Wildcats Rally, Clinch Series Behind Nine Unanswered Runs

Saturday, April 11

Manhattan, Kan.

4 p.m.

Kansas State University

23-12, 0

Oklahoma State

21-14, 0

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
Oklahoma State	3	0	1	0	0	2	3	0	0	9	9	1
Kansas State	0	0	0	2	2	0	4	5	X	13	14	1

Wildcats Rally, Clinch Series Behind Nine Unanswered Runs

Apr 11, 2026 | Baseball

Box Score Photo Gallery

MANHATTAN, Kan. – K-State scored nine unanswered runs to erase a five-run deficit and clinch the series, as the Wildcats defeated Oklahoma State, 13-9, Saturday at Tointon Family Stadium.

Trailing 9-4 heading into the bottom of the seventh, Bear Madliak delivered a game-changing three-run homer that fueled the Wildcats' (23-12, 7-7 Big 12) nine-run comeback. K-State continued the surge with five runs in the eighth to earn its fourth series win of the season and second in Big 12 play.

"A really good team win, a character win," said head coach Pete Hughes. "I thought our team played with urgency. You could have a different mindset if there's going to be a slugfest established early, but I thought our guys answered it phenomenally. They came back from a 4-0 deficit, from a two-run deficit, and then from a five-run deficit. That is resiliency at its best, and as a head coach, you just want to see how your team responds."

The Wildcats pounded out 14 hits against the Cowboys (21-14, 6-8 Big 12), posting their 21^st game with 10 or more hits, while it marked their 18^th scoring double-digit runs. Nine players recorded a hit, led by multi-hit performances from Madliak, AJ Evasco, Grant Gallagher and Ty Smolinski. Evasco led all players with three hits, while Madliak drove in a game-high four RBI – his third four-RBI game of the season.

"Had some great individual performances. Bear had some big hits, which you would expect out of your senior, and he did a great job. Really up and down the lineup, we had a lot of guys do some great things," Hughes added.

In addition to Madliak, Evasco and Shintaro Inoue each homered, marking K-State's 16^th game with two or more home runs and first since April 3 against TCU.

"It was a difficult day to pitch, and Lincoln Sheffield showed how mature he was. You keep throwing the ball down the plate, and sometimes the fly ball is going to creep over the fence, and sometimes they're going to hit a good pitch. They're a really good hitting team. Lincoln's maturity kept us in that game. Miles Smith came in and did a really good job, just made one mistake, and then Adam Arthur going back-to-back nights – it's tough to do that. He was all over the strike zone and had a lively fastball."

"Great to win a series at home and that's what you're supposed to do at home. Our guys did a great job today showing up ready to go and seizing an opportunity."

HOW IT HAPPENED
OSU plated three runs in the first inning with a leadoff solo blast from Alex Conover and 427-foot no-doubter by Kollin Ritchie.

After surrendering three in the opening frame, Sheffield settled in and retired 15 of the next 18 batters he faced, including nine strikeouts over the first four innings.

The Wildcats broke through in the bottom of the fourth, trimming the deficit to 4-2, highlighted by a solo shot to the opposite field by Evasco – his fifth of the year.

Trailing 4-2 in the fifth, Inoue drove in the tying run with a two-run blast to left field. The senior second baseman scored Cadyn Karl, who drew an eight-pitch walk and stole his ninth base of the season.

Evan Saunders and Brock Thompson each added to the long ball game, launching solo blasts to break the tie and force a K-State pitching change. A three-run homer in the seventh pushed the Cowboys' lead to five, 9-4.

With one out in the seventh, Dee Kennedy laced a hit into right field before moving into scoring position with his 19^th stolen base. Inoue walked to put runners on first and second and bring Madliak to the plate. The senior catcher belted his sixth homer of the season – a 404-foot, three-run blast to right center – to pull K-State within two. Grant Gallagher followed with a two-out single to shallow left, making it a 9-8 game.

Karl led off the bottom of the eighth with a double down the right field line and stole third, moving 90-feet from tying the game. With runners on first and second, Madliak punched his second hit of the game to drive in the tying run.

Micah Kendrick drove in the game-winning run with a chopper to the shortstop that resulted in a misplayed ball at second. The Wildcats added three insurance runs to put the game away with the help of RBI-singles from Evasco and Ty Smolinski.

INSIDE THE BOX

K-State scored 13 runs on 14 hits, committed one error and stranded eight on base.
OSU plated nine runs on nine hits with one error and leaving two on base.
There were eight total home runs in Saturday's game.
Three Wildcats homered – Madliak, Inoue, and Evasco.
Nine of 10 Wildcats registered a hit, led by three from Evasco (3-for-4).
Madliak, Gallagher and Smolinski each had two hits.
Inoue drew three walks.
Madliak (2-for-4) produced a game-leading four RBI alongside OSU's Saunders.
Six Cowboys had a hit with three hitting two.
In 5 2/3 innings, Sheffield struck out a game-high nine.
Arther (2-1) was awarded the victory, firing 1 2/3 scoreless innings with two strikeouts.
Stormy Rhodes (1-2) was tagged for the loss, allowing six runs (four earned) on six hits over 1 1/3 innings.
Inoue and Evasco each had two RBI.

TEAM NOTES

K-State is 64-182 all-time vs. Oklahoma State, that includes a 24-58 mark in Big 12 play.
At home, K-State is 43-71 against OSU.
With the win, the Wildcats earned their second straight home series victory over the Cowboys.
K-State has hit through the order 26 times, while posting 21 innings scoring five or more runs.
Over the last 12 matchups, the series is tied 6-6.
It marked K-State's 16^th game with two or more home runs.

PLAYER NOTES

Kennedy stole his 19^th base of the season. He is 19-for-22 on the bases this season for an 86% success rate.
Karl produced his second multi-stolen base game of the week and of his career.
Smolinski has successfully reached base in 26 consecutive games, including a current team-high 13-game hitting streak.
Inoue recorded his second homer of the series, marking the first time this season he has homered in consecutive games.

ON DECK
Sunday's series finale is scheduled for 1 p.m. CT at Tointon Family Stadium, featuring a matchup between right-handers Cohen Feser and Bryce LeBlanc. The game can be seen on ESPN+ and the ESPN app while fans can also tune in on News Radio KMAN (93.3 FM, 1350 AM). A free live stream audio is available at kstatesports.com/watch and on the K-State Sports app.

– k-statesports.com –

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