Kansas State baseball’s list of returners for the 2027 season has reportedly taken a large hit.

Sophomore infielder AJ Evasco has committed to Arkansas out of the transfer portal, according to On3’s Pete Nakos.

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Kansas State shortstop Dee Kennedy earned First Team All-Central Region honors from the ABCA/Rawlings on Tuesday, as the organization announced its annual regional teams.

First Team All-Region selections across all eight regions are eligible for ABCA/Rawlings All-America honors. The 2026 ABCA/Rawlings NCAA Division I All-America teams will be announced Friday, June 12, prior to the start of the NCAA Division I College World Series in Omaha, Nebraska.

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Kansas State shortstop Dee Kennedy continues to add to his extensive 2026 resume, as he earned National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) Co-District 6 Player of the Year honors, following the organization’s 28th annual announcement of the district selections.

Kennedy was one of 15 student-athletes recognized across the NCBWA’s nine districts and one of six selections from the Big 12 Conference. He shared the District 6 honor with Kansas’ Tyson LeBlanc, while the Big 12 led all conferences with six District Player of the Year selections.

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Kansas State baseball jumped out to a 7-0 lead through four innings and got a stellar start on the mound from Tazwell Butler as the 11th-seeded Wildcats beat seventh-seeded TCU, 9-4, Wednesday night to move on to the quarterfinals of the 2026 Big 12 Baseball Championship at Surprise Stadium.

The Wildcats (30-26) will now face second-seeded West Virginia at 6:30 p.m. CT, Thursday night, in the quarterfinals. The game will be televised live on ESPNU.

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Kansas State baseball’s Dee Kennedy was voted to the 2026 All-Big 12 first team, while Bear Madliak received honorable mention recognition as the Big 12 Conference revealed its postseason awards Tuesday.

A native of Fort Worth, Texas, Kennedy has put together one of the best offensive seasons in K-State history, slashing .359/.463/.742 with 16 doubles, two triples, a school-record 20 home runs and 20 stolen bases.

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Four Wildcats produced multi-hit performances Tuesday night as 11th-seeded Kansas State baseball rallied past 10th-seeded Utah, 9-5, to open the 2026 Big 12 Baseball Championship at Surprise Stadium.

Trailing 3-0, AJ Evasco delivered a two-run blast to trim the deficit in the sixth, before K-State (29-26) took the lead in the next inning. Utah (26-25) answered and tied the game at 5-5, but the Wildcats scored four unanswered runs in the eighth to pull away with the win.

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Because of forecasted inclement weather, Kansas State and Missouri State officials have canceled Tuesday’s contest between the Wildcats and Bears at Hammons Field. Additionally, Wednesday’s game at Tointon Family Stadium with Omaha has also been canceled.

Tuesday’s non-conference game originally was scheduled for 11 a.m. CT, while Wednesday was slated for a 6 p.m. first pitch.

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Kansas State held a 6-4 lead after six innings, only to see No. 16 Nebraska score three runs over the final three frames to secure a 7-6 walk-off victory over the Wildcats Tuesday night at Hawks Field at Haymarket Park.

K-State (26-19) crawled out of an early 3-0 hole and battled to take a 6-4 lead until Nebraska (32-11) erased the deficit, highlighted with a game-tying RBI triple from Jeter Worthley. Knotted at 6-6, Rhett Stokes delivered the decisive hit, lining a 1-0 pitch down the left field line to score the winning run from second.

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In a game that was delayed more than five hours by weather, No. 16 Kansas defeated Kansas State baseball, 9-7, to complete a Dillons Sunflower Showdown sweep at Tointon Family Stadium Sunday.

With the victory, KU improved to 33-11 and 17-4 in Big 12 play, continuing its best conference start in school history. K-State fell to 26-18 and 9-12 in league games.

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Arizona baseball took advantage of three errors to claim an 11-7 victory over Kansas State Sunday afternoon at Hi Corbett Field, preventing the Wildcats from securing the series sweep.

“We had our opportunities to win that game,” eighth-year head coach Pete Hughes said in a statement. “I thought we did enough offensively, and we came on strong late, but wasn’t enough. We had enough defensive miscues to create some opportunities for Arizona, and that turned out to be the difference of the game.”

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Kansas State baseball jumped back into the win column Tuesday night, as the Wildcats dealt Wichita State a 10-6 loss at Eck Stadium.

With the win, K-State (21-12, 5-7 Big 12) earned its sixth consecutive win over Wichita State, tying the program’s second-longest winning streak in the series’ history.

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A pair of TCU pitchers combined to shut out Kansas State baseball Sunday, as the Horned Frogs won the series with a 4-0 victory at Tointon Family Stadium.

With the loss, the Wildcats move to 20-12 overall on the season with a 5-7 mark in Big 12 play, while TCU improves to 20-11 and 7-5 in league games.

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Six homers, including multi-home run performances by Dee Kennedy and AJ Evasco, powered K-State to a 16-3 eight-inning victory over BYU Tuesday at Miller Park.

K-State (19-10, 4-5 Big 12) scored 10 runs over the first five innings, which included three home runs in the opening frame. The Wildcats totaled 11 extra base hits, as eight players contributed a hit, including six with multiple.

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Utah’s Jacob Long hit for the cycle in a 16-14 defeat over Kansas State baseball Sunday afternoon at Charlie Monfort Field at America First Ballpark.

After dropping the series opener, Utah (15-10, 5-4 Big 12) rallied behind a six-run eighth inning to defeat the Wildcats and earn their fifth series win of the season and second in Big 12 play. With the loss, the Wildcats dropped to 18-10 overall with a 4-5 Big 12 mark.

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A 24-year college coaching veteran who has 12 years of coordinator experience, Marcel Yates will lead the Kansas State cornerbacks, head coach Collin Klein announced Tuesday.

Yates replaces co-defensive coordinator Marcus Woodson, who left to coach at Ole Miss, the school announced on March 19.

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Drew Grego’s five RBI lifted No. 24 Nebraska to a 14-9 win over Kansas State at Tointon Family Stadium Tuesday night.

“Key point in the game was the top of the fifth,” said head coach Pete Hughes in a statement. “We did a great job in the bottom of the fourth building a big inning with six runs. It is critical to have a shutdown inning when we go back on defense and keep the momentum of the game on our side. We were unable to do that, and it was the turning point in the game.”

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Twelve unanswered runs backed Lincoln Sheffield’s complete game, as Kansas State baseball downed Arizona State, 12-1, in seven innings Sunday afternoon at Tointon Family Stadium, avoiding a sweep in the Wildcats’ first home conference series.

Trailing 1-0 headed into the bottom of the third, K-State erupted 12 runs over a three-inning span to secure its sixth run-rule victory of the season, and fourth in the last seven games.

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Carlos Vasquez’s two home runs and career-high seven RBI fueled Kansas State baseball to a historic victory Tuesday night, as the Wildcats rolled to a 13-3 seven-inning victory over Baylor Tuesday night at Magnolia Field at Baylor Ballpark.

With its fifth run-rule victory of the 2026 campaign, K-State (16-5, 2-1 Big 12) set a program record for run-rule wins in a single season, while it also marked the first time in school history the Wildcats have run-ruled the Bears. It is the 16th run-rule victory under eighth-year head coach Pete Hughes, the most by any K-State head coach in recorded history.

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Kansas State baseball opened Big 12 play with a 2-1 series win at Houston over the weekend, despite falling late in Sunday’s series finale at Darryl and Lori Schroeder Park.

The Wildcats’ saw offensive success all weekend, looking for the sweep before Houston’s Dylan Maxcey connected for a go-ahead two-run double in the eighth inning Sunday. He broke a 6-6 tie and highlighted an 11-run frame, guiding the Cougars to a 16-6 victory.

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Led by a quality start by Lincoln Sheffield and a three-run home run from Ty Smolinski, Kansas State baseball rallied to defeat Columbia, 5-2, Saturday afternoon at Tointon Family Stadium.

“Good weekend,” said eighth-year head coach Pete Hughes in a statement. “It’s all about winning the series, and I thought we won a series against a really good Columbia team that’s going to win a lot of games this year, which was no surprise to me.”

