Friday, March 20
Manhattan, Kan.
6 p.m.
Kansas State University
vs
Arizona State
K-State, Arizona State Clash in Big 12 Action Friday
Mar 19, 2026 | Baseball
MANHATTAN, Kan. – K-State opens its home Big 12 schedule Friday night, hosting Arizona State at Tointon Family Stadium with first pitch set for 6 p.m. CT. Saturday's game is slated for 4 p.m., while the series finale is at 1 p.m. on Sunday.
The three-game series marks the teams' first meeting in Big 12 play, and their first matchup in Manhattan since 2008.
Both squads enter the series ranked in at least one national poll, with K-State 24th by Perfect Game and ASU 24th by Baseball America. Both programs are also receiving votes from the National College Baseball Writers Association.
The entire Big 12 series can be seen on ESPN+ and the ESPN app, while a free live streaming audio is available for all games at KStateSports.com/watch and on the K-State Sports app.
How to follow the Cats: For complete information on K-State Baseball, visit www.kstatesports.com and follow the team's social media channels on X (formerly Twitter), Instagram and Facebook.
GAME #22
K-State (16-5, 2-1 Big 12) vs. Arizona State (15-5, 2-1 Big 12)
Friday, March 20 // 6 PM CT // Tointon Family Stadium // Manhattan, KS
Projected Starters: RHP James Guyette (3-1, 5.60 ERA) vs. LHP Cole Carlon (2-1, 2.77 ERA)
Watch: ESPN+ // Brian Smoller, Trevor Hurley, Hannah Whetstone
Radio: KMAN // Matt Walters, Mike Clark
Listen: kstatesports.com/watch
Live Stats: kstate.statbroadcast.com
GAME #23
K-State (16-5, 2-1 Big 12) vs. Arizona State (15-5, 2-1 Big 12)
Saturday, March 21 // 4 PM CT // Tointon Family Stadium // Manhattan, KS
Projected Starters: RHP Tanner Duke (2-1, 3.43 ERA) vs. RHP Alex Overbay (0-0, 2.81 ERA)
Watch: ESPN+ // Brian Smoller, Trevor Hurley, Hannah Whetstone
Radio: KMAN // Matt Walters, Mike Clark
Listen: kstatesports.com/watch
Live Stats: kstate.statbroadcast.com
GAME #24
K-State (16-5, 2-1 Big 12) vs. Arizona State (15-5, 2-1 Big 12)
Sunday, March 22 // 1 PM CT // Tointon Family Stadium // Manhattan, KS
Projected Starters: LHP Lincoln Sheffield (4-0, 4.67 ERA) vs. RHP Kole Klecker (3-0, 3.00 ERA)
Watch: ESPN+ // Brian Smoller, Trevor Hurley, Hannah Whetstone
Radio: KMAN // Matt Walters, Mike Clark
Listen: kstatesports.com/watch
Live Stats: kstate.statbroadcast.com
THE MATCHUP
K-State opens its home Big 12 schedule Friday night, hosting Arizona State at Tointon Family Stadium with first pitch set for 6 p.m. CT ... Saturday's game is slated for 4 p.m., while the series finale is at 1 p.m. on Sunday … The three-game series marks the teams' first meeting in Big 12 play and their first matchup in Manhattan since 2008 … Both squads enter the series ranked in at least one national poll, with K-State 24th by Perfect Game and ASU 24th by Baseball America. Both programs are also receiving votes from the National College Baseball Writers Association.
FOLLOW THE CATS
The entire Big 12 series can be seen on ESPN+ and the ESPN app … A free live streaming audio is available for all games at KStateSports.com/watch and on the K-State Sports app ... Fans can also follow along opening weekend action through live stats by visiting the team's schedule page or on the Cats social media platforms (@KStateBSB).
