as a junior by finishing the regular season with a .313 batting average, and he ranked in the top 15 of the league in conference-only batting average at .329. Witt has also set career highs in hits (45), doubles (9), triples (3), RBI (21), walks (38), on-base percentage (.447) and stolen bases (20). Earlier this season, the Hawthorn Woods, Ill., product set a school record and tied a Big 12 record with six walks in one game.

Williams finished the regular season ranked fourth overall and led all Big 12 freshmen with six saves. The Valley Center, Kan., native has tallied a 1-3 record and a 3.73 ERA in his 22 outings, with nine walks and 21 strikeouts in 31.1 innings of work. He broke the K-State freshman saves record, which was set by the Wildcats’ all-time saves leader James Allen in 2009.

Kansas State, the No. 8 seed in the 2012 Phillips 66 Big 12 Championship, takes on top-seed Baylor at 12:30 p.m., Wednesday at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark in Oklahoma City, Okla. Fans can hear the game on the five-station K-State Sports Network. Live action of every game will be streamed on the Big 12 Digital Network atwww.big12sports.com. To order tickets, fans can contact the Oklahoma City RedHawks at (405) 218-1000 or by visiting www.big12sports.com.