Down 2-0 headed into the bottom of the second, Smolinski belted a three-run homer to score the deciding run and lift K-State to its first series win of the season. With Saturday’s win, K-State improved to 8-4, marking the second-best record through the first 12 games of the season in the Hughes era.

“It was a grinding series win, and I’m proud of our guys,” Hughes said. “We were undermanned on the mound, and that’s what good teams do — you pick each other up. We had a lot of kids stand out in doing that for us. We needed a great start today since we were light in the bullpen, and we got that from Lincoln Sheffield. That’s what you expect to get out of your senior strike-thrower and ultimate competitor.”

Sheffield (3-0) surrendered just two runs over 6 2/3 innings for his first quality start of the season. After allowing both runs in the opening frame, the left-hander retired 19 of the next 23 batters he faced and allowed two runners to reach scoring position. The Flowood, Mississippi product finished his third start of the year holding Columbia (1-5) to six hits with a season-high eight strikeouts.

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Led by a quality start by Lincoln Sheffield and a three-run home run from Ty Smolinski, Kansas State baseball rallied to defeat Columbia, 5-2, Saturday afternoon at Tointon Family Stadium.

“Good weekend,” said eighth-year head coach Pete Hughes in a statement. “It’s all about winning the series, and I thought we won a series against a really good Columbia team that’s going to win a lot of games this year, which was no surprise to me.”

Down 2-0 headed into the bottom of the second, Smolinski belted a three-run homer to score the deciding run and lift K-State to its first series win of the season. With Saturday’s win, K-State improved to 8-4, marking the second-best record through the first 12 games of the season in the Hughes era.

“It was a grinding series win, and I’m proud of our guys,” Hughes said. “We were undermanned on the mound, and that’s what good teams do — you pick each other up. We had a lot of kids stand out in doing that for us. We needed a great start today since we were light in the bullpen, and we got that from Lincoln Sheffield. That’s what you expect to get out of your senior strike-thrower and ultimate competitor.”

Sheffield (3-0) surrendered just two runs over 6 2/3 innings for his first quality start of the season. After allowing both runs in the opening frame, the left-hander retired 19 of the next 23 batters he faced and allowed two runners to reach scoring position. The Flowood, Mississippi product finished his third start of the year holding Columbia (1-5) to six hits with a season-high eight strikeouts.

Read the rest at The Mercury!

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Led by a quality start by Lincoln Sheffield and a three-run home run from Ty Smolinski, Kansas State baseball rallied to defeat Columbia, 5-2, Saturday afternoon at Tointon Family Stadium.

“Good weekend,” said eighth-year head coach Pete Hughes in a statement. “It’s all about winning the series, and I thought we won a series against a really good Columbia team that’s going to win a lot of games this year, which was no surprise to me.”

Down 2-0 headed into the bottom of the second, Smolinski belted a three-run homer to score the deciding run and lift K-State to its first series win of the season. With Saturday’s win, K-State improved to 8-4, marking the second-best record through the first 12 games of the season in the Hughes era.

“It was a grinding series win, and I’m proud of our guys,” Hughes said. “We were undermanned on the mound, and that’s what good teams do — you pick each other up. We had a lot of kids stand out in doing that for us. We needed a great start today since we were light in the bullpen, and we got that from Lincoln Sheffield. That’s what you expect to get out of your senior strike-thrower and ultimate competitor.”

Sheffield (3-0) surrendered just two runs over 6 2/3 innings for his first quality start of the season. After allowing both runs in the opening frame, the left-hander retired 19 of the next 23 batters he faced and allowed two runners to reach scoring position. The Flowood, Mississippi product finished his third start of the year holding Columbia (1-5) to six hits with a season-high eight strikeouts.

Read the rest at The Mercury!

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Led by a quality start by Lincoln Sheffield and a three-run home run from Ty Smolinski, Kansas State baseball rallied to defeat Columbia, 5-2, Saturday afternoon at Tointon Family Stadium.

“Good weekend,” said eighth-year head coach Pete Hughes in a statement. “It’s all about winning the series, and I thought we won a series against a really good Columbia team that’s going to win a lot of games this year, which was no surprise to me.”

Down 2-0 headed into the bottom of the second, Smolinski belted a three-run homer to score the deciding run and lift K-State to its first series win of the season. With Saturday’s win, K-State improved to 8-4, marking the second-best record through the first 12 games of the season in the Hughes era.

“It was a grinding series win, and I’m proud of our guys,” Hughes said. “We were undermanned on the mound, and that’s what good teams do — you pick each other up. We had a lot of kids stand out in doing that for us. We needed a great start today since we were light in the bullpen, and we got that from Lincoln Sheffield. That’s what you expect to get out of your senior strike-thrower and ultimate competitor.”

Sheffield (3-0) surrendered just two runs over 6 2/3 innings for his first quality start of the season. After allowing both runs in the opening frame, the left-hander retired 19 of the next 23 batters he faced and allowed two runners to reach scoring position. The Flowood, Mississippi product finished his third start of the year holding Columbia (1-5) to six hits with a season-high eight strikeouts.

Read the rest at The Mercury!

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Led by a quality start by Lincoln Sheffield and a three-run home run from Ty Smolinski, Kansas State baseball rallied to defeat Columbia, 5-2, Saturday afternoon at Tointon Family Stadium.

“Good weekend,” said eighth-year head coach Pete Hughes in a statement. “It’s all about winning the series, and I thought we won a series against a really good Columbia team that’s going to win a lot of games this year, which was no surprise to me.”

Down 2-0 headed into the bottom of the second, Smolinski belted a three-run homer to score the deciding run and lift K-State to its first series win of the season. With Saturday’s win, K-State improved to 8-4, marking the second-best record through the first 12 games of the season in the Hughes era.

“It was a grinding series win, and I’m proud of our guys,” Hughes said. “We were undermanned on the mound, and that’s what good teams do — you pick each other up. We had a lot of kids stand out in doing that for us. We needed a great start today since we were light in the bullpen, and we got that from Lincoln Sheffield. That’s what you expect to get out of your senior strike-thrower and ultimate competitor.”

Sheffield (3-0) surrendered just two runs over 6 2/3 innings for his first quality start of the season. After allowing both runs in the opening frame, the left-hander retired 19 of the next 23 batters he faced and allowed two runners to reach scoring position. The Flowood, Mississippi product finished his third start of the year holding Columbia (1-5) to six hits with a season-high eight strikeouts.

Read the rest at The Mercury!

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By Toby Hammes

Kansas State baseball opened the 2026 season with a statement win over a power conference opponent.

The Wildcats (1-0) defeated Iowa 15-6 in the first matchup of the MLB Desert Invitational in Goodyear, Ariz. It was the most runs for K-State in a season opener since 2009.

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By Toby Hammes

Make no mistake, Omaha is the stated goal inside the Kansas State baseball clubhouse.

“We’re excited to take that next step to be a sustainable national player in this game,” eighth-year head coach Pete Hughes said Wednesday. “And ultimately to get to our next step, which we’re close to and we’re determined to make happen, is to play in Omaha at the end of the year and get hot and play for a national championship.”

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By Toby Hammes

A former Manhattan High baseball standout will continue his career at the Division I level, as Kyler Horsman has committed to join the Kansas State program.

Horsman, a senior pitcher and third baseman for Manhattan High in 2023, helped lead the Indians to an 18–3 record and a top-seed berth in the Class 6A state tournament. That spring, he was named the Centennial League’s player of the year and earned first-team all-league and all-state honors.

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Following its second consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance and a record-breaking 17 conference wins, K-State baseball and eighth-year head coach Pete Hughes have announced the Wildcats’ complete 2026 schedule. The season officially gets underway on February 13 and features 26 home games at Tointon Family Stadium.

The Wildcats’ 55-game schedule includes nine opponents that advanced to the NCAA Regional round last season, highlighted by Super Regional participants Auburn and West Virginia, along with College World Series qualifier Arizona. In total, K-State will face nine teams — 22 games — that finished with an RPI of 50 or lower in 2025, while two were ranked in the final D1Baseball Top 25 poll.

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Former K-State All-American Kaelen Culpepper was named the 2025 Minnesota Twins Minor League Player of the Year, earning the organization’s Sherry Robertson Award.