A LOOK AT K-STATE
K-State (16-5, 2-1 Big 12) is coming off a successful trip down south, where the Wildcats finished 3-1 in Texas with all three victories coming in run-rule victories … The Cats won their third straight series with a 2-1 series win at Houston, before scoring seven unanswered runs at Baylor to run-rule the Bears in seven innings … Carlos Vasquez's two home runs and career-high seven RBI fueled the Wildcats offense in the 13-3 victory over Baylor … Vasquez went 3-for-3 with a career-high seven RBI, while Kyan Lodice and Cadyn Karl each recorded their first home runs of the season ... The Wildcats led 6-3 entering the seventh, before erupting for seven unanswered runs to put the game away ... In his second start, Matt Flores (1-0) was awarded his first victory of the season, after holding the Bears (11-9, 1-2 Big 12) to three runs (two earned) across five complete innings, allowing six hits and issued just one walk with a strikeout … Seven starters are hitting over .300, led by Kennedy (.392) … The shortstop also leads in home runs (9) and stolen bases (13) … The Wildcats' .320 team batting average ranks third in the league and 21st in the country, while they 17th overall in the nation in scoring (9.7 runs per game).
THE WILDCAT ROTATION
Friday: James Guyette (3-1, 5.60 ERA) leads the pitching staff with a season-high 32 strikeouts, ranking fifth in the Big 12 … He has punched out a career-high eight in three starts this season.
Saturday: Tanner Duke (2-1, 3.43 ERA) registered a career-high nine strikeouts in the Cats' run-rule victory at Houston – the most by a Wildcat pitcher this season … He boasts the seventh-best strikeout-to-walk ratio (4.17) in the conference.
Sunday: Lincoln Sheffield (4-0, 4.67 ERA) leads the conference and is eighth in the nation in victories (4), while averaging 2.00 walks allowed per nine innings – the fifth-best mark in the conference.
SCOUTING ARIZONA STATE
Arizona State (15-5, 2-1 Big 12), which is ranked 24th by Baseball America, makes the trip to the Little Apple for the first time since 2008 … The Sun Devils are coming off their 42nd NCAA Tournament appearance after competing the Los Angeles Regional last season … ASU won its third consecutive game Tuesday night, walking off Grand Canyon, 4-3, in the 10th inning … The Sun Devils opened Big 12 play with a 2-1 series win over No. 17 TCU, highlighted by seven scoreless innings from Kole Klecker (3-0, 3.00 ERA) to take the rubber match … As a team, ASU is hitting .336 with 41 doubles, four triples and league-leading 41 home runs … Seven starters are hitting over .300, led by Landon Hairston's .429 average – second-best batting average in the league … They lead the league in fielding percentage at .985 – the eighth-best mark in the country … LHP Cole Carlon (2-1, 2.77 ERA) will get the start in Friday's opener … Carlon is second in the league in total strikeouts (66) and fifth in WHIP (0.96) behind Kole Klecker (3rd, 0.90), who will start Sunday … Alex Overbay (0-0, 2.81 ERA) will get the nod in the middle game.
INSIDE THE SERIES
Friday features the eighth meeting between the Wildcats and Sun Devils, while it is contest in league play in program history … The Cats and Sundevils will meet for the first time since 2024, while ASU owns a 5-2 edge in the all-time series ... K-State is 1-0 in Manhattan, after topping the Sun Devils, 7-6 … In the series only game played in Manhattan in 2008, Justin Bloxom pounded two home runs and drove in five runs, while Daniel Edwards closed the door on Arizona State in the ninth inning, handing the third-ranked Sun Devils a 7-6 … The Sun Devils escaped with a 9-6 victory in Tempe in 2024, after getting out of a bases loaded jam in the ninth …K-State is 2-3 in the last five meetings against ASU, while ASU has outscored the Cats 35-22 in the stretch.
Last Five Meetings
L, 2-6 – March 14, 2007 (Tempe, AZ)
W, 7-6 – May 6, 2008 (Manhattan, KS)
W, 6-2 – March 10, 2009 (Surprise, AZ)
L, 1-12 – March 11, 2009 (Surprise, AZ)
L, 6-9 – February 20, 2024 (Tempe, AZ)
WELCOME TO TOINTON
The Wildcats turned in the best home record of any Big 12 team in 2025, finishing with a record of 18-3 (.857) – the program's second-best home winning percentage … K-State posted a school record .870 winning percentage 20-3 in 1987 … K-State baseball is 437-223 when playing at Tointon Family Stadium since its rededication in 2002 … In the Hughes era, K-State is 127-46 when playing at Tointon, posting a .734 winning percentage … Since 2021, the Cats are 109-33 (.768) when playing at home.
