Thursday, May 14
Orlando, Fla.
5 p.m.
Kansas State University
at
UCF
K-State Heads into Final Big 12 Weekend in Orlando
May 13, 2026 | Baseball
MANHATTAN, Kan. – K-State heads into its final Big 12 series at UCF, as the three-game set gets started Thursday at 5 p.m. CT at John Euliano Park in Orlando.
Right-hander James Guyette was named the Big 12 Co-Pitcher of the Week after tossing a nine-inning complete game in a 5-2 victory over Cincinnati. The junior struck out a career-high 13 and walked one in the outing.
UCF (29-19, 17-10 Big 12) is currently in a two-way tie with Arizona State for third in the standings, while K-State (27-24, 10-17 Big 12) sits in 11th place in the Big 12 standings after its home series loss to Cincinnati last weekend. The Knights enter the weekend with an RPI of 33 while the Wildcats head into the series at 58.
The three-game Big 12 will stream on ESPN+ and the ESPN app, while radio coverage is available on News Radio KMAN (93.3 FM, 1350 AM). A free live stream audio is available for K-State baseball 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 52
K-State (27-24, 10-17 Big 12) at UCF (29-19, 17-10 Big 12)
Thursday, May 14 // 5 PM CT // John Euliano Park // Orlando, FL
Projected Starters: RHP Tazwell Butler (0-4, 5.62 ERA) vs. RHP Mateo Gray (5-1, 4.83 ERA)
Watch: ESPN+
Radio: KMAN // Brian Smoller
Listen: kstatesports.com/watch
Live Stats: kstate.statbroadcast.com
GAME 53
K-State (27-24, 10-17 Big 12) at UCF (29-19, 17-10 Big 12)
Friday, May 14 // 5 PM CT // John Euliano Park // Orlando, FL
Projected Starters: LHP Lincoln Sheffield (6-3, 4.96 ERA) vs. RHP Camden Wicker (5-2, 3.36 ERA)
Watch: ESPN+
Radio: KMAN // Brian Smoller
Listen: kstatesports.com/watch
Live Stats: kstate.statbroadcast.com
GAME 54
K-State (27-24, 10-17 Big 12) at UCF (29-19, 17-10 Big 12)
Saturday, May 15 // 12 PM CT // John Euliano Park // Orlando, FL
Projected Starters: TBA vs. TBA
Watch: ESPN+
Radio: KMAN // Brian Smoller
Listen: kstatesports.com/watch
Live Stats: kstate.statbroadcast.com
A LOOK AT K-STATE
K-State is coming off a 5-2 defeat over Cincinnati to end its home slate of the 2026 season … With the win, the Wildcats improved to 27-24 overall with a 10-17 mark in Big 12 play … Senior catcher Bear Madliak finished 2-for-3 against Cincinnati, that included a two-run double, while Dee Kennedy drove in two runs with his game-tying homer … Kyan Lodice added two hits, and Grant Gallagher chipped drove in the game-winning run … Junior James 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, earning Big 12 Player of the Week recognition ... The win snapped a nine-game losing streak – the program's longest since 2018 … With Guyette's complete game, K-State now totals for on the year marking the most by the program since 2014 … With his 20th home run, 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 … With 13 strikeouts on Sunday, Guyette is the first pitcher in the Hughes era to reach the mark in a single game.
THE WILDCAT ROTATION
Thursday: Tazwell Butler (0-4, 5.36 ERA) will get his third start of the season Friday … Butler leads the team with three saves and has struck out 47 over 45.1 innings with opponents hitting .229 against him – the best opponent batting average among active pitchers.
Friday: Lincoln Sheffield (6-3, 4.96 ERA) ties fourth in the conference in victories, averaging 1.94 walks allowed per nine innings – the fourth-best mark in the conference.
Sunday: TBA
SCOUTING UCF
UCF enters the weekend in tied third in the Big 12 standings with a 29-19 overall record and a 17-10 mark in league play … The 17 conference wins mark the most league wins for UCF since joining the Big 12 Conference prior to the 2024 campaign ... UCF has won eight of its last 12 games, and is currently receiving votes in the NCBWA Top 25 poll … Senior catcher Zak Skinner paces UCF on the season with a .367 average and 66 hits ... He is also second in RBIs with 36 behind John Smith III (48) … Smith III also tops the team in home runs with 11 and is hitting a .341 clip ... Righty Mateo Gray (5-1, 4.83 ERA) will get the start in Friday's series opener … Junior right-hander Camden Wicker tops the starting rotation with a 5-2 record and 3.36 ERA … He has struck out a team-leading 53 over 61.2 innings … Five relievers combine the Knights' 11 saves, including four by Kris Sosnowski and Evan Jones.
INSIDE THE SERIES
The all-time series is tied 3-3 since it started in 2024 … K-State evened the all-time series with a home series win last season, winning three of the last five contests … Three of the six games in the series have been determined by two or fewer runs.