Culpepper, who was drafted 21st overall in the 2024 MLB Draft, quickly made the jump to Double-A in June and established himself as one of the top players in the Twins’ organization. This summer, the first-rounder earned a spot on the American League Team at the 2025 All-Star Futures Game, standing out as the organization’s lone selection, and also garnered Texas League All-Star honors.

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After one season at K-State, infielder Seth Dardar has entered the transfer portal, according to Kendall Rogers of D1Baseball.

At the plate, Dardar led K-State in multiple categories. Finishing the year with a team best .326 batting average, 18 doubles and a 1.065 OPS. He was also one of the top batters with 60 hits, 45 RBI and 13 home runs. The Wildcats set a new single-season home run record this year with 97.

With his 50 starts this season, Dardar was key in the Wildcats returning to the NCAA Tournament for the second straight season. K-State went 1-2 at the Austin Regional and finished the season with a 32-26 record.

Dardar will have one year of eligibility remaining.

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Kansas State baseball was eliminated from the 2025 NCAA Tournament as top-seeded Texas powered to a 15-8 win Sunday afternoon in the 2025 NCAA Austin Regional at UFCU Disch-Falk Field.

K-State concluded its season with a 32-26 record, making its second straight NCAA Tournament run and first back-to-back appearances since 2010-11. The Wildcats also set a program record 97 home runs.

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AUSTIN, Texas — Second-seeded UTSA scored seven runs over the sixth and seventh innings to defeat No. 3-seed K-State, 10-2, Friday night on the first day of the NCAA Austin Regional at UFCU Disch-Falk Field

K-State fell to 31-25 on the year and will play an elimination game against No.4-seed Houston Christian (32-24) at 2 p.m. Saturday, followed by a matchup between UTSA (45-13) and No. 2 national seed and regional host Texas (43-12) at 8 p.m.

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MANHATTAN, Kan. (K-State Athletics) – The Kansas State baseball team received an at-large bid to the 2025 NCAA Division I Baseball Championship on Monday, as the Wildcats were selected as the No. 3 seed at the Austin Regional.

K-State (31-24) was selected as the No. 3 seed in the Austin Regional and will take on the second-seeded UTSA Roadrunners (44-13) on Friday, May 30, at 6 p.m. CT at UFCU Disch-Falk Field, in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament.

It will be the program’s sixth NCAA Tournament appearance and second straight, the first time earning back-to-back selections since 2010-11. It is also the second appearance in the Pete Hughes era. Overall, the Wildcats are 9-6 in regional play after sweeping the Fayetteville Regional last season.

The Austin Regional will be broadcast on ESPN+ and the ESPN app, while radio coverage is available on the K-State Sports Network. A free, live streaming audio is available for all games at News Radio KMAN.
All tickets are handled and sold through the host site. Tickets will not be available through K-State Athletics. Single session tickets will go on sale to the general public through the Texas Athletics ticket office at 10 a.m. CT on Thursday, May 29.

K-State and UTSA will meet for the fifth time in program history with the series tied 2-2 since its start in 2008. The two squads last faced off on March 18, 2009, which led to K-State’s 5-4 victory to secure a two-game series win.

The winner of the Kansas State-UTSA game will play the winner of No. 2 national seed Texas (42-12) and fourth-seeded Houston Christian (32-23) on Saturday, May 31.

The winner of the Austin Regional will play the winner of the Los Angeles Regional in the best-of-three-game super regional from June 6-8 or June 7-9. No. 15 national seed UCLA (42-16) hosts second-seeded UC Irvine (41-15), third-seeded Arizona State (35-22), and fourth-seeded Fresno State (31-27) in Los Angeles, California at Jackie Robinson Stadium.

NCAA Austin Regional hosted by Texas
Friday, May 30
Game 1 – #1 Texas vs. #4 Houston Christian – 1 p.m. CT (ESPN+)
Game 2 – #2 UTSA vs. #3 Kansas State – 6 p.m. CT (ESPN+)

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Keegan O’Connor delivered a walk-off single to complete the Wildcats’ dramatic comeback victory Friday night, as K-State erased a five-run deficit in the ninth inning to edge 12th-ranked West Virginia, 8-7, at Tointon Family Stadium.

The Mountaineers (39-9, 18-5 Big 12), ranked 12th by D1Baseball, jumped out to a 4-0 lead before stretching their lead to five after scoring three runs in the eighth and ninth innings. Trailing 7-2 heading into the bottom of the ninth, K-State (29-20, 15-10 Big 12) sent 10 batters to the plate and erupted for five runs before O’Connor’s game-winning hit sealed a walk-off victory, handing the Wildcats their fourth Top 25 win of the season.

“Well, that was fun,” said head coach Pete Hughes after the game. “That’s why we all came here, the players, our staff, to win games like that in front of our community, to have a distinct home field advantage.”

“We had every single guy on our team who hit that inning have that mentality and allowed us to win the last at bat,” Hughes added.

O’Connor, the Big 12 Newcomer of the Week, led off the Wildcats ninth-inning rally with his 16th homer – a 354-foot shot over the left field wall – tying the program’s single-season record. With his 16th blast of the year, O’Connor is the fourth player to achieve the milestone, joining former Wildcats Heath Schesser (1997), Scott Poepard (1997) and career-home run record holder Dylan Phillips (2021).

“Jacob Frost allowed us to do that too. He got hit around a little bit, and by a good offensive team, but he didn’t panic, and he damage-controlled that outing and gave his teammates a chance to win the game in the ninth,” Hughes added.

In his 12th start of the season, Frost retired nine of the first 10 batters he faced, including striking out five. The St. Louis, Mo., product capped his 6 2/3 innings with nine strikeouts against an offense that averaged just 6.8 per game before handing the ball over to Ty Ruhl. The reliever finished the game and was awarded the win, improving to 3-2 on the year.

Eight different players contributed a hit in the victory, with four recording multi-hit efforts. Sophomore Dee Kennedy went 3-for-4 to pace the Wildcats’ offense, producing his 17th game with multiple hits, a team high. In addition to O’Connor, catcher Bear Madliak drove in a pair of runs, going 2-for-4 with a home run and single.

With homers by Madliak and O’Connor, the Wildcats are one short of tying a program-record 89 set in 2021.

The comeback victory, which marked the 50th under Hughes, is the largest come-from-behind win since March 28, 2023 where the Wildcats trailed 9-4 after six innings against Air Force before rallying for eight unanswered runs.

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Thursday: BYU 11 K-State 6

BYU raced out to a seven-run lead after the third inning on its way to taking the series opener from K-State, 10-6, Thursday night at Miller Park.

The Cougars (22-21, 7-15 Big 12) brought nine hitters to the plate in the first and seven in the third, scoring three and four runs in those frames. Ryder Robinson hit a two-run homer in the first, his first of the night, and Parker Goff launched a three-run shot in the third.

Senior left-hander Jacob Frost was tagged for the loss after allowing three earned runs in the first on two hits with three walks and two strikeouts.

Freshman AJ Evasco got the Cats (26-20, 12-10 Big 12) on the board in the top of the fourth, as his two-run home run was set up by a single from David Bishop. Shintaro Inoue paced the Wildcat offense with two hits and two RBI, while Dee Kennedy doubled in going 1-for-4.

Evasco, who finished with a team-high three RBI, launched the Wildcats’ 78th homer of the season – third-most in school history.

Four Cougars registered multi-RBI efforts, led by three from Robinson and Tate Gambill as the duo each had three-hit performances.

K-State was just 1-for-10 with runners in scoring position and stranded nine runners.

BYU hit .462 (6-for-13) with runners in scoring position and .421 (8-for-19) with runners on base, leaving 12 on base.

Friday: K-State 18 BYU 4

The Wildcat offense erupted for six home runs Friday night, including a record-tying three from Keegan O’Connor, as K-State routed BYU, 18-4, to even the conference series at Miller Park.

A native of Andover, Massachusetts, O’Connor tied the program’s single-game home run record, becoming just the fifth Wildcat in school history to hit three in a game – and the first since Jared Goedert in 2006 against South Dakota State. He finished just a grand slam shy of the home run cycle and a double short of hitting for the cycle. O’Connor is only the second player from the Big 12 Conference to blast three homers in a game in 2025.

