Friday, March 6
Manhattan, Kan.
4 p.m.
Kansas State University
vs
SIUE
K-State Welcomes SIUE to Tointon Family Stadium
Mar 05, 2026 | Baseball
MANHATTAN, Kan. – The Wildcats continue their eight-game homestand this weekend, as K-State hosts SIUE for a three-game set at Tointon Family Stadium, starting Friday at 4 p.m. CT.
Game two between the Wildcats (8-4, 0-0 Big 12) and Cougars (5-8, 0-0 Ohio Valley) is scheduled for 4 p.m., while Sunday's series finale is set for a 1 p.m. first pitch. Friday's meeting marks the first contest against SIUE in the program's history.
The entire three-game 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.
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 #13
K-State (8-4, 0-0 Big 12) vs. SIUE (5-8, 0-0 Ohio Valley)
Friday, March 6 // 4 PM CT // Tointon Family Stadium // Manhattan, KS
Projected Starters: RHP James Guyette (1-1, 3.38 ERA) vs. RHP Jase Phillips (1-1, 4.91 ERA)
Watch: ESPN+ // Brian Smoller, Mike Clark
Radio: KMAN Online // Matt Walters, Jared Goedert
Listen Online: KStateSports.com/watch
GAME #14
K-State (8-4, 0-0 Big 12) vs. SIUE (5-8, 0-0 Ohio Valley)
Saturday, March 7 // 4 PM CT // Tointon Family Stadium // Manhattan, KS
Projected Starters: RHP Tanner Duke (0-1, 5.00 ERA) vs. RHP Tim Teixeira (0-2, 8.03 ERA)
Watch: ESPN+ // Brian Smoller, Mike Clark
Radio: KMAN Online // Matt Walters, Jared Goedert
Listen Online: KStateSports.com/watch
GAME #15
K-State (8-4, 0-0 Big 12) vs. SIUE (5-8, 0-0 Ohio Valley)
Sunday, March 8 CT // Tointon Family Stadium // Manhattan, KS
Projected Starters: LHP Lincon Sheffield (3-0, 3.93 ERA) vs. Spencer Stearns (0-1, 3.94 ERA)
Watch: ESPN+ // Brian Smoller, Mike Clark
Radio: K-State Sports Network // Matt Walters, Trevor Hurley
Listen Online: KStateSports.com/watch
A LOOK AT K-STATE
Led by a quality start by Lincoln Sheffield and three-run home run from Ty Smolinski, K-State is coming off a 5-2 victory over Columbia … With Saturday's victory, K-State recorded its first series win of the season … The Wildcats trailed 2-0 headed into the bottom of the second before Smolinski belted a three-run homer to score the deciding run … K-State is 8-4 on the year, marking the second-best record through the first 12 games of the season in the Hughes era ... Sheffield registered his fourth consecutive win after surrendering just two runs over 6 2/3 innings for his first quality start of the season.
THE WILDCAT ROTATION
Friday (G1): James Guyette (1-1, 3.38 ERA) leads the pitching staff with a season-high 20 strikeouts, ranking fourth in the Big 12 … He has punched out a career-high eight in two starts this season .
Friday (G2): Tanner Duke (0-1, 5.00 ERA) will get his third start of the year and second weekend nod on Saturday.
Saturday: Lincoln Sheffield (3-0, 3.93 ERA) has earned four consecutive wins in his last four outings … K-State has won seven straight when Sheffield starts on the mound … Sheffield is fourth in the league in strikeout-to-walk ratio (7.00).
SCOUTING SIUE
SIUE was picked as the preseason favorite in the Ohio Valley Conference preseason poll, finishing with an 18-8 league record last season … The Cougars moved to 5-8 on the year after dropping a 8-7 decision against Bradley on Tuesday at home … SIUE scored two runs in the ninth with a two-out, two-run blast by Terrick Thompson-Allen, but were unable to overcome the one-run deficit … First baseman Ryan Niedzwiedz – the OVC home run leader (5) – was named the Ohio Valley Conference Player of the Week and named to Baseball America's Team of the Week after amassing an OPS of 1.447 for the week, including a slugging percentage of nearly .950 ... He hit .421 in five games with three home runs and nine RBI … Senior shortstop Chase Bloomer has been named to the Brooks Wallace Award Watch List for the third time in his career ... Bloomer has started all 13 games for the Cougars and is third on the team with a .292 batting average … The Cougars will send right-handed pitcher Jase Phillips (1-1, 4.91 ERA) to the mound in the series opener, while sophomore righty Tim Teixeira (0-2, 8.03 ERA) will get Saturday's nod … Junior Spencer Stearns (0-1, 3.94 ERA) will finish on the mound in Sunday's finale … Easton Harris (0-1, 5.40 ERA)has made four outings out of the pen and leads the OVC with three saves on the year.