CAN'T TOUCH THIS
K-State has recorded the second-most stolen bases in the Big 12 with 40, ranking 52nd nationally … The Cats are 40-for-52 on the bases with a 76.9% success rate … Dee Kennedy leads the league with 13 stolen bases and sits 30th in Division I … He surpassed his career mark against Baylor, registering his second consecutive season with 10+ stolen bases.
ROCKIN' AND ROLLIN'
K-State has rolled to five run-rule victories this season, setting a program record … Tuesday's seven-inning win over Baylor marked the first time in school history the Wildcats have run-ruled the Bears ... K-State has 16 run-rule victories under eighth-year head coach Pete Hughes, the most by any head coach in program history.
BOMB SQUAD
K-State has recorded 33 home runs this season led by nine from Kennedy, who ranks third overall in the Big 12 … 11 of 17 hitters have registered a home run this season, including eight with two or more this season … The Wildcats recorded a school record of eight home runs in a 20-7 victory against SIUE (March 8) … Home runs account for 68 of 190 RBI (36%) on the season … The team's 33 homers rank sixth in the Big 12 and 27th nationally, while the Cats post the country's 13th-best slugging percentage at .559 … Kennedy leads with two grand slams followed by Evasco and Vasquez with one … K-State has recorded two back-to-back home run performances in 2026, while five different players have multi-home run efforts: Kennedy, Smolinski, Madliak, Vasquez, Kendrick.
97 YEARS LATER
The Wildcats powered past Houston, 20-8, in eight innings Friday night at Darryl and Lori Schroeder Park to capture a Big 12 opening victory … The Wildcats' 20 runs are the most runs scored in a conference opener in the program's history, surpassing the previous mark of 17 runs in a 17-7 victory over Kansas in 1929 in the Big 6 opener.
PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Shintaro Inoue was named the Big 12 Player of the Week and to Baseball America's National Team of the Week for his efforts in the Wildcats series victory over Houston, the first Big 12 weekly award of his career ... Inoue paced the offense with a .524 average with 10 RBI and posting 1.314 OPS ... In the Big 12 opener, he launched a three-run homer, ending with a career-high five hits and six RBI … Became the first Wildcat to record five hits in a game since Keegan O'Connor at BYU on May 2, 2025, and is one of just three players in the Big 12 to produce a five-hit game this season … He capped the series against Houston with a team-leading 10 hits (10-for-14), 1.000 slugging percentage and .733 on-base percentage, while he was second in RBI (8) ... He finished first overall in the Big 12 in total hits on the week and sixth nationally, while his 10 RBI ranked second in the conference.
THE DUKE OF MANHATTAN
Tanner Duke first a seven-inning complete game to secure the series win over Houston … He carried a one-hitter into the sixth inning and allowed just one runner to reach scoring position before surrendering a run ... Duke finished the night retiring 20 of the 25 batters he faced, scattering just three hits with a career-high nine strikeouts and without issuing a walk ... His outing marked the first three-hitter by a Wildcat pitcher since 2015.
LOS ON THE LOSE
Carlos Vasquez became the fifth player to produce a multi-home run game of the season with his multi-homer game at Baylor … Vasquez is the second player this season to produce a seven-RBI game (Kennedy vs. Penn State, Feb. 15) … Vasquez produced a team-high 12 RBI during Week 5, leading the Big 12 in runs scored (10) and RBI (12), while ranking fourth and ninth among all Division I players in the categories ...The senior from Lawrence, Kansas, hit .500 in the Wildcats' series victory over Houston – the second-best average on the team – while driving in a team-leading 10 RBI in the series ... In the finale, Vasquez delivered a towering two-out, 429-foot grand slam to left field, marking his first grand slam as a Wildcat and his third home run of the season.
CATS SCRATCH FIRST
The Wildcats are 140-60 when scoring first against opponents under head coach Pete Hughes … In 2026, the Wildcats are 11-2 when scoring first, including a 7-1 record when scoring in the first innings … K-State opened scoring in all four games at the MLB Desert Invitational … Last season, K-State was 20-10 when scoring first, while compiling a 14-9 record when scoring in the first inning.