The Wildcats (27-20, 13-10 Big 12) scored 16 runs over a four-inning stretch, highlighted by a seven-run fifth inning. Eleven of K-State’s 19 hits – its second-highest total this season – went for extra bases while eight of nine starters contributed a hit. Six different players registered multi-hit efforts in the win with four driving in two or more runs.

The offensive surge also included two home runs from Seth Dardar and a two-run shot by Maximus Martin. Dardar became the sixth Wildcat this season to record a multi-home run game.

K-State starter Michael Quevedo (6-1) retired eight of the first 11 batters he faced and carried a one-hitter into the fourth inning on his way to picking up the win. The senior left-hander struck out 10 over six innings, allowing three earned runs before handing the ball over to Adam Arther. The sophomore reliever surrendered just one run over the final three innings to earn his first collegiate save.

O’Connor finished the game 5-for-6 with six RBIs and four runs scored. He is now just one home run shy of tying the program’s single-season record, leading the Wildcats with 15 on the year. Martin ranks second with 13, while Dardar became the fourth Wildcat to reach double digits in home runs this season.

With the win, K-State snapped a 10-game road losing streak and secured its first victory in Provo in the series against BYU (22-22, 7-16 Big 12).

The 2025 Wildcats have now hit 84 home runs this season, tying for second all-time in program history and moving within five of the single-season record.

Saturday: K-State 13 BYU 4

K-State exploded for six runs in the first inning on its way to capturing its sixth Big 12 series win, as the Wildcats pounded out 18 hits in a 13-4 victory over BYU at Miller Park on Saturday.

“Proud of our fight to win the last two on the road for a series win,” said K-State head coach Pete Hughes. “Our top four hitters being on base 16 times can really make for a powerful offensive day.”

After dropping the series opener, the Wildcats (28-20, 14-10 Big 12) came back to win the series, outscoring the Cougars, 31-8, in the final two games to capture their second road series of the season and seventh overall.

“Loved our energy the last two days. We played with immediate urgency today to set the tone right from the first pitch. Think our guys are seeing the finish line and understand how important these last series are for our program,” Hughes commented.

Lincoln Sheffield picked up his sixth win at K-State to improve to 6-4 on the year, after holding the Cougars (22-23, 7-17 Big 12) to four runs (three earned). The senior left-hander capped his 12th start with six strikeouts and scattered seven hits in 5 2/3 innings.

James Guyette closed the game in relief of Sheffield, firing 3 1/3 scoreless innings and allowing just two hits with five strikeouts.

“Lincoln did a great job versus a scary BYU offense. He kept them off balance all day and allowed us to build a lead. Guyette was sharp to finish the game.”

The Wildcats sent 21 players to the plate over the first three innings, totaling nine runs during the stretch, while the first four hitters combined to go 11-for-19 with seven runs batted in.

Seven different players contributed a hit, paced by a four-hit day from Maximus Martin, while Seth Dardar, Keegan O’Connor, and AJ Evasco each had three. A native of Edgewater Park, N.J., Martin ended the day going 4-for-5 with four RBI and scoring three runs, and was shy a triple of hitting for the cycle.

Martin and Evasco each homered, bringing the Wildcats season total to 86, which is three short of tying the program record set in 2021 (89).

K-State returns to Tointon Family Stadium for the final home games of the regular season against nationally-ranked and Big 12 leader West Virginia, starting Friday, May 9 at 6 p.m.

The post K-State baseball wins series at BYU with blowout wins Friday and Saturday appeared first on News Radio KMAN.

MANHATTAN, Kan. – Fueled by Jacob Frost’s seven innings and a go-ahead three-run homer from Keegan O’Connor, K-State opened the series with a 5-2 win over Houston on Friday at Tointon Family Stadium.

“Friday night wins are like gold, and I thought we set the tone and set the energy level from the get-go, which is crucial in a series, especially at home,” said head coach Pete Hughes, who has led the Cats to the second-best home start in program history (15-1).

In the first meeting between the Cats and Cougars in Manhattan, K-State (25-17, 11-8 Big 12) scored all five runs over a three-inning span led by O’Connor’s 11^th homer of the year in the second.

The graduate from Andover, Mass., hit in the eighth spot of the lineup and ended the night as the only player to produce multiple hits, going 2-for-3 with a season-high four RBIs.

Frost was awarded his first victory of the season, as he turned in his second consecutive quality outing after holding the Cougars to two runs (1-2). In his 10^th start of the year, the left-hander capped his career-long outing with eight punch outs and no walks, while scattering four hits.

“[Frost] wasn’t as sharp as he usually is, but like veteran guys do, he made his adjustments and got settled in. [O’Connor] had a big night for us, and we needed that down at the bottom of the order. He was very productive, and four RBIs is what we want out of a veteran player,” Hughes added.

Ty Ruhl and James Guyette left Houston (22-19, 6-12 Big 12) hitless in the final two frames in relief of Frost, with Guyette earning his third save of the year.

UH starter Paul Schmitz (3-4) suffered the loss, giving up all five runs on six hits with four strikeouts in 3 1/3 innings of work.

K-State has homered in 31 of 42 games, totaling 71 on the year with 22 coming in the month of April. The Wildcats’ 71 homers rank fifth all-time in program history and are second in the Big 12.

In seven seasons under Hughes, K-State’s offense has turned in five of the top six seasons in terms of total home runs in program history, including a single-season record 89 in 2021.

HOW IT HAPPENED
Schmitz issued a pair of walks with one out before O’Connor belted the first pitch he faced 368-feet out to the bullpen in left field, handing the Cats a 3-0 lead.

The Cougars utilized a pair of hits in the third to pull the score within two until the Cats tacked on a run in the fourth and fifth, highlighted by doubles from David Bishop and O’Connor.

A balk from Frost led to the Cougars’ second run, making it a three-run ball game.

Leading 5-2, Guyette relieved Ruhl in the ninth and inherited runners on first and second with one out. The right-hander forced a grounder that allowed the defense to turn the double play up the middle to secure the win.

INSIDE THE BOX

• K-State scored five runs on six hits, committed one error and stranded five runners on base.
• Houston scored two runs on four hits with no errors and leaving seven on base.
• Frost earned his first win, surrendering two earned runs on four hits over seven innings of work (1-2).
• Ruhl and Guyette fired two hitless and scoreless innings, with Guyette picking his third save.
• Schmitz (3-4) suffered the loss, allowing five runs in his 3 1/3-inning start.
• O’Connor led the offense, going 2-for-3 with a season-high four RBI.
• Martin, Dardar, Flores and Bishop also each registered a hit.
• O’Connor hit a three-run homer in the second to score the winning run.
• Inoue walked twice.
• K-State hit .429 with runners in scoring position and .111 with two outs, while UH hit .143 with men in scoring position and went 0-for-9 with two outs.

TEAM NOTES

• K-State leads the all-time series, 6-2, that includes a four-game winning streak.
• Friday’s contest marked the first meeting in Manhattan between the two squads on the diamond.
• K-State has homered in 31 of 42 games, totaling 71 with 22 in the month of April.
• The 2025 team’s 71 home runs ranks fifth all-time in school history.
• O’Connor belted his 11^th homer of the season.

UP NEXT
The middle game between the Cats and Cougars is scheduled for 4 p.m. Saturday at Tointon Family Stadium, featuring a matchup between left-hander Michael Quevedo (4-1) and righty Alex Solis (1-0).

K-State baseball single-game tickets at Tointon Family Stadium are available, and can be purchased by visiting KStateSports.com, call 1-800-221-CATS (2287), or stopping by the K-State Athletics Ticket Office in Bramlage Coliseum.

The post Frost, O’Connor Fuel K-State’s Victory Over Houston appeared first on News Radio KMAN.

The Kansas State bats are back after a six-home run performance, including two each from Shintaro Inoue and Dee Kennedy, fueling a 14-8 victory over Wichita State Tuesday night at Tointon Family Stadium to complete the season series sweep.

The win snaps a five-game losing streak for the Wildcats.

