Guyette, Kennedy Lift K-State to Senior Day Win

Sunday, May 10

Manhattan, Kan.

11 a.m.

Kansas State University

27-24, 10-17

Cincinnati

35-18, 15-12

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

May 10, 2026 | Baseball

Box Score Photo Gallery

MANHATTAN, Kan. – Behind 13 strikeouts and a nine-inning complete game by James Guyette, along with Dee Kennedy's 20^th home run of the season, K-State secured a 5-2 victory Sunday afternoon over Cincinnati at Tointon Family Stadium.

"Happy for our guys that they've stuck with a tough stretch in our program this season and really played good baseball this weekend," head coach Pete Hughes said. "I'm glad to see it get paid off here today, and happy for our crowd and our community that stuck with us. These kids are good players. Game hasn't gone our way lately, but today it did."

K-State (27-24, 10-17 Big 12) overcame a two-run deficit and scored five unanswered runs over a three-inning span, highlighted by Kennedy's 20^th blast of the year and Bear Madliak's two-run double, as the Wildcats snapped a nine-game losing streak. K-State also honored 18 players Sunday as part of its annual Senior Day celebration.

Guyette became the third Wildcat to throw a complete game this season, limiting Cincinnati (35-18, 15-12 Big 12) to two runs on three hits over nine innings. After surrendering two runs in the second, right-hander from California settled in and retired 18 of the next 20 batters before surrendering the Bearcats' third hit in the ninth. He finished with a career-high 13 strikeouts, the most by a Wildcat pitcher under Hughes, improving the 6-3 overall.

It marked the fourth time a Wildcat pitcher went the distance and first nine-inning complete game by a K-State pitcher since Owen Boerema against West Virginia in the Big 12 Tournament on May 22, 2024.

With his 20^th homer of the year, Kennedy became just the fifth player in the history of the Big 12 Conference to record 20 home runs and 20 stolen bases in the same season. The Wildcats' single-season home run leader is also one of only three Division I players to join the 20/20 club this season, alongside Georgia's Daniel Jackson and Fairleigh Dickinson's Hunter Ray.

"Got some big hits from [Kennedy] Congratulations – 20-20 is an amazing accomplishment. Big hit by Bear Madliak. He seems to be doing that every game these days. And then, can't say enough about [James] Guyette's outing. It was a dominant outing against a really good offense, just when we needed it," the Wildcats' skipper added.

THE RUNDOWN
Cincinnati grabbed an early lead with an RBI single from Cal Sefcik, jumping in ahead 2-0 in the second inning.

The Wildcats answered in the third as Micah Kendrick worked a nine-pitch walk and stole second to move into scoring position. With two outs, Kennedy launched a towering 357-foot shot over the left field wall to tie the game while extending his school record.

Madliak doubled to lead off the fourth and moved to third on a deep fly ball to center from AJ Evasco. The Wildcats catcher scored the go-ahead run in the next at-bat on Grant Gallagher's RBI single, giving K-State a 3-2 advantage.

K-State added two more runs in the fifth after Shintaro Inoue reached on a walk and advanced to second on a failed pickoff attempt. Kyan Lodice followed with a single to put runners on the corners before Madliak delivered a two-run double to left-center, extending the Wildcats' lead to 5-2.

Guyette continued to dominate, carrying a two-hitter into the ninth inning. The junior quickly recorded two outs before allowing Cincinnati's third hit of the afternoon. He then needed just three pitches to strike out the final batter and seal his first collegiate complete game.

INSIDE THE BOX

K-State scored five runs on seven hits, committed no errors and left five on base, while Cincinnati was held to two runs on three hits, with one error and two left on base.
Madliak finished 2-for-3 with a double, two RBI and a run scored, while Kennedy drove in two runs with his game-tying homer.
Lodice added two hits, and Gallagher chipped in an RBI single.
Cincinnati was held scoreless over the final seven innings.
Three different players had a hit for Cincinnati while two drove in an RBI.
Guyette (6-3) fired a nine-inning complete game, holding Cincinnati to two earned runs on three hits with a career-high 13 strikeouts and one walk.
K-State was 4-for-13 with runners in scoring position while UC was 1-for-3.
Five pitchers made an appearance for UC, with Connor Blue suffering the loss.
Blue (4-1) allowed three earned runs on four hits over his 3 2/3-inning start with four strikeouts on three walks.

TEAM NOTES

K-State is 4-5 all-time against Cincinnati since the series start in 2024, including a 3-3 record in games played in Manhattan.
The win snapped a nine-game losing streak – the program's longest since 2018.
Sunday marked the final home game of the 2026 season at Tointon Family Stadium, with K-State finishing 12-13 at home.
K-State's four complete games this season are the most recorded since 2014.

PLAYER NOTES

Kennedy became just the fifth player in Big 12 history to join the 20/20 club and is one of only three Division I players to reach 20 home runs and 20 stolen bases in 2026.
Guyette is the third Wildcat to throw a complete game this season, joining Lincoln Sheffield (2) and Tanner Duke.
With 13 strikeouts on Sunday, Guyette is the first pitcher in the Hughes era to reach the mark in a single game.
Guyette's outing marked the first nine-inning complete game for a K-State pitcher since Owen Boerema on May 22, 2024, against West Virginia at the Big 12 Tournament.
Kennedy recorded his 19^th game with two or more RBI – the most by any Wildcat this season while Madliak recorded his 10^th, becoming the fifth player this season to have 10+ multi-RBI games.
With 99 strikeouts this season, Guyette becomes the 12^th pitcher in K-State history to strike out 90+ in a single season, while he is one short from becoming the fifth to have a 100-strikeout season.

ON DECK
K-State will head to Orlando, Florida this week to take on UCF (29-18, 17-9 Big 12), starting Friday at 5 p.m. CT at John Euliano Park.

– k-statesports.com –

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