LAST 5 MEETINGS
W, 4-3 – April 6, 2024 (Orlando)
L, 1-6 – April 7, 2024 (Orlando)
L, 3-15 – April 11, 2025 (Manhattan)
W, 3-1 – April 12, 2025 (Manhattan)
W, 8-6 – April 13, 2025 (Manhattan)
PITCHER OF THE WEEK
K-State's James Guyette (6-3) was honored by the Big 12 Conference Monday afternoon, as the right-hander was named Co-Pitcher of the Week, the first weekly honor of his respective career … Guyette fired his first career complete game Sunday, leading the Wildcats to a 5-2 victory over Cincinnati season ... The junior limited the Bearcats to two runs on three hits across nine innings, becoming the third Wildcat to go the distance this season ... It also marked the program's first nine-inning complete game since 2024 … After allowing two runs in the second inning, he retired 18 of the next 20 batters he faced before the Bearcats collected their third hit in the ninth ... He finished with a career-high 13 strikeouts – the most by a Wildcat under head coach Pete Hughes – while issuing just one walk.
20/20 CLUB
With his 20th 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.
WEEK 12 PLAYER RANKINGS (D1Baseball)
Rank (Big 12/nationally)
No. 1/2 - Dee Kennedy (Shortstop)
No. 2/42 - Grant Gallagher (Third Baseman)
No. 3/18 - Shintaro Inoue (Second Baseman)
No. 5/38 - Bear Madliak (Catcher)
AROUND THE LEAGUE
Kansas leads the Big 12 league standings with a 20-7 mark in conference games – its best conference start in program history … West Virginia moved to second in the league standings after sweeping the Jayhawks in Lawrence last weekend … Arizona State and UCF are tied third while Oklahoma State and TCU tie fifth to round out the top five … Texas Tech's Logan Hughes (co-player), West Virginia's Gavin Kelly (co-player), Kansas State's James Guyette (co-pitcher), West Virginia's Maxx Yehl (co-pitcher) and Arizona State's Dominic Smaldino (newcomer) were named the Big 12 Baseball Players of the Week for the 13th week of the 2026 season.
2026 BIG 12 CHAMPIONSHIPS
The 2026 Big 12 Baseball Tournament presented by Allstate will be played at Surprise Stadium, the spring training home of the Kansas City Royals and Texas Rangers, located in Surprise, Arizona starting Tuesday, May 19 thru Saturday, May 23 ... The five-day event features the top 12 teams in the regular season standings will compete in the tournament.
Right-hander James Guyette was named the Big 12 Co-Pitcher of the Week after tossing a nine-inning complete game in a 5-2 victory over Cincinnati. The junior struck out a career-high 13 and walked one in the outing.
UCF (29-19, 17-10 Big 12) is currently in a two-way tie with Arizona State for third in the standings, while K-State (27-24, 10-17 Big 12) sits in 11th place in the Big 12 standings after its home series loss to Cincinnati last weekend. The Knights enter the weekend with an RPI of 33 while the Wildcats head into the series at 58.
The three-game Big 12 will stream on ESPN+ and the ESPN app, while radio coverage is available on News Radio KMAN (93.3 FM, 1350 AM). A free live stream audio is available for K-State baseball 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 52
K-State (27-24, 10-17 Big 12) at UCF (29-19, 17-10 Big 12)
Thursday, May 14 // 5 PM CT // John Euliano Park // Orlando, FL
Projected Starters: RHP Tazwell Butler (0-4, 5.62 ERA) vs. RHP Mateo Gray (5-1, 4.83 ERA)
Watch: ESPN+
Radio: KMAN // Brian Smoller
Listen: kstatesports.com/watch
Live Stats: kstate.statbroadcast.com
GAME 53
K-State (27-24, 10-17 Big 12) at UCF (29-19, 17-10 Big 12)
Friday, May 14 // 5 PM CT // John Euliano Park // Orlando, FL
Projected Starters: LHP Lincoln Sheffield (6-3, 4.96 ERA) vs. RHP Camden Wicker (5-2, 3.36 ERA)
Watch: ESPN+
Radio: KMAN // Brian Smoller
Listen: kstatesports.com/watch
Live Stats: kstate.statbroadcast.com
GAME 54
K-State (27-24, 10-17 Big 12) at UCF (29-19, 17-10 Big 12)
Saturday, May 15 // 12 PM CT // John Euliano Park // Orlando, FL
Projected Starters: TBA vs. TBA
Watch: ESPN+
Radio: KMAN // Brian Smoller
Listen: kstatesports.com/watch
Live Stats: kstate.statbroadcast.com
A LOOK AT K-STATE
K-State is coming off a 5-2 defeat over Cincinnati to end its home slate of the 2026 season … With the win, the Wildcats improved to 27-24 overall with a 10-17 mark in Big 12 play … Senior catcher Bear Madliak finished 2-for-3 against Cincinnati, that included a two-run double, while Dee Kennedy drove in two runs with his game-tying homer … Kyan Lodice added two hits, and Grant Gallagher chipped drove in the game-winning run … Junior James 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, earning Big 12 Player of the Week recognition ... The win snapped a nine-game losing streak – the program's longest since 2018 … With Guyette's complete game, K-State now totals for on the year marking the most by the program since 2014 … With his 20th home run, 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 … With 13 strikeouts on Sunday, Guyette is the first pitcher in the Hughes era to reach the mark in a single game.