WINNING TIME
In K-State's 16 wins this season, the Wildcats are hitting .422 with runners in scoring position and .306 with two outs ... Conversely, the Cats have a .258 average with runners in scoring position while hitting .246 with two outs over five losses ... K-State has produced 65 two-out RBI in victories with just seven in five losses ... Overall, K-State hits .356 in victories against just .204 in defeats ... In five losses, K-State pitchers have combined for a 2.83 strikeout-to-walk ratio while in victories the staff has a 2.84 K/BB ratio.
ON THE MOUND
The 2026 K-State pitching staff boasts a 4.53 ERA (90 ER, 179 IP) … Ten different players have picked up a win led by Lincoln Sheffield (4-0), while Cohen Feser and Tazwell Butler have two saves … Opponents are hitting .243 against K-State … K-State pitchers boast the league's second-best walks allowed per nine innings (3.27), ranking 16th nationally.
FROM THE PEN
The bullpen boasts a 4.56 ERA with a 5-3 record and six saves … Relievers have surrendered 40 earned runs over 79 innings … Relivers are averaging 8.7 strikeouts per nine innings, while issuing 3.3 walks per nine innings ... Opponents are hitting .219 against the bullpen while hitting .260 against starters, as relievers have allowed just 62 hits... Right-hander Tazwell Butler has made a team-leading eight appearances out of the pen, logging 11 2/3 innings with two saves.
NUMBERS NUGGETS
The Wildcats 203 runs are the 15th-most runs scored in the nation, ranking second in the league … K-State has a +102-run differential through 21 games this season, averaging 9.7 runs per game ... The Wildcats outscore opponents 94-41 (+53) through the first four frames ... K-State scored 14 runs in the top of the seventh vs. Penn State at the MLB Desert Invitational – its largest single-inning run production in K-State recorded history ... The Cats are 12-3 when hitting a home run, with an undefeated 8-0 record when hitting two or more ... K-State has won seven of eight games in which it has not committed an error while going 9-4 when committing at least one error ... When holding opponents to five or fewer runs, the Wildcats are 12-3 ... K-State has a .500 record (3-3) when scoring five or fewer runs in a game … Wildcats are 13-2 when scoring six or more ... K-State is 3-3 in games decided by two runs or fewer.
The three-game series marks the teams' first meeting in Big 12 play, and their first matchup in Manhattan since 2008.
Both squads enter the series ranked in at least one national poll, with K-State 24th by Perfect Game and ASU 24th by Baseball America. Both programs are also receiving votes from the National College Baseball Writers Association.
The entire Big 12 series can be seen on ESPN+ and the ESPN app, while a free live streaming audio is available for all games at KStateSports.com/watch and on the K-State Sports app.
How to follow the Cats: For complete information on K-State Baseball, visit www.kstatesports.com and follow the team's social media channels on X (formerly Twitter), Instagram and Facebook.
GAME #22
K-State (16-5, 2-1 Big 12) vs. Arizona State (15-5, 2-1 Big 12)
Friday, March 20 // 6 PM CT // Tointon Family Stadium // Manhattan, KS
Projected Starters: RHP James Guyette (3-1, 5.60 ERA) vs. LHP Cole Carlon (2-1, 2.77 ERA)
Watch: ESPN+ // Brian Smoller, Trevor Hurley, Hannah Whetstone
Radio: KMAN // Matt Walters, Mike Clark
Listen: kstatesports.com/watch
Live Stats: kstate.statbroadcast.com
GAME #23
K-State (16-5, 2-1 Big 12) vs. Arizona State (15-5, 2-1 Big 12)
Saturday, March 21 // 4 PM CT // Tointon Family Stadium // Manhattan, KS
Projected Starters: RHP Tanner Duke (2-1, 3.43 ERA) vs. RHP Alex Overbay (0-0, 2.81 ERA)
Watch: ESPN+ // Brian Smoller, Trevor Hurley, Hannah Whetstone
Radio: KMAN // Matt Walters, Mike Clark
Listen: kstatesports.com/watch
Live Stats: kstate.statbroadcast.com
GAME #24
K-State (16-5, 2-1 Big 12) vs. Arizona State (15-5, 2-1 Big 12)
Sunday, March 22 // 1 PM CT // Tointon Family Stadium // Manhattan, KS
Projected Starters: LHP Lincoln Sheffield (4-0, 4.67 ERA) vs. RHP Kole Klecker (3-0, 3.00 ERA)
Watch: ESPN+ // Brian Smoller, Trevor Hurley, Hannah Whetstone
Radio: KMAN // Matt Walters, Mike Clark
Listen: kstatesports.com/watch
Live Stats: kstate.statbroadcast.com
THE MATCHUP
K-State opens its home Big 12 schedule Friday night, hosting Arizona State at Tointon Family Stadium with first pitch set for 6 p.m. CT ... Saturday's game is slated for 4 p.m., while the series finale is at 1 p.m. on Sunday … The three-game series marks the teams' first meeting in Big 12 play and their first matchup in Manhattan since 2008 … Both squads enter the series ranked in at least one national poll, with K-State 24th by Perfect Game and ASU 24th by Baseball America. Both programs are also receiving votes from the National College Baseball Writers Association.
