Sunday, March 8
Manhattan, Kan.
1 p.m.
Kansas State University
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SIUE
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Kansas State
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K-State Breaks Single-Game Home Run Record, Sweeps SIUE
Mar 08, 2026 | Baseball
MANHATTAN, Kan. – Four Wildcats combined for a program-record eight home runs, a mark originally set in 1978, to lead K-State to a 20-7 seven-inning triumph over SIUE Sunday afternoon at Tointon Family Stadium.
Dee Kennedy accounted for three home runs to become the sixth player in school history to hit three or more in a single game. Ty Smolinski and Micah Kendrick each added two homers, while Carlos Vasquez contributed one. With multi-home run efforts from Kennedy, Smolinski and Kendrick, it marked the first time in K-State recorded history three players registered two or more home runs in a single game.
With the series sweep over SIUE (5-11), the Wildcats improve to 11-4 overall on the season, tying the best 15-game start under head coach Pete Hughes.
"A good weekend. We accomplished what we set out to do, and that was to build momentum up for this coming week, really close the gap and taking that next step to being a really good team," said Hughes, following his team's fifth consecutive win. "I wanted to get our offense going, and we did that this weekend. The conditions were offensive, and we took advantage of it. We had some really good swings, some good approaches, and put three real solid games together."
"But it takes a mature pitching staff to go out there, be successful and throw the ball down the middle of the plate when you know the conditions are so offensive, and our guys answered the call," Hughes added.
Lincoln Sheffield earned his fifth straight victory on the mound (dating back to 2025), as the senior lefty held SIUE to three hits over five innings. He surrendered four runs (three earned) and registered his second consecutive game with eight strikeouts.
K-State's previous home run record of seven was tied twice, most recently on May 16, 2006, against South Dakota State. The Wildcats set their single-game home run record just a year after the 2025 squad shattered the single-season home run mark with 97.
With 13 home runs in the series, K-State now ranks third in the league with 24, while Sunday's record-breaking eight is the most by any Big 12 school this season.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Sheffield immediately settled and retired nine consecutive hitters to start off his fourth Sunday start, that included striking out the side in the second and third innings.
Following a 1-2-3 inning behind Sheffield, the Wildcats erupted for five runs in the opening frame with home runs by Kennedy, Smolinski and Kendrick. K-State put up seven in the third to put the game away as Kendrick belted a two-run homer to stretch the lead to seven, forcing the Cougars to make their first call to the pen. Vasquez immediately welcomed the new arm with his second home run of the season in the next at bat.
After three scoreless innings, SIUE took advantage of a fielding error to put a run on the board.
Leading 12-1, K-State added eight runs over a three-inning span that included a pair of home runs by Kennedy and solo blast by Smolinski.
INSIDE THE BOX
K-State will be back at Tointon Family Stadium Tuesday night to host Wichita State (11-5, 0-0 American), before hosting South Dakota State (5-10, 0-0 Summit) Wednesday. Both games are scheduled for 6 p.m. and can be seen on ESPN+ and the ESPN app.
– k-statesports.com –
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.
Dee Kennedy accounted for three home runs to become the sixth player in school history to hit three or more in a single game. Ty Smolinski and Micah Kendrick each added two homers, while Carlos Vasquez contributed one. With multi-home run efforts from Kennedy, Smolinski and Kendrick, it marked the first time in K-State recorded history three players registered two or more home runs in a single game.
With the series sweep over SIUE (5-11), the Wildcats improve to 11-4 overall on the season, tying the best 15-game start under head coach Pete Hughes.
"A good weekend. We accomplished what we set out to do, and that was to build momentum up for this coming week, really close the gap and taking that next step to being a really good team," said Hughes, following his team's fifth consecutive win. "I wanted to get our offense going, and we did that this weekend. The conditions were offensive, and we took advantage of it. We had some really good swings, some good approaches, and put three real solid games together."
"But it takes a mature pitching staff to go out there, be successful and throw the ball down the middle of the plate when you know the conditions are so offensive, and our guys answered the call," Hughes added.
Lincoln Sheffield earned his fifth straight victory on the mound (dating back to 2025), as the senior lefty held SIUE to three hits over five innings. He surrendered four runs (three earned) and registered his second consecutive game with eight strikeouts.
K-State's previous home run record of seven was tied twice, most recently on May 16, 2006, against South Dakota State. The Wildcats set their single-game home run record just a year after the 2025 squad shattered the single-season home run mark with 97.
With 13 home runs in the series, K-State now ranks third in the league with 24, while Sunday's record-breaking eight is the most by any Big 12 school this season.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Sheffield immediately settled and retired nine consecutive hitters to start off his fourth Sunday start, that included striking out the side in the second and third innings.
Following a 1-2-3 inning behind Sheffield, the Wildcats erupted for five runs in the opening frame with home runs by Kennedy, Smolinski and Kendrick. K-State put up seven in the third to put the game away as Kendrick belted a two-run homer to stretch the lead to seven, forcing the Cougars to make their first call to the pen. Vasquez immediately welcomed the new arm with his second home run of the season in the next at bat.
After three scoreless innings, SIUE took advantage of a fielding error to put a run on the board.
Leading 12-1, K-State added eight runs over a three-inning span that included a pair of home runs by Kennedy and solo blast by Smolinski.
INSIDE THE BOX
- K-State defeated SIUE in seven innings Sunday afternoon, 20-7.
- The Wildcats scored 20 runs on 15 hits, committed one error, and stranded four on base, while SIUE plated seven runs on five hits with no errors and five left on base.