Eight K-State batters contributed a hit in the win, as the Wildcats (24-17) also got homers from David Bishop and AJ Evasco. K-State tallied three runs in four different innings and turned in their second game with six home runs this season — one shy of matching the program’s all-time single-game record.

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MANHATTAN, Kan. (K-State Athletics) – For the fourth straight week, K-State baseball picked up a Big 12 Conference weekly award, as AJ Evasco was named the Newcomer of the Week on Monday afternoon.

The true freshman from Lincoln, Nebraska, becomes the third Wildcat to earn the honor this season, joining left-handed pitcher Lincoln Sheffield and shortstop Maximus Martin.

For the week, Evasco recorded a team-high 12 RBI and raised his batting average to .429, the third-best in the league and highest among all freshmen. His slugging percentage climbed to .796, ranking fourth overall in the conference.

Evasco drove in a team-leading eight RBI against Utah, helping K-State open Big 12 play with its first series sweep since 2010.  Evasco ended the weekend hitting .583 (7-for-12), compiling a 1.488 OPS with a double and home run.

In the series finale against Utah, Evasco went 3-for-4 and launched his fourth home run of the year – a walk-off three-run shot that sealed a run-rule victory and extended the Cats’ home winning streak to six.  It marked his second walk-off homer of the season, as the freshman belted a three-run homer in K-State’s 17-5 run-rule victory over William & Mary (March 8).

He blasted his first collegiate grand slam against Creighton, cutting a five-run deficit to one.

The Wildcats (12-7, 3-0 Big 12) will head to Stephenville, Texas for a midweek non-conference matchup against Tarleton State (9-12) on Wednesday, March 19. First pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m. at the Tarleton Baseball Complex. Wednesday’s game will broadcast on ESPN+, while a free live streaming audio available for all games at KStateSports.com/watch and on the K-State Sports app. Season and single-game tickets are now available. To purchase tickets, fans can visit KStateSports.com, call 1-800-221-CATS (2287), or stop by the K-State Athletics Ticket Office in Bramlage Coliseum.

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MANHATTAN, Kan. – Coming off a 2024 season in which it reached the NCAA Super Regionals for the second time in program history, the K-State baseball team has announced the entire 56-game schedule for the upcoming season. The 2025 campaign kicks off on February 14 while the home portion of the schedule starts on March 5.

“I’m excited about the challenges our 2025 schedule presents,” stated head coach Pete Hughes, entering his seventh season at the helm of the Wildcats’ baseball program. “I believe it gives us a great opportunity to compete across regions and face the nation’s best.”

The 2025 slate features eight teams that reached last season’s regional round of the NCAA Tournament, including seven home contests against Nebraska, UCF and West Virginia. A total of 10 opponents – 20 games – finished with an RPI of 45 or higher in 2024, while four were ranked in the final D1Baseball Top 25 poll.

“Building RPI and resilience is essential before we move into our new-look conference. This schedule offers great opportunities for both our program and our players,” Hughes commented.

K-State returns 20 letterwinners from last year’s squad that helped the program reach new heights. In addition to the Fayetteville Regional title, the Wildcats set a school record in total strikeouts (590) and finished in the top five of the Big 12 in several categories, including stolen bases (1st), walks (2nd), triples (2nd), strikeout-to-walk ratio (3rd), WHIP (4th), walks allowed per nine innings (3rd), and fielding percentage (4th).

Key returnees include All-Big 12 honorable mention Nick English and All-Big 12 Freshman Team selection Blake Dean, along with David Bishop, Ty Ruhl, Kyan Lodice and Cayden Phillips.

The season gets underway on the road with an 11-game stretch, as the Wildcats head east to begin their campaign in South Carolina on February 14. K-State will take on Washington, Coastal Carolina and Saint Joseph’s over four days at Springs Brooks Stadium.

After a quick stop at North Carolina, a 2024 College World Series qualifier, the Cats will face off with Arkansas, Michigan and TCU at the College Baseball Series at Globe Life Field from February 21-23. K-State will wrap up its road trip at the Frisco Classic and take on LSU, Sam Houston and Nebraska over three days at Riders Field.

K-State will open its 23-game home slate Wednesday, March 5, at Tointon Family Stadium in the first game of the home-and-home matchup with Creighton. The first home series is scheduled for March 7-9 against William and Mary.

The Wildcats’ non-conference schedule also includes midweek stops at Tarleton State (March 19) and Northeastern (April 15-16), along with home-and-home series with Omaha, Nebraska, and Wichita State.

The Wildcats begin their Big 12 slate at home against conference newcomer Utah from March 14-16, with the first road league series set for March 21-23 at Baylor.

The Cats’ home Big 12 schedule also features Texas Tech (March 28-30), UCF (April 11-13) and Houston (April 25-27). K-State will round out its home schedule against West Virginia, an NCAA Super Regional team, on May 10-11.

In addition to the Dillons Sunflower Showdown at Kansas (April 18-19), K-State will travel for Big 12 contests at Oklahoma State (April 4-6), BYU (May 1-3), and Cincinnati (May 16-18).

The 2025 Phillips 66 Big 12 Baseball Championships will take place May 21-24, as it moves to a 12-team double elimination format held at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas. The 2025 NCAA Baseball Tournament begins May 30.

Broadcast and ticket information will be announced at a later date. Every K-State baseball game can be heard on News Radio KMAN (93.3 FM, 1350 AM) with streaming audio online at K-StateSports.com.

The Wildcats conclude the fall season Thursday with the Fall World Series starting at 3 p.m. at Tointon Family Stadium with free admission. Game two of the series is scheduled for 6 p.m. Friday, followed by Sunday’s finale at 1 p.m. K-State baseball has partnered with LightMHK (formally Katie’s Way) and No Stone Unturned during the intersquad scrimmage to help raise awareness for each organization as part of the team’s 19 Ways program.

2025 K-State Baseball Schedule

Feb. 14 Fri vs. Washington Conway, SC TBA
Feb. 15 Sat at Coastal Carolina Conway, SC TBA
Feb. 16 Sun vs. Saint Joseph’s Conway, SC TBA
Feb. 17 Mon at Coastal Carolina Conway, SC TBA
Feb. 19 Wed at North Carolina Chapel Hill, NC TBA
Feb. 21 Fri vs. Arkansas* Arlington, TX 7 PM
Feb. 22 Sat vs. Michigan* Arlington, TX 2 PM
Feb. 23 Sun vs. TCU* Arlington, TX 3 PM
Feb. 28 Fri vs. LSU^ Frisco, TX 2 PM
Mar. 1 Sat vs. Sam Houston^ Frisco, TX Noon
Mar. 2 Sun vs. Nebraska^ Frisco, TX Noon
Mar. 5 Wed CREIGHTON MHK TBA
Mar. 7 Fri WILLIAM AND MARY MHK TBA
Mar. 8 Sat WILLIAM AND MARY MHK TBA
Mar. 9 Sun WILLIAM AND MARY MHK TBA
Mar. 11 Tue at Creighton Omaha, NE TBA
Mar. 12 Wed at Omaha Omaha, NE TBA
Mar. 14 Fri UTAH* MHK 6 PM
Mar. 15 Sat UTAH* MHK 4 PM
Mar. 16 Sun UTAH* MHK 1 PM
Mar. 19 Wed at Tarleton State Stephenville,TX TBA
Mar. 21 Fri at Baylor* Waco, TX 6:30 PM
Mar. 22 Sat at Baylor* Waco, TX 2 PM
Mar. 23 Sun at Baylor* Waco, TX 1 PM
Mar. 25 Tue NEBRASKA MHK 6 PM
Mar. 28 Fri TEXAS TECH* MHK 6 PM
Mar. 29 Sat TEXAS TECH* MHK 4 PM
Mar. 30 Sun TEXAS TECH* MHK 1 PM
Apr. 2 Wed at Wichita State Wichita, KS TBA
Apr. 4 Fri at Oklahoma State* Stillwater, OK TBA
Apr. 5 Sat at Oklahoma State* Stillwater, OK TBA
Apr. 6 Sun at Oklahoma State* Stillwater, OK TBA
Apr. 8 Tue MISSOURI STATE MHK 6 PM
Apr. 11 Fri UCF* MHK 6 PM
Apr. 12 Sat UCF* MHK 4 PM
Apr. 13 Sun UCF* MHK 1 PM
Apr. 15 Tue at Northeastern Boston, MA TBA
Apr. 16 Wed at Northeastern Boston, MA TBA
Apr. 18 Fri at Kansas* Lawrence, KS 6 PM
Apr. 19 Sat at Kansas* Lawrence, KS 2 PM
Apr. 20 Sun at Kansas* Lawrence, KS 1 PM
Apr. 22 Tue WICHITA STATE MHK 6 PM
Apr. 25 Fri HOUSTON* MHK 6 PM
Apr. 26 Sat HOUSTON* MHK 4 PM
Apr. 27 Sun HOUSTON* MHK 1 PM
Apr. 29 Tue at Nebraska Lincoln, NE TBA
May 1 Thu at BYU* Provo, UT TBA
May 2 Fri at BYU* Provo, UT TBA
May 3 Sat at BYU* Provo, UT TBA
May 6 Tue OMAHA MHK 6 PM
May 9 Fri WEST VIRGINIA* MHK 6 PM
May 10 Sat WEST VIRGINIA* MHK 4 PM
May 11 Sun WEST VIRGINIA* MHK 1 PM
May 16 Fri at Cincinnati* Cincinnati, OH 5 PM
May 17 Sat at Cincinnati* Cincinnati, OH 5 PM
May 18 Sun at Cincinnati* Cincinnati, OH 12 PM

