Kirk Walker normally isn't known as a long-ball threat on the power-heavy Oklahoma City Stars.
The Stars have hit an NAIA-record 161 home runs this season, eclipsing their own record of 147 set in 2008.
Prior to Tuesday, Walker hit a mere seven of those home runs, making his game-winning three-run blast in the 10th inning versus Southern Polytechnic all the more surprising.
"I'm not a power guy so I know if I just get on base, someone else will probably get the job done," he said after the Stars' 8-4 win. "That's usually what I do. I'm normally like the second leadoff guy."
Catcher Brandon Moss, who recorded four hits in the game, led off the 10th with a double off the center-field wall.
Second baseman Landon Camp then placed a bunt in an attempt to move Moss around the bases. Though Moss was thrown out at third, Camp made it safely to first.
Left fielder David Mann proceeded to single to left, advancing Camp to second and setting the stage for Walker, who had seemingly already done it all that afternoon.
Before coming to the plate in the 10th inning, the 6-foot, 170-pound shortstop had smacked a double down the right-field line, walked and singled.
Walker crushed the Hornets' Sean Teague's 0-2 pitch over the center-field wall, putting the final nail in the coffin for Southern Poly.
"He's a game guy," Stars coach Denney Crabaugh said. "He doesn't say a whole heck of a lot, not real flashy, but what he does is just come out every day ready to play. He always seems to come up with the big hits when we need them."
Walker said he didn't know if he had ever hit a game-winning home run in his entire baseball career, dating back to Little League.
"I don't know if I ever have," he said. "I don't normally hit them out."
Walker, unlike most of his teammates, is not an Oklahoma native.
Allen Thompson, his high school coach in Bakersfield, Calif., recommended Walker to Stars' hitting coach Keith Lytle. Thompson was the NAIA Player of the Year in 1994 with Oklahoma City.
In 2008, Walker spent most of the season in the No. 2 spot, batting .443 in his freshman campaign. This season, Walkers' average slipped to .401 prior to the Series, placing him in the No. 9 spot in the lineup.
Walker said the change didn't affect him, and he commended designated hitter Steve Vitale for his job in the No. 2 spot.
"He does the job really well so I have no complaints there," he said. "I just try to do the best with what I can do."
For Walker, helping the Stars win the NAIA championship is his utmost goal. And as evident by his heroics Tuesday afternoon, Walker is doing his part.
"Every one of these guys believes in each other and it's a great bunch of guys," he said. "We just have to go up there with the right mentality and be ready for whatever comes our way and get the job done."
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Jones may be reached at sports@lmtribune.com or at (208) 848-2268.