THE WILDCAT ROTATION
Thursday: Tazwell Butler (0-4, 5.36 ERA) will get his third start of the season Friday … Butler leads the team with three saves and has struck out 47 over 45.1 innings with opponents hitting .229 against him – the best opponent batting average among active pitchers.
Friday: Lincoln Sheffield (6-3, 4.96 ERA) ties fourth in the conference in victories, averaging 1.94 walks allowed per nine innings – the fourth-best mark in the conference.
Sunday: TBA
SCOUTING UCF
UCF enters the weekend in tied third in the Big 12 standings with a 29-19 overall record and a 17-10 mark in league play … The 17 conference wins mark the most league wins for UCF since joining the Big 12 Conference prior to the 2024 campaign ... UCF has won eight of its last 12 games, and is currently receiving votes in the NCBWA Top 25 poll … Senior catcher Zak Skinner paces UCF on the season with a .367 average and 66 hits ... He is also second in RBIs with 36 behind John Smith III (48) … Smith III also tops the team in home runs with 11 and is hitting a .341 clip ... Righty Mateo Gray (5-1, 4.83 ERA) will get the start in Friday's series opener … Junior right-hander Camden Wicker tops the starting rotation with a 5-2 record and 3.36 ERA … He has struck out a team-leading 53 over 61.2 innings … Five relievers combine the Knights' 11 saves, including four by Kris Sosnowski and Evan Jones.
INSIDE THE SERIES
The all-time series is tied 3-3 since it started in 2024 … K-State evened the all-time series with a home series win last season, winning three of the last five contests … Three of the six games in the series have been determined by two or fewer runs.
LAST 5 MEETINGS
W, 4-3 – April 6, 2024 (Orlando)
L, 1-6 – April 7, 2024 (Orlando)
L, 3-15 – April 11, 2025 (Manhattan)
W, 3-1 – April 12, 2025 (Manhattan)
W, 8-6 – April 13, 2025 (Manhattan)
PITCHER OF THE WEEK
K-State's James Guyette (6-3) was honored by the Big 12 Conference Monday afternoon, as the right-hander was named Co-Pitcher of the Week, the first weekly honor of his respective career … Guyette fired his first career complete game Sunday, leading the Wildcats to a 5-2 victory over Cincinnati season ... The junior limited the Bearcats to two runs on three hits across nine innings, becoming the third Wildcat to go the distance this season ... It also marked the program's first nine-inning complete game since 2024 … After allowing two runs in the second inning, he retired 18 of the next 20 batters he faced before the Bearcats collected their third hit in the ninth ... He finished with a career-high 13 strikeouts – the most by a Wildcat under head coach Pete Hughes – while issuing just one walk.
20/20 CLUB
With his 20th 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.
WEEK 12 PLAYER RANKINGS (D1Baseball)
Rank (Big 12/nationally)
No. 1/2 - Dee Kennedy (Shortstop)
No. 2/42 - Grant Gallagher (Third Baseman)
No. 3/18 - Shintaro Inoue (Second Baseman)
No. 5/38 - Bear Madliak (Catcher)
AROUND THE LEAGUE
Kansas leads the Big 12 league standings with a 20-7 mark in conference games – its best conference start in program history … West Virginia moved to second in the league standings after sweeping the Jayhawks in Lawrence last weekend … Arizona State and UCF are tied third while Oklahoma State and TCU tie fifth to round out the top five … Texas Tech's Logan Hughes (co-player), West Virginia's Gavin Kelly (co-player), Kansas State's James Guyette (co-pitcher), West Virginia's Maxx Yehl (co-pitcher) and Arizona State's Dominic Smaldino (newcomer) were named the Big 12 Baseball Players of the Week for the 13th week of the 2026 season.
2026 BIG 12 CHAMPIONSHIPS
The 2026 Big 12 Baseball Tournament presented by Allstate will be played at Surprise Stadium, the spring training home of the Kansas City Royals and Texas Rangers, located in Surprise, Arizona starting Tuesday, May 19 thru Saturday, May 23 ... The five-day event features the top 12 teams in the regular season standings will compete in the tournament.
Players Mentioned
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