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 best home winning percentage since 1987 (20-3 [.870]) … K-State baseball is 432-223 when playing at Tointon Family Stadium (since 2002) … In the Hughes era, K-State is 122-46 when playing at Tointon, posting a .726 winning percentage … Since 2021, the Cats are 104-33 (.759) when playing at home.
WINNING TIME
In K-State's eight wins this season, the Wildcats are hitting .394 with runners in scoring position and .194 with two outs ... Conversely, the Cats have a .250 average with runners in scoring position while hitting .229 with two outs over four losses ... K-State has produced 17 two-out RBI in victories with just 3 in four losses ... Overall, K-State hits .313 in victories against just .194 in defeats ... In four losses, K-State pitchers have combined for a 2.92 strikeout-to-walk ratio while in victories the staff has a 2.63 K/BB ratio.
NEW KID ON THE BLOCK
K-State's Grant Gallagher was awarded Big 12 Co-Newcomer of the Week honors for his efforts in the Wildcats' series victory over Columbia … The senior transfer from East Tennessee State is the second Wildcat to earn a Big 12 weekly award this season, joining shortstop Dee Kennedy … The Tallahassee, Florida product turned in a standout week at the plate with a team-best .444 average (8-for-18) and 1.267 OPS ... The third baseman drove the first pitch he faced off the wall in left-center to drive in the tying and game-winning runs to even the series with Columbia, leading K-State into its first series victory of the season … Gallagher also showcased his power on the road at Louisiana, crushing a game-tying, two-run homer in a tight 3-2 defeat … He finished the week with a perfect 1.000 fielding percentage with nine assists.
TOP SHORTSTOP
Shortstop Dee Kennedy was selected to the Brooks Wallace Player of the Year Award Watch List, as the College Baseball Foundation recognized the nation's top 100 shortstops … It marks the third time in the last four years a Wildcat shortstop has earned national recognition, as Kennedy joins former Wildcats Maximus Martin (2025) and Nick Goodwin (2023) … Through 12 games this season, Kennedy has recorded four multi-hit games and five multi-RBI performances ... He is slashing .357/.455/.762 with three doubles, one triple and a team-leading four home runs. Kennedy also ranks second in the Big 12 with 21 RBI and third in the league with a team-high seven stolen bases.
TWO-WAY TALENT
Sophomore Donte Lewis was named to John Olerud Two-Way Player of the Year Award Watch List by College Baseball Foundation on Wednesday … Lewis, an outfielder and right-handed pitcher, was one of 49 players selected to the initial watch list for the Olerud Award and one of six two-way players in the Big 12 recognized … Lewis has made two starts on the mound this season, highlighted by a career-high 4 2/3-inning outing in the Wildcats 5-3 victory over Nebraska. The sophomore has struck out nine hitters in 6 2/3 innings with an ERA of 8.10 on the season … At the plate, the Pearland, Texas product owns a slash line of .250/.400/.375 with a double, one RBI and two stolen bases.
LEGIT LIGGETT
A native of Flowood, Mississippi, Lincoln Sheffield (3-0) allowed just two runs over 6 2/3 innings to earn his first quality start of the season and help K-State secure the series win over Columbia ... After surrendering both runs in the opening frame, the left-hander retired 19 of the next 23 batters he faced and allowed only two runners to reach scoring position ... Sheffield has notched a win in his last four outings (dating back to 2025) and capped his third start of the year by holding the Lions to six hits while recording a season-high eight strikeouts with one walk ... Dating back to last season, K-State has won seven straight games when Sheffield takes the mound.
AT THE PLATE
Offensively, the Wildcats lead opponents with a slash line of .271/.394/.429 with 19 doubles, four triples and 11 home runs … K-State has out-hit opponents in four of its 12 games this season (3-1), that includes a season-high 21 hits with a season-high 22 RBI vs. Penn State at the MLB Desert Invitational … K-State has recorded 10+ hits in four games (4-1) … Four starters are hitting over .300, with AJ Evasco leading the way at .362 … The team's 18 stolen bases rank sixth in the Big 12, while Dee Kennedy is third in the league with seven.