May 21-24 Phillips 66 Big 12 Championships Arlington, TX (Globe Life Field)

TBA

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The Minnesota Twins have selected Kansas State shortstop Kaelen Culpepper with the 21st overall pick in the 2024 MLB Draft.

The All-American shortstop who batted to a .328 AVG with .933 OPS and 11 homers to go along with 59 RBIs this past season becomes the second player ever in K-State baseball history to be taken in the first round of the draft.

Jordan Wicks is the other one to be selected in the first round, being drafted by the Chicago Cubs in 2021.

Culpepper was rated as the 31st best player by MLB.com’s Jonathan Mayo and is the 11th player to be drafted under head coach Pete Hughes.

The post BREAKING: Twins draft Kaelen Culpepper at No. 21 in MLB Draft appeared first on News Radio KMAN.

K-State shortstop Kaelan Culpepper has been named to the D1Baseball All-American Second Team.

Culpepper becomes the first position player in school history to earn All-American status from the outlet, while he is the second Wildcat to be recognized in the Pete Hughes era.

Culpepper finished fifth in the Big 12 during the regular season in RBI, sixth in hits and led the conference in triples. With his 11 homers this year, he jumped to 10th all-time in school history, finishing with 26 during his career.

Culpepper also performed in the postseason, finishing with a .474 batting average, a .522 on-base percentage and a 1.053 slugging percentage with three doubles, one triple and two homers with 10 RBIs during the Cats run to the Super Regional.

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ARLINGTON, Texas (K-State Athletics) – A record-breaking outing from left-hander Owen Boerema and an explosive seven-run fourth led No. 6 seed K-State to an 8-4 triumph over fourth-seeded West Virginia Wednesday in an elimination game at Globe Life Field.

Boerema’s complete game set the record for the longest outing in the NCAA game held at Globe Life Field, while he also became the first pitcher in K-State history to throw a complete game in a conference tournament.

“Life in the loser’s bracket is all about surviving, advancing, not panicking, having people pick up each other, and save your bullpen,” said head coach Pete Hughes following his team’s tournament win. “Those are the themes you think about as a head coach in the loser’s bracket. Luckily, we have a team and a foundation of our pitching staff that does not panic when bases are loaded with no outs in the first inning in the loser’s bracket because we’ve got a great competitor and a confident leader on the mound who continues to throw out zeros by settling in, believing and giving his offense time to get back in their game.”

In his 17th start of the season, Boerema struck out 10 batters and scattered seven hits in his career-long outing, as he held the Mountaineers to four earned runs (6-3). The lefty graduate’s 10 strikeouts are the most by a Wildcat in a single conference tournament game, breaking the previous record of nine.

Boerema’s 17th start set a new program record as just seven pitchers in K-State history have started in 16 games in a single season.

“I’ll just give a lot of credit to our pitching coach [Rudy Darrow]. It’s so difficult to call pitches when you have to maneuver your way through a lineup four-five times with the best hitter in our conference. That constant attention to detail and changing of patterns, it was as good a repertoire I saw in the field between the pitching coach calling a game and a pitcher I’ve seen in a long time,” Hughes mentioned.

Trailing 3-0 heading into the fourth inning, K-State (32-23) sent 13 batters to the plate and rallied for seven unanswered runs led by back-to-back two-RBI hits from Brady Day and David Bishop.

Offensively, six different Wildcats generated a hit Wednesday led by a two-hit day from Kyan Lodice, who went 2-for-4 with a pair of bunt singles. Bishop drove in a game-high three runs followed by Day with two, while Brendan Jones scored twice for the Cats.

“Obviously, the key to that whole game was Owen’s performance. Absolutely. Number one. Number two, not panicking early in the game and trusting your offense and being super disciplined at the plate, getting the walk to be a weapon for us again and take advantage of the inning. These are the things we haven’t done up late, but it doesn’t happen without Owen unselfishly going beyond his normal pitch count so we can save our bullpen for future games. It was as good as a performance that I’ve been around so it was awesome to watch.”

West Virginia’s (33-22) pitching staff issued 11 walks to K-State, marking the Wildcats’ second game this season with double digit walks.

K-State will face ninth-seeded TCU (32-20) in an elimination game Thursday at 9 a.m. at Globe Life Field.

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ARLINGTON, TX (K-State Athletics) – KU managed to outlast K-State in the opening round of the 2024 Phillips 66 Big 12 Championship Tuesday, as the Jayhawks held on for a 2-1 victory at Globe Life Field.

“It was a well-played game,” said head coach Pete Hughes. “Disappointing from our perspective, obviously, but when you play in those tight ball games you’ve got to get a two-out hit. Have to get a misplay, there’s no wiggle room. You have to play really clean baseball to win those games.”

The Cats will play West Virginia (33-21) in an elimination game at 9 a.m. Wednesday at Globe Life Field and can be seen on Big 12 Now on ESPN+ and the ESPN app. Radio coverage can be heard on the K-State Sports Radio Network with live audio streaming at K-StateSports.com/Watch.

The pitching staff combined to strike out 10 batters and held the Jayhawks (30-21) to five hits. Josh Wintroub logged 3 1/3 innings of three-hit, one run ball in his 13th start of the season, while Cole Wisenbaker and Jackson Wentworth combined for 4 1/3 scoreless innings with five strikeouts.

“It’s a challenge especially with the new format, starting a day early. It gets tricky. You need depth. Certainly, bullpen depth really didn’t hurt us today. We pitched well enough for sure to win a ballgame,” commented Hughes.

“It’ll get tricky, the key is those built-in day offs. That’s what you have to play to get in those situations. We can have a day off to rest your pitching, but going through the losing bracket will certainly test the depth of our pitching staff going forward.”

Tyson Neighbors (1-2) suffered the loss in relief, allowing one run (one earned) on one hit in 1 1/3 innings of work with three strikeouts.

K-State (31-23) held a 7-5 advantage in hits led by three-hit days from Kaelen Culpepper and David Bishop. Culpepper, who went 3-for-4, drove in the Cats’ only run in the fifth to tie the game.

The Sunflower Showdown rivals met for the second consecutive year in the Conference tournament.

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MANHATTAN, Kan. – K-State’s Brady Day was voted to the All-Big 12 First Team while Kaelen Culpepper and Tyson Neighbors received Second Team honors to highlight the Wildcats’ nine total selections, as the Big 12 Conference revealed its 2024 All-Big 12 Baseball Awards Monday.

Additionally, Owen Boerema, Nick English, Brendan Jones, Raphael Pelletier, and Jackson Wentworth each received honorable mention accolades while Blake Dean was named to the All-Freshman Team, as the awards were voted on by the league’s 13 head coaches.