FOLLOW THE CATS
The entire Big 12 series can be seen on ESPN+ and the ESPN app … A free live streaming audio is available for all games at KStateSports.com/watch and on the K-State Sports app ... Fans can also follow along opening weekend action through live stats by visiting the team's schedule page or on the Cats social media platforms (@KStateBSB).
A LOOK AT K-STATE
K-State (16-5, 2-1 Big 12) is coming off a successful trip down south, where the Wildcats finished 3-1 in Texas with all three victories coming in run-rule victories … The Cats won their third straight series with a 2-1 series win at Houston, before scoring seven unanswered runs at Baylor to run-rule the Bears in seven innings … Carlos Vasquez's two home runs and career-high seven RBI fueled the Wildcats offense in the 13-3 victory over Baylor … Vasquez went 3-for-3 with a career-high seven RBI, while Kyan Lodice and Cadyn Karl each recorded their first home runs of the season ... The Wildcats led 6-3 entering the seventh, before erupting for seven unanswered runs to put the game away ... In his second start, Matt Flores (1-0) was awarded his first victory of the season, after holding the Bears (11-9, 1-2 Big 12) to three runs (two earned) across five complete innings, allowing six hits and issued just one walk with a strikeout … Seven starters are hitting over .300, led by Kennedy (.392) … The shortstop also leads in home runs (9) and stolen bases (13) … The Wildcats' .320 team batting average ranks third in the league and 21st in the country, while they 17th overall in the nation in scoring (9.7 runs per game).
THE WILDCAT ROTATION
Friday: James Guyette (3-1, 5.60 ERA) leads the pitching staff with a season-high 32 strikeouts, ranking fifth in the Big 12 … He has punched out a career-high eight in three starts this season.
Saturday: Tanner Duke (2-1, 3.43 ERA) registered a career-high nine strikeouts in the Cats' run-rule victory at Houston – the most by a Wildcat pitcher this season … He boasts the seventh-best strikeout-to-walk ratio (4.17) in the conference.
Sunday: Lincoln Sheffield (4-0, 4.67 ERA) leads the conference and is eighth in the nation in victories (4), while averaging 2.00 walks allowed per nine innings – the fifth-best mark in the conference.
SCOUTING ARIZONA STATE
Arizona State (15-5, 2-1 Big 12), which is ranked 24th by Baseball America, makes the trip to the Little Apple for the first time since 2008 … The Sun Devils are coming off their 42nd NCAA Tournament appearance after competing the Los Angeles Regional last season … ASU won its third consecutive game Tuesday night, walking off Grand Canyon, 4-3, in the 10th inning … The Sun Devils opened Big 12 play with a 2-1 series win over No. 17 TCU, highlighted by seven scoreless innings from Kole Klecker (3-0, 3.00 ERA) to take the rubber match … As a team, ASU is hitting .336 with 41 doubles, four triples and league-leading 41 home runs … Seven starters are hitting over .300, led by Landon Hairston's .429 average – second-best batting average in the league … They lead the league in fielding percentage at .985 – the eighth-best mark in the country … LHP Cole Carlon (2-1, 2.77 ERA) will get the start in Friday's opener … Carlon is second in the league in total strikeouts (66) and fifth in WHIP (0.96) behind Kole Klecker (3rd, 0.90), who will start Sunday … Alex Overbay (0-0, 2.81 ERA) will get the nod in the middle game.
