Wayne, Neb. — Wayne State College junior pitcher Corbin Kirk and sophomore outfielder Carter Thomas were voted to the 2024 ABCA/Rawlings All-Central Region Baseball Second Team announced Wednesday by the American Baseball Coaches Association. The team is voted on by members of the American Baseball Coaches Association.
Kirk, a 6-1, 215-pound junior lefthander from Casper, Wyoming (Western Nebraska CC), was an All-NSIC Second Team selection for the Wildcats this season after leading the Wildcat pitching staff in numerous categories. He had a 6-2 record in 12 starts with a 2.80 ERA and three complete games with two shutouts and one combined shutout. Kirk threw a team-high 70.2 innings and had 77 strikeouts, ranking sixth in the NSIC in strikeouts and seventh in innings pitched. He led the NSIC in opponent batting average (.195), was second in ERA and second in fewest hits allowed (49) and runs allowed (24). Kirk fanned a season-high 12 batters, allowing just three hits and one run, in a 6-1 win vs. Minot State (3/29/24).
Thomas, a 6-0, 190-pound sophomore outfielder from Mason City, Iowa (Mason City HS), was All-NSIC First Team and NCBWA All-Central Region Second Team after leading Wayne State and the NSIC in batting average this season at .465. He also led the league in on-base percentage (.524) and was eighth in stolen bases with 18. Thomas tied for the team lead in multi-hit games (18) and had the team’s longest hit streak at 14 games. Despite missing the final 10 games of the season due to injury, Thomas still ranked second on the team in hits (59) and third in stolen bases (18) and runs scored (40). He was the only Wildcat player to have a five-hit game this season, going 5 for 5 with a double and four runs scored at Sioux Falls April 24th.
Wayne State finished the 2024 season at 29-23 overall (21-16 NSIC/fifth place) and finished in third place in the season-ending NSIC Baseball Tournament in Bismarck and Mandan, North Dakota.