The Wildcats’ nine selections match the program record that was set in 2013, while K-State was one of five schools from the Big 12 to have nine or more players receive All-Big 12 honors.

Day, voted as an infielder, takes home his first all-conference first-team honor. The Hampstead, N.H., product has put together a slash line of .333/.444/.539 to go with a team-leading 51 runs batted in, which is seventh in the league. Day’s .311 average in Big 12 contests leads the Wildcats’ offense, while his career-best eight home runs this season is second on the team.

On the year, the Golden Spikes Midseason Watch List honoree has turned in a team-leading 21 multi-hit efforts along with 16 games with multiple runs driven in, while he also became the first player since 2022 to produce a 15-game hitting streak (18).

In his junior campaign, Culpepper leads K-State with his .540 slugging percentage, that includes 12 doubles, five triples and a team-high nine home runs. The All-American’s five triples lead the Big 12 Conference while four of his nine home runs this season have come in conference games.

Culpepper has started in all 50 games, as the Cats starting shortstop’s season slash line sits at .310/.406/.540 along with 47 runs batted in. A native of Memphis, Tennessee, the All-American has registered 20 multi-hit games along with 10 games with multiple RBI.

Neighbors earned All-Big 12 honors for the second consecutive year, as he leads the pitching staff with a 2.97 ERA and eight saves. Since returning from an injury that sat him out 30 games, Neighbors boasts a 1.93 ERA (28 IP, 6 ER).

In his last eight outings, he has tossed 12 1/3 shutout innings and has surrendered just one run on six hits. With 19 career saves, Neighbors stands alone at third all-time in K-State history, while his eight saves on the year ties eighth in the single-season records.

Blake Dean becomes the fifth Wildcat to be named to the All-Freshman Team under Pete Hughes, as he has made a team-leading 25 appearances with three starts on the mound. With a record of 4-3 and with one save, the Acworth, Ga., product has registered a 4.33 ERA with 58 strikeouts.

Boerema collected Big 12 accolades for the second straight year, as the lefty has struck out 89 batters this season which is sixth in the Big 12. The Litchfield, Minn., native is 5-3 on the hill and is one of nine pitchers to strikeout out 11-plus batters in a single contest this season. Boerema has compiled 184 strikeouts in his two seasons with K-State, ranking eighth all-time in school history.

In his first season with K-State, English is slashing .257/.344/.377 with 35 runs batted in and 26 runs scored. The true freshman from Olathe, Kan., has driven the game-winning run on four occasions, including a two-run single against rival KU to capture the series win. English’s 17 doubles match the freshman class single-season record set by current Major Leaguer Nick Martini in 2009.

A year after hitting .238, Jones, a product of Greenbrier, Tenn., has turned in a slash line of .301/.438/.481 with seven home runs. Jones leads the Big 12 and is fifth in the nation with 37 stolen bases and has been issued a league-high 48 walks with a team-high 58 runs. With 37 stolen bases on the year, Jones is third in the single-season records while his 67 career stolen bases in third all-time. He is 11 career steals away from tying second all-time alongside Adam Muenster (2007-10).

Pelletier, a member of the Buster Posey Catcher of the Year Watch List, received honorable mention for the second consecutive season. The Mascouche, Quebec product has caught 11 runners stealing this season which ranks fourth in the Big 12. Pelletier has started in 49 games behind the plate this season while producing six doubles and team-leading nine home runs.

Wentworth has had a breakout season for the pitching staff and earns his first career Big 12 postseason honor, as he boasts an ERA of 3.69 and has a record of 4-4 with six saves this year. A native of Urbandale, Iowa, Wentworth punched out a career-high 11 batters in the Wildcats’ victory over BYU, including striking out the side in the first and sixth.

He was named the Big 12 Pitcher of the Week on April 22, after he combined for nine innings of three-hit, one run ball over three appearances. Earlier this season, Wentworth helped turn in the ninth no-hitter in K-State’s 124-year baseball history, shutting out Cincinnati 4-0. The Cats went on to win the series, marking the first opening Big 12 series victory since 2013.

Now with 100 strikeouts on the season, Wentworth ties second in the K-State single-season records and is 18 away from tying current Major Leaguer Jordan Wicks’ school record set in 2021 (118).

K-State heads into the 2024 Phillips 66 Big 12 Baseball Championship as the No. 6 seed and will meet seventh-seeded KU on Tuesday at 9 a.m. at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas.

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MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (K-State) – An eight-run deficit proved to be too much for K-State to overcome, as West Virginia claimed a 12-5 victory Sunday afternoon and picked up the series win at Wagener Field at Kendrick Family Ballpark.

K-State (29-21, 13-14 Big 12) posted a four-run sixth that trimmed its deficit to four runs after the Wildcats earlier trailed 9-1, but WVU (31-19, 17-10 Big 12) scored three late runs to put the game away.

“Overall, speaking for our guys, we are disappointed,” said head K-State baseball coach Pete Hughes. “Our approach was score early to neutralize an emotionally filled atmosphere. We were unable to create offense first and they did.”

“I was proud of our fight mid-game, but we needed to string together a couple of big innings. They continued to take advantage of opportunities via the homerun and proved to be too much,” Hughes said.

The Mountaineers pounded out 15 hits and scored eight runs with two outs, led by three-hit days from Logan Suave and Sam White, while the 2023 Big 12 Player of the Year JJ Wetherholt drove in a game-high four runs.

The Wildcats were led offensively by Chuck Ingram, who went 2-for-3, that included a lead-off double in the eighth. Brady Day turned in his 16th multi-RBI game of the season after driving in three runs for the Wildcats, including a two-run triple – his second of the year.

Right-hander Josh Wintroub took the loss, surrendering three runs (two earned) on five hits in his 1 2/3 inning start (2-4).

THE RUNDOWN

WVU took advantage of a fielding error in the outfield to plate the opening run in the first frame, before stretching the lead out to three with a pair of extra-base hits including a two-out solo shot to left center.

Brendan Jones, who dropped a bunt single to break up the no-hit bid, put the Cats on the board as the junior beat out the throw on the attempted play at home with grounder to left-handed starter Tyler Switalski in the fourth.

The Mountaineers immediately responded in the bottom of the inning, as Wetherholt belted his 27th career homer into right field to make it a 6-1 run ballgame.

Down 9-1 heading into the sixth, K-State rallied for four runs led by an issued walk to Jones. The Greenbrier, Tenn., product moved to second with a fielding error at short for Culpepper to safely reach first.

With runners on first and second, Day flared bases-clearing triple into right center until the Cats’ second baseman scored in the next at bat with a single by designated hitter Danniel Rivera, who made his way around to third on a sacrifice bunt from Jaden Parsons.

K-State turned it into a four-run game, as Cayden Phillips laid down the squeeze bunt to score Rivera, but the rally came to an end as the Mountaineers plated three runs in a two-inning span to fend off the Cats.

The post Early Deficit Proves Too Much in Loss at West Virginia appeared first on News Radio KMAN.

(K-State Athletics) – K-State scored four unanswered runs to take the Dillons Sunflower Showdown Sunday, including a go-ahead two-run single by Nick English in the seventh, as the Wildcats took the rubber game from Kansas, 4-2, at Tointon Family Stadium.

“Three really good ball games, I think it’s great for college baseball in this region of the country and great for college baseball in the state of Kansas,” said head coach Pete Hughes. “Just the amount of people that showed up in a very emotionally invested weekend, it speaks volumes to where our programs are at. That’s my biggest takeaway.”

Down 2-0 headed into the fifth, K-State (28-19, 12-12 Big 12) scored four runs over a four-inning span highlighted by English’s go-ahead two-run single in the seventh. With Sunday’s victory, K-State has won three consecutive series over the Jayhawks (27-17, 13-11 Big 12).

“The second game winner for a freshman with some emotional ties in this rivalry with his brother on the other side. So it makes for a really good story. We have a confident kid that can slow the game down in those situations and be able to execute and put good swings on, so it’s pretty awesome,” commented Hughes.

English, a true freshman from Olathe, Kan., also delivered the game-winning hit in Friday’s series opener. He finished the weekend hitting .333 (4-for-12) with three runs driven in. Jaden Parsons turned his first three-hit game with K-State with a run scored while Brady Day and Chuck Ingram each recorded an RBI.