INSIDE THE SERIES
Friday features the eighth meeting between the Wildcats and Sun Devils, while it is contest in league play in program history … The Cats and Sundevils will meet for the first time since 2024, while ASU owns a 5-2 edge in the all-time series ... K-State is 1-0 in Manhattan, after topping the Sun Devils, 7-6 … In the series only game played in Manhattan in 2008, Justin Bloxom pounded two home runs and drove in five runs, while Daniel Edwards closed the door on Arizona State in the ninth inning, handing the third-ranked Sun Devils a 7-6 … The Sun Devils escaped with a 9-6 victory in Tempe in 2024, after getting out of a bases loaded jam in the ninth …K-State is 2-3 in the last five meetings against ASU, while ASU has outscored the Cats 35-22 in the stretch.
Last Five Meetings
L, 2-6 – March 14, 2007 (Tempe, AZ)
W, 7-6 – May 6, 2008 (Manhattan, KS)
W, 6-2 – March 10, 2009 (Surprise, AZ)
L, 1-12 – March 11, 2009 (Surprise, AZ)
L, 6-9 – February 20, 2024 (Tempe, AZ)
WELCOME TO TOINTON
The Wildcats turned in the best home record of any Big 12 team in 2025, finishing with a record of 18-3 (.857) – the program's second-best home winning percentage … K-State posted a school record .870 winning percentage 20-3 in 1987 … K-State baseball is 437-223 when playing at Tointon Family Stadium since its rededication in 2002 … In the Hughes era, K-State is 127-46 when playing at Tointon, posting a .734 winning percentage … Since 2021, the Cats are 109-33 (.768) when playing at home.
CAN'T TOUCH THIS
K-State has recorded the second-most stolen bases in the Big 12 with 40, ranking 52nd nationally … The Cats are 40-for-52 on the bases with a 76.9% success rate … Dee Kennedy leads the league with 13 stolen bases and sits 30th in Division I … He surpassed his career mark against Baylor, registering his second consecutive season with 10+ stolen bases.
ROCKIN' AND ROLLIN'
K-State has rolled to five run-rule victories this season, setting a program record … Tuesday's seven-inning win over Baylor marked the first time in school history the Wildcats have run-ruled the Bears ... K-State has 16 run-rule victories under eighth-year head coach Pete Hughes, the most by any head coach in program history.
BOMB SQUAD
K-State has recorded 33 home runs this season led by nine from Kennedy, who ranks third overall in the Big 12 … 11 of 17 hitters have registered a home run this season, including eight with two or more this season … The Wildcats recorded a school record of eight home runs in a 20-7 victory against SIUE (March 8) … Home runs account for 68 of 190 RBI (36%) on the season … The team's 33 homers rank sixth in the Big 12 and 27th nationally, while the Cats post the country's 13th-best slugging percentage at .559 … Kennedy leads with two grand slams followed by Evasco and Vasquez with one … K-State has recorded two back-to-back home run performances in 2026, while five different players have multi-home run efforts: Kennedy, Smolinski, Madliak, Vasquez, Kendrick.
97 YEARS LATER
The Wildcats powered past Houston, 20-8, in eight innings Friday night at Darryl and Lori Schroeder Park to capture a Big 12 opening victory … The Wildcats' 20 runs are the most runs scored in a conference opener in the program's history, surpassing the previous mark of 17 runs in a 17-7 victory over Kansas in 1929 in the Big 6 opener.
PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Shintaro Inoue was named the Big 12 Player of the Week and to Baseball America's National Team of the Week for his efforts in the Wildcats series victory over Houston, the first Big 12 weekly award of his career ... Inoue paced the offense with a .524 average with 10 RBI and posting 1.314 OPS ... In the Big 12 opener, he launched a three-run homer, ending with a career-high five hits and six RBI … Became the first Wildcat to record five hits in a game since Keegan O'Connor at BYU on May 2, 2025, and is one of just three players in the Big 12 to produce a five-hit game this season … He capped the series against Houston with a team-leading 10 hits (10-for-14), 1.000 slugging percentage and .733 on-base percentage, while he was second in RBI (8) ... He finished first overall in the Big 12 in total hits on the week and sixth nationally, while his 10 RBI ranked second in the conference.