ON THE MOUND
The 2025 K-State pitching staff boasts a 3.81 ERA (45 ER, 106.1 IP) … Six different players have picked up a win led by Lincoln Sheffield (3-0), while Cohen Feser has two saves … Opponents are hitting .245 against K-State … K-State pitchers boast the league's second-best walks allowed per nine innings (3.30), ranking 36th nationally … Guyette has struck out a season-high 20 batters through three starts, which ranks fourth in the Big 12 … Liggett leads the Big 12 in victories and is fourth with a 7.00 strikeout-to-walk ratio and 0.98 walks allowed per nine innings.
FROM THE PEN
The bullpen boasts a 3.31 ERA with a 4-2 record and two saves … Relievers have surrendered 19 earned runs over 51.2 innings … Opponents are hitting just .197 against the Wildcat bullpen, as relievers have held teams to 36 hits ... Relivers are averaging 8.8 strikeouts per nine innings, while issuing 3.52 walks per nine innings ... Opponents are hitting .197 against Wildcat relievers while hitting .286 against starters ... Right-handers Cohen Feser and Tazwell Butler each made four appearances out of the pen, each logging 7 2/3 innings in relief.
NUMBERS NUGGETS
K-State has a +38-run differential through 12 games this season ... The Wildcats outscore opponents 41-23 (+18) 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 the composite bat era (since 2011) ... The Cats are 5-2 when hitting a home run, with an undefeated 4-0 record when hitting two or more ... K-State has won three of four games in which it has not committed an error while going 5-3 when committing at least one error ... When holding opponents to five or fewer runs, the Wildcats are 5-3 ... Conversely, K-State has a .500 record (3-3) when scoring five or fewer runs in a game … Wildcats are 5-1 when scoring six or more ... K-State is 2-3 in games decided by two runs or fewer … K-State is hitting .364 on the season with runners in scoring position and .208 with two outs, driving in 20 runs with two away ... Last season, the Cats managed a .306 average with runners in scoring position while hitting .249 with two outs.
HOMER NUMBERS
K-State has recorded 11 home runs this season led by Kennedy with four … Gallagher follows with two home runs … Home runs account for 23 of the 69 RBI on the season (33%) … The team's 11 homers rank fifth in the Big 12 and 106th nationally, while the Cats post the fifth-best slugging percentage at .429.
Game two between the Wildcats (8-4, 0-0 Big 12) and Cougars (5-8, 0-0 Ohio Valley) is scheduled for 4 p.m., while Sunday's series finale is set for a 1 p.m. first pitch. Friday's meeting marks the first contest against SIUE in the program's history.
The entire three-game 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.
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 #13
K-State (8-4, 0-0 Big 12) vs. SIUE (5-8, 0-0 Ohio Valley)
Friday, March 6 // 4 PM CT // Tointon Family Stadium // Manhattan, KS
Projected Starters: RHP James Guyette (1-1, 3.38 ERA) vs. RHP Jase Phillips (1-1, 4.91 ERA)
Watch: ESPN+ // Brian Smoller, Mike Clark
Radio: KMAN Online // Matt Walters, Jared Goedert
Listen Online: KStateSports.com/watch
GAME #14
K-State (8-4, 0-0 Big 12) vs. SIUE (5-8, 0-0 Ohio Valley)
Saturday, March 7 // 4 PM CT // Tointon Family Stadium // Manhattan, KS
Projected Starters: RHP Tanner Duke (0-1, 5.00 ERA) vs. RHP Tim Teixeira (0-2, 8.03 ERA)
Watch: ESPN+ // Brian Smoller, Mike Clark
Radio: KMAN Online // Matt Walters, Jared Goedert
Listen Online: KStateSports.com/watch
GAME #15
K-State (8-4, 0-0 Big 12) vs. SIUE (5-8, 0-0 Ohio Valley)
Sunday, March 8 CT // Tointon Family Stadium // Manhattan, KS
Projected Starters: LHP Lincon Sheffield (3-0, 3.93 ERA) vs. Spencer Stearns (0-1, 3.94 ERA)
Watch: ESPN+ // Brian Smoller, Mike Clark
Radio: K-State Sports Network // Matt Walters, Trevor Hurley
Listen Online: KStateSports.com/watch
A LOOK AT K-STATE
Led by a quality start by Lincoln Sheffield and three-run home run from Ty Smolinski, K-State is coming off a 5-2 victory over Columbia … With Saturday's victory, K-State recorded its first series win of the season … The Wildcats trailed 2-0 headed into the bottom of the second before Smolinski belted a three-run homer to score the deciding run … K-State is 8-4 on the year, marking the second-best record through the first 12 games of the season in the Hughes era ... Sheffield registered his fourth consecutive win after surrendering just two runs over 6 2/3 innings for his first quality start of the season.