“It is certainly great to play well against a rival in game three, the deciding game. We were able to do that by just being patient, not being down, and just letting our offense come out there at the end. We pulled away late and you know when you have a closer like [Tyson Neighbors] and also a really good setup guy like Blake Dean, it’s crucial to grab that late lead.”

Dean retired 11 of the 13 batters he faced to pick up the victory in relief (4-3). The freshman righty from Acworth, Ga., scattered just one hit over his 3 2/3 scoreless innings of with three strikeouts.

In his last four outings, Neighbors has earned a save as he collected his sixth of the season. Neighbors, a Baseball America Preseason All-American, struck out three of the five batters he faced in the final inning with a batter reaching on a wild pitch.

“All in all, really good effort by our guys. Just proud of our guys. They never panic, they showed up ready to win a series. They never get beat by the day before. That’s a mature confident athlete that can do that.”

Five pitchers made an appearance for KU, with Cooper Moore (1-2) receiving the loss while starter Evan Shaw struck out seven in his three innings of work. Moore allowed two hits, that included English’s two-run single. Collier Cranford and Lenny Ashby each turned in multi-hit efforts.

THE RUNDOWN

KU opened scoring with a 1-0 lead in the second inning, as Chase Diggins lifted a deep fly ball to left field to score the runner on the sacrifice fly. A solo homer by Ty Wilson doubled the Jayhawks lead in the fourth.

Freshman Adam Arther and Dean teamed up to strikeout the side in the fifth, leaving runners on first and second.

The Wildcats pushed their first run across the plate in the fifth, as Parsons and Raphael Pelletier each singled before Ingram flared a 0-2 pitch deep into right field that allowed Parsons to score.

Trailing 2-1, Brendan Jones was issued a walk to lead off the sixth until the junior stole his 32nd base of the season and advanced to third on a balk. Brady Day battled in a nine-pitch at bat before lifting a fly ball to left field, and driving in Jones to even the score.

The Wildcats took the lead in the seventh, as Ingram walked on four pitches and advanced to third on a single through the right side from David Bishop. With two outs, English laced the third pitch he faced from Moore into right field to score Ingram and Bishop.

Dean retired the Jayhawks in order in his final inning before Neighbors entered the game in the ninth. The junior righty struck out the first two batters he faced before a double and wild pitch brought the go-ahead run to the plate, but a fly ball to center ended the threat and secured the series victory.

The post Four Unanswered Runs Sparks Comeback Win over KU appeared first on News Radio KMAN.

(K-State Athletics) – Seven solid innings from Owen Boerema and a go-ahead RBI single by Nick English led K-State to a 3-2 triumph over rival Kansas in game one of the Dillons Sunflower Showdown Friday night at Tointon Family Stadium.

“That was your classic Friday night Big 12 contest,” said K-State head coach Pete Hughes. “Two really good teams, two great starting pitching performances, home runs, big hits, pressure pitches being made, that’s what it’s all about.

“Every kid in that dugout, every coach on our staff, that’s what we signed up for, to be in high-pressure, meaningful games, and we just love seeing our kids compete in the performance-pressure situations,” Hughes said.

Trailing 2-1 headed into the bottom of the eighth inning, K-State (27-18, 11-11 Big 12) tied the game with a two-out double by Kaelen Culpepper until English drove the first pitch up the middle to score the deciding run.

The Jayhawks (26-16, 12-10 Big 12) challenged the lead in the final frame, as three consecutive walks loaded the bases with no outs against K-State closer Tyson Neighbors.

“There’s only one guy in our program that can pitch his way out of it, and it was the guy on the mound.”

Following a talk with his defense, Neighbors settled in and struck out the next batter before third baseman Jaden Parsons halted a liner from KU’s hot hitter Jake English, older brother of Nick English, to get the second out.

Now with two outs and bases loaded, Neighbors faced the 2023 Co-Big 12 Freshman of the Year Kodey Shojinaga. Neighbors worked his way out of a full count as he painted the outside corner to ring up Shojinaga to secure the Big 12 win and pick up his fifth save of the season.

“The last at-bat was with one of their best hitters and honestly, one of the toughest guys in their program to strike out and it’s a 3-2 count and then you throw a secondary pitch with 100% conviction. We got the strikeout, but only one guy can make those pitches in our program.”

Boerema turned in his third quality start of the season, as he held the Jayhawks to two earned runs on eight hits in his seven innings. After surrendering two runs on solo home runs, the graduate from Litchfield, Minn., retired 10 of the next 15 batters he faced, finishing the game with eight strikeouts and one walk.

In their 12th come-from-behind win of the season, the Wildcats extended their winning streak to seven against the Jayhawks while also snapping KU’s season-long, seven-game win streak.

Now with the second longest win streak against the Jayhawks, the Wildcats are one victory away from matching the program’s eight-game win streak set from April 23, 2006, to May 15, 2009.

Blake Dean logged a shutout inning in relief of Boerema and recorded a pair of strikeouts. Neighbors has picked up a save in his last three outings, totaling 16 in his career which ranks fourth all-time in school history.

Three Wildcats turned in multi-hit efforts led by Danniel Rivera, who went 3-for-3 with a walk. Culpepper and English each had two-hit days and drove in a run while Parsons scored two runs.

The post Late Rally Lifts K-State to Sunflower Showdown Opening Win appeared first on News Radio KMAN.

Seg 1: Longtime Butler Football coach Steve Braet passes away
Seg 2: Nebraska no-hits K-State
Seg 3: Are the Royals doing okay?

Seg 1: College Football round-up
Seg 2: Real or fake Kentucky Derby horse names
Seg 3: Arena Football tales
Seg 4: Ask Us Anything

The post The Game 05/02/2024 appeared first on News Radio KMAN.

Hour 1:

Seg. 1 – Mason Voth from K-State Online

Seg. 2 – More with Mason

Seg. 3 – Reggie Bush gets his Heisman back

Hour 2:

Seg. 1 – K-State to play Iowa State in Ireland in 2025

Seg. 2 – Interview with K-State baseball coach Pete Hughes

Seg. 3 – Jabroni of the Week/Ask us Anything

The post The Game – 4/24/24 appeared first on News Radio KMAN.

STORRS, CN (K-State) – A two-run third inning was all UConn would need Tuesday night, as the Huskies shut out K-State, 4-0, at Elliot Ballpark.

“We couldn’t seem to be able to build an inning or put pressure on them all night,” said K-State head coach Pete Hughes after the game. “I thought they did a really good job attacking our offense. They executed the appropriate matchups and made the limited big pitches that had to be thrown.”

UConn (17-7) spotted Andrew Evans (3-2) for the two runs in the third inning, as the sophomore righty suffered the loss and scattered three hits in his 2 1/3 innings in relief of starter Ty Ruhl.

Ruhl struck out two in his first outing since February 23, holding the Huskies scoreless and without a hit over an inning of work, while Sam Roberts also tossed a scoreless inning with two strikeouts.

The Huskies’ Joe Cinnella picked up the win in relief and limited the Cats to just two hits in his two innings (3-2). Garrett Coe tossed a game-long four innings, allowing two hits with four strikeouts and a walk in his start.

K-State (21-14) dropped its fourth straight game and was shutout for the first time since April 9, 2022, vs. Texas Tech.

Five different Wildcats generated a hit in the game highlighted by the lone extra-base hit from Jaden Parsons. Kaelen Culpepper, Nick English, Cayden Phillips, and David Bishop all singled on the night.

Four of the Huskies’ six hits were for extra bases, with Paul Tammaro, Korey Morton, and Matt Garbowski each driving in a run.

THE RUNDOWN

After two scoreless frames, the Huskies rallied for a pair of two-out singles to jump out to a 2-0 lead.

The Wildcats best chance to jump on the board came in the fifth as Phillips and Bishop each strung together a pair of hits but UConn picked up a quick two outs to end the threat.

UConn doubled its lead over the final three-inning span, highlighted by a solo blast from Garbowski in the sixth.

The post Cats Quieted by UConn Tuesday Night appeared first on News Radio KMAN.