THE DUKE OF MANHATTAN
Tanner Duke first a seven-inning complete game to secure the series win over Houston … He carried a one-hitter into the sixth inning and allowed just one runner to reach scoring position before surrendering a run ... Duke finished the night retiring 20 of the 25 batters he faced, scattering just three hits with a career-high nine strikeouts and without issuing a walk ... His outing marked the first three-hitter by a Wildcat pitcher since 2015.
LOS ON THE LOSE
Carlos Vasquez became the fifth player to produce a multi-home run game of the season with his multi-homer game at Baylor … Vasquez is the second player this season to produce a seven-RBI game (Kennedy vs. Penn State, Feb. 15) … Vasquez produced a team-high 12 RBI during Week 5, leading the Big 12 in runs scored (10) and RBI (12), while ranking fourth and ninth among all Division I players in the categories ...The senior from Lawrence, Kansas, hit .500 in the Wildcats' series victory over Houston – the second-best average on the team – while driving in a team-leading 10 RBI in the series ... In the finale, Vasquez delivered a towering two-out, 429-foot grand slam to left field, marking his first grand slam as a Wildcat and his third home run of the season.
CATS SCRATCH FIRST
The Wildcats are 140-60 when scoring first against opponents under head coach Pete Hughes … In 2026, the Wildcats are 11-2 when scoring first, including a 7-1 record when scoring in the first innings … K-State opened scoring in all four games at the MLB Desert Invitational … Last season, K-State was 20-10 when scoring first, while compiling a 14-9 record when scoring in the first inning.
WINNING TIME
In K-State's 16 wins this season, the Wildcats are hitting .422 with runners in scoring position and .306 with two outs ... Conversely, the Cats have a .258 average with runners in scoring position while hitting .246 with two outs over five losses ... K-State has produced 65 two-out RBI in victories with just seven in five losses ... Overall, K-State hits .356 in victories against just .204 in defeats ... In five losses, K-State pitchers have combined for a 2.83 strikeout-to-walk ratio while in victories the staff has a 2.84 K/BB ratio.
ON THE MOUND
The 2026 K-State pitching staff boasts a 4.53 ERA (90 ER, 179 IP) … Ten different players have picked up a win led by Lincoln Sheffield (4-0), while Cohen Feser and Tazwell Butler have two saves … Opponents are hitting .243 against K-State … K-State pitchers boast the league's second-best walks allowed per nine innings (3.27), ranking 16th nationally.
FROM THE PEN
The bullpen boasts a 4.56 ERA with a 5-3 record and six saves … Relievers have surrendered 40 earned runs over 79 innings … Relivers are averaging 8.7 strikeouts per nine innings, while issuing 3.3 walks per nine innings ... Opponents are hitting .219 against the bullpen while hitting .260 against starters, as relievers have allowed just 62 hits... Right-hander Tazwell Butler has made a team-leading eight appearances out of the pen, logging 11 2/3 innings with two saves.
NUMBERS NUGGETS
The Wildcats 203 runs are the 15th-most runs scored in the nation, ranking second in the league … K-State has a +102-run differential through 21 games this season, averaging 9.7 runs per game ... The Wildcats outscore opponents 94-41 (+53) through the first four frames ... K-State scored 14 runs in the top of the seventh vs. Penn State at the MLB Desert Invitational – its largest single-inning run production in K-State recorded history ... The Cats are 12-3 when hitting a home run, with an undefeated 8-0 record when hitting two or more ... K-State has won seven of eight games in which it has not committed an error while going 9-4 when committing at least one error ... When holding opponents to five or fewer runs, the Wildcats are 12-3 ... K-State has a .500 record (3-3) when scoring five or fewer runs in a game … Wildcats are 13-2 when scoring six or more ... K-State is 3-3 in games decided by two runs or fewer.
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