THE WILDCAT ROTATION
Friday (G1): James Guyette (1-1, 3.38 ERA) leads the pitching staff with a season-high 20 strikeouts, ranking fourth in the Big 12 … He has punched out a career-high eight in two starts this season .
Friday (G2): Tanner Duke (0-1, 5.00 ERA) will get his third start of the year and second weekend nod on Saturday.
Saturday: Lincoln Sheffield (3-0, 3.93 ERA) has earned four consecutive wins in his last four outings … K-State has won seven straight when Sheffield starts on the mound … Sheffield is fourth in the league in strikeout-to-walk ratio (7.00).
SCOUTING SIUE
SIUE was picked as the preseason favorite in the Ohio Valley Conference preseason poll, finishing with an 18-8 league record last season … The Cougars moved to 5-8 on the year after dropping a 8-7 decision against Bradley on Tuesday at home … SIUE scored two runs in the ninth with a two-out, two-run blast by Terrick Thompson-Allen, but were unable to overcome the one-run deficit … First baseman Ryan Niedzwiedz – the OVC home run leader (5) – was named the Ohio Valley Conference Player of the Week and named to Baseball America's Team of the Week after amassing an OPS of 1.447 for the week, including a slugging percentage of nearly .950 ... He hit .421 in five games with three home runs and nine RBI … Senior shortstop Chase Bloomer has been named to the Brooks Wallace Award Watch List for the third time in his career ... Bloomer has started all 13 games for the Cougars and is third on the team with a .292 batting average … The Cougars will send right-handed pitcher Jase Phillips (1-1, 4.91 ERA) to the mound in the series opener, while sophomore righty Tim Teixeira (0-2, 8.03 ERA) will get Saturday's nod … Junior Spencer Stearns (0-1, 3.94 ERA) will finish on the mound in Sunday's finale … Easton Harris (0-1, 5.40 ERA)has made four outings out of the pen and leads the OVC with three saves on the year.
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 best home winning percentage since 1987 (20-3 [.870]) … K-State baseball is 432-223 when playing at Tointon Family Stadium (since 2002) … In the Hughes era, K-State is 122-46 when playing at Tointon, posting a .726 winning percentage … Since 2021, the Cats are 104-33 (.759) when playing at home.
WINNING TIME
In K-State's eight wins this season, the Wildcats are hitting .394 with runners in scoring position and .194 with two outs ... Conversely, the Cats have a .250 average with runners in scoring position while hitting .229 with two outs over four losses ... K-State has produced 17 two-out RBI in victories with just 3 in four losses ... Overall, K-State hits .313 in victories against just .194 in defeats ... In four losses, K-State pitchers have combined for a 2.92 strikeout-to-walk ratio while in victories the staff has a 2.63 K/BB ratio.
NEW KID ON THE BLOCK
K-State's Grant Gallagher was awarded Big 12 Co-Newcomer of the Week honors for his efforts in the Wildcats' series victory over Columbia … The senior transfer from East Tennessee State is the second Wildcat to earn a Big 12 weekly award this season, joining shortstop Dee Kennedy … The Tallahassee, Florida product turned in a standout week at the plate with a team-best .444 average (8-for-18) and 1.267 OPS ... The third baseman drove the first pitch he faced off the wall in left-center to drive in the tying and game-winning runs to even the series with Columbia, leading K-State into its first series victory of the season … Gallagher also showcased his power on the road at Louisiana, crushing a game-tying, two-run homer in a tight 3-2 defeat … He finished the week with a perfect 1.000 fielding percentage with nine assists.
TOP SHORTSTOP
Shortstop Dee Kennedy was selected to the Brooks Wallace Player of the Year Award Watch List, as the College Baseball Foundation recognized the nation's top 100 shortstops … It marks the third time in the last four years a Wildcat shortstop has earned national recognition, as Kennedy joins former Wildcats Maximus Martin (2025) and Nick Goodwin (2023) … Through 12 games this season, Kennedy has recorded four multi-hit games and five multi-RBI performances ... He is slashing .357/.455/.762 with three doubles, one triple and a team-leading four home runs. Kennedy also ranks second in the Big 12 with 21 RBI and third in the league with a team-high seven stolen bases.