- Seven different Wildcats produced a hit, led by Kennedy and Smolinski each with four hit efforts.
- Four players homered for K-State – Kennedy (3), Smolinski (2), Kendrick (2), Vasquez (1).
- Kennedy and Smolinski each drove in a game-leading six RBI.
- K-State and SIUE combined for 11 home runs in the game.
- Four players registered a hit for SIUE, led by two from Niedzwiedz, while Willoughby drove in a team-leading three RBI.
- Sheffield (4-0) was awarded the victory, allowing four runs (three earned) on three hits over five innings with a season-high eight strikeouts.
- Miles Smith, Billy Eich and Cole Wisenbaker combined for two innings in relief of Sheffield. Smith and Eich allowed three runs (earned) on two hits.
- Spencer Stearns (0-2) suffered the loss, surrendering seven runs (earned) on six hits in his 2 1/3 inning start.
- K-State was 5-for-10 (.500) with runners in scoring position and 4-for-10 with two outs and drove in five two-out RBI, while SIUE was 1-for-5 with RISP and 0-for-7 with two away.
- The Wildcats broke the home run single-game record that was originally set in 1978. The previous mark of seven home runs was achieved three times before it was broken Sunday (March 21, 1978, vs. Benedictine; May 10, 1987, vs. Nebraska; May 16 ,2007, vs. South Dakota State).
- Sunday's game marked the first time in recorded history K-State had three players with multi-home run efforts in the same game.
- In the Hughes era, K-State has shattered both single-season (97, in 2025) and single-game home run records (8, on March 8, 2026).
- The Wildcats eight home runs are the most by any Big 12 team this season and are the second-most by a Division I program this season, just one short of matching Miami (9, vs. Lafayette, Feb. 22, 2026).
- With the win, K-State has generated a season-high five-game winning streak.
- In the series, the Wildcats hit an incredible .414 (41-for-99) with 11 doubles, one triple, and 13 home runs for a .939 team slugging percentage.
- K-State's pitching staff held SIUE to a .194 average on the series with 35 strikeouts.
- The victory marked the second game this season K-State scored 20+ runs. The Cats are 6-0 when scoring 10+ runs, with a 6-1 record when recording 10 or more hits.
- K-State pitchers have registered four consecutive games with 10+ strikeouts – seven overall on the year.
- Since 2025, K-State is 20-4 when playing at Tointon Family Stadium.
- Kendrick and Vasquez become the second duo to hit back-to-back home runs this season and second in the series (Smolinski and Bear Madliak, vs. SIUE on March 6).
- Now 11-4, K-State tied its best 15-game start to the season under Hughes (2021, 2026).
- Kennedy became the fifth player in school history to hit three home runs in a single game to tie the program record. He is the first to register a three-homer game since Keegan O'Connor on May 2, 2025, at BYU.
- Smolinski and Kendrick each turned in their first multi-home run games.
- Sheffield matched a season-high eight strikeouts and earned his fifth consecutive win (dating back to 2025). K-State has won eight consecutive games when Sheffield starts on the mound.
- Kennedy and Smolinski each recorded their second career four-hit games – both achieved this season, while Smolinski registered a career-high six RBI.
- Centerfielder Robby Bolin has reached base in 14 consecutive games.
K-State will be back at Tointon Family Stadium Tuesday night to host Wichita State (11-5, 0-0 American), before hosting South Dakota State (5-10, 0-0 Summit) Wednesday. Both games are scheduled for 6 p.m. and can be seen on ESPN+ and the ESPN app.
– k-statesports.com –
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.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Sheffield, Lincoln (4-0)
L: Stearns, Spencer (0-2)
Batting:
2B: Niedzwiedz, Ryan 1
HR: Mitchell, Mack 1 ; Niedzwiedz, Ryan 1 ; Willoughby, Ethan 1
RBI: Mitchell, Mack 2 ; Niedzwiedz, Ryan 2 ; Willoughby, Ethan 3
Base Running:
RUNS: Bloomer, Chase 1 ; Mitchell, Mack 1 ; Hepburn, Kyle 1 ; Niedzwiedz, Ryan 2 ; Willoughby, Ethan 1 ; Ortiz, Diego 1
Batting:
2B: Vasquez, Carlos 1 ; Smolinski, Ty 2
HR: Kennedy, Dee 3 ; Vasquez, Carlos 1 ; Kendrick, Micah 2 ; Smolinski, Ty 2
RBI: Kennedy, Dee 6 ; Madliak, Bear 2 ; Vasquez, Carlos 2 ; Evasco, AJ 1 ; Kendrick, Micah 3 ; Smolinski, Ty 6
SF: Madliak, Bear 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Kennedy, Dee 3 ; Madliak, Bear 1 ; Vasquez, Carlos 2 ; Inoue, Shintaro 2 ; Evasco, AJ 2 ; Bolin, Robby 2 ; Kendrick, Micah 4 ; Haley, Austin 1 ; Smolinski, Ty 3
SB: Kendrick, Micah 1
HBP: Bolin, Robby 1 ; Kendrick, Micah 1
Game Leaders
AB
5
R
3
H
4
RBI
6
1b/3b
AB
4
R
3
H
4
RBI
6
lf/3b
AB
4
R
2
H
2
RBI
2
AB
2
R
4
H
2
RBI
3
Players Mentioned
OF
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RHP
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LHP
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/ BaseballINF
/ Baseball
LHP
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