Martini, K-State enjoying big season
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Before last season, Kansas State's baseball team had never made the NCAA tournament.
Thanks in part to Prairie Ridge graduate Nick Martini, the team's sophomore center fielder, the Wildcats will play this weekend in the NCAAs for the second year in a row.
"It's awesome," Martini said. "It's nice that last year was the first time in school history, and now I've been here for both of them."
Martini's impact on the Wildcats (36-20) this season can be measured by the awards he has collected.
On Thursday, he was named a Louisville Slugger third-team All-American by Collegiate Baseball magazine.
That honor followed Martini earning co-Big 12 Conference Player of the Year honors.
Martini thrived this season as the team's No. 3 hitter, leading the conference in batting (.416) and on-base percentage (.507). He compiled 16 doubles, four triples, three home runs and 53 RBIs.
"I was a little bit shocked, just because there are so many good players in this league," said Martini, who shared the honor with Missouri's Aaron Senne.
Kansas State is the No. 3 seed in this weekend's four-team Fayetteville (Ark.) Regional, which includes Arkansas, Washington State and Grambling.
Martini, whose 91 hits lead the team and are tied for the second-best single-season total in KSU history, needs seven hits this weekend to break the school record of 97.
As one of the Big 12's top players, opposing pitchers know plenty about Martini. This weekend, he expects the same treatment he gets from teams around the league.
"I expect more of the same, a lot of off-speed pitches," Martini said.
Several NCAA tournament teams have local athletes making contributions, including North Carolina State, which is the No. 3 seed in the Myrtle Beach (S.C.) Regional.
The Wolfpack (38-22) has received a big lift from senior center fielder Kyle Wilson, a Crystal Lake South grad.
Wilson earned second-team All-Atlantic Coast Conference honors this season while hitting a team-best .381, which ranked third in the league. Wilson's .511 on-base percentage ranks second in the ACC. He hit seven homers this season and compiled 33 RBIs.
Wilson made the ACC All-Tournament first team after hitting .400 during last week's tourney.
The roster for the Myrtle Beach Regional's top seed, Coastal Carolina (51-7), includes Prairie Ridge grad T.J. Swank, a sophomore pitcher.
Dundee-Crown grads Kenny Long and Ryan Court helped Illinois State (31-22) win the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament and the league's automatic NCAA bid.
The Redbirds are the No. 3 seed in this weekend's Louisville (Ky.) Regional.
Long, a sophomore relief pitcher, was named first-team All-MVC after posting a 4-3 record with nine saves and a 1.37 ERA.
A junior third baseman, Court was a second-team All-MVC choice after hitting .301 with 10 homers and 48 RBIs.
Johnsburg grad Jerad Grundy, a freshman pitcher, is 2-0 with a 3.57 ERA for NCAA tournament fixture Miami (40-17), which is the top seed in the Coral Gables (Fla.) Regional.
Barry Bottino writes a weekly column and a blog about local college athletes for the Northwest Herald. Write to him at BarryOnCampus@hotmail.com and check out his On Campus column every Saturday in the Northwest Herald sports section.