TWO-WAY TALENT
Sophomore Donte Lewis was named to John Olerud Two-Way Player of the Year Award Watch List by College Baseball Foundation on Wednesday … Lewis, an outfielder and right-handed pitcher, was one of 49 players selected to the initial watch list for the Olerud Award and one of six two-way players in the Big 12 recognized … Lewis has made two starts on the mound this season, highlighted by a career-high 4 2/3-inning outing in the Wildcats 5-3 victory over Nebraska. The sophomore has struck out nine hitters in 6 2/3 innings with an ERA of 8.10 on the season … At the plate, the Pearland, Texas product owns a slash line of .250/.400/.375 with a double, one RBI and two stolen bases.
LEGIT LIGGETT
A native of Flowood, Mississippi, Lincoln Sheffield (3-0) allowed just two runs over 6 2/3 innings to earn his first quality start of the season and help K-State secure the series win over Columbia ... After surrendering both runs in the opening frame, the left-hander retired 19 of the next 23 batters he faced and allowed only two runners to reach scoring position ... Sheffield has notched a win in his last four outings (dating back to 2025) and capped his third start of the year by holding the Lions to six hits while recording a season-high eight strikeouts with one walk ... Dating back to last season, K-State has won seven straight games when Sheffield takes the mound.
AT THE PLATE
Offensively, the Wildcats lead opponents with a slash line of .271/.394/.429 with 19 doubles, four triples and 11 home runs … K-State has out-hit opponents in four of its 12 games this season (3-1), that includes a season-high 21 hits with a season-high 22 RBI vs. Penn State at the MLB Desert Invitational … K-State has recorded 10+ hits in four games (4-1) … Four starters are hitting over .300, with AJ Evasco leading the way at .362 … The team's 18 stolen bases rank sixth in the Big 12, while Dee Kennedy is third in the league with seven.
ON THE MOUND
The 2025 K-State pitching staff boasts a 3.81 ERA (45 ER, 106.1 IP) … Six different players have picked up a win led by Lincoln Sheffield (3-0), while Cohen Feser has two saves … Opponents are hitting .245 against K-State … K-State pitchers boast the league's second-best walks allowed per nine innings (3.30), ranking 36th nationally … Guyette has struck out a season-high 20 batters through three starts, which ranks fourth in the Big 12 … Liggett leads the Big 12 in victories and is fourth with a 7.00 strikeout-to-walk ratio and 0.98 walks allowed per nine innings.
FROM THE PEN
The bullpen boasts a 3.31 ERA with a 4-2 record and two saves … Relievers have surrendered 19 earned runs over 51.2 innings … Opponents are hitting just .197 against the Wildcat bullpen, as relievers have held teams to 36 hits ... Relivers are averaging 8.8 strikeouts per nine innings, while issuing 3.52 walks per nine innings ... Opponents are hitting .197 against Wildcat relievers while hitting .286 against starters ... Right-handers Cohen Feser and Tazwell Butler each made four appearances out of the pen, each logging 7 2/3 innings in relief.
NUMBERS NUGGETS
K-State has a +38-run differential through 12 games this season ... The Wildcats outscore opponents 41-23 (+18) 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 the composite bat era (since 2011) ... The Cats are 5-2 when hitting a home run, with an undefeated 4-0 record when hitting two or more ... K-State has won three of four games in which it has not committed an error while going 5-3 when committing at least one error ... When holding opponents to five or fewer runs, the Wildcats are 5-3 ... Conversely, K-State has a .500 record (3-3) when scoring five or fewer runs in a game … Wildcats are 5-1 when scoring six or more ... K-State is 2-3 in games decided by two runs or fewer … K-State is hitting .364 on the season with runners in scoring position and .208 with two outs, driving in 20 runs with two away ... Last season, the Cats managed a .306 average with runners in scoring position while hitting .249 with two outs.
HOMER NUMBERS
K-State has recorded 11 home runs this season led by Kennedy with four … Gallagher follows with two home runs … Home runs account for 23 of the 69 RBI on the season (33%) … The team's 11 homers rank fifth in the Big 12 and 106th nationally, while the Cats post the fifth-best slugging percentage at .429.
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