K-State Ends Homestand with Missouri State

MANHATTAN, Kan. – K-State concludes it seven-game homestand with a three-game set against Missouri State, beginning Friday at 6 p.m. inside Tointon Family Stadium.

Game two is slated for 4 p.m. Saturday with the Bears, while Sunday's series finale is scheduled for a 1 p.m. start.

K-State (10-6) holds a 14-11 edge over Missouri State (9-6) since the first game in 1984, including an 8-4 record in games played in Manhattan. The last time the two teams squared off in Manhattan was in 2015 when the Wildcats claimed a 2-1 series victory.

The Wildcats will send right-hander Josh Wintroub (1-1) to the mound to get his first Friday night start. Big 12 Co-Newcomer of the Week Jacob Frost (2-0) will start in the middle game while Owen Boerema (0-0) will close out the series finale.

K-State picked up its 400^th victory at Tointon Family Stadium since its rededication in 2002, boasting an overall record of 400-214.

The entire non-conference series can be seen on Big 12 Now on ESPN+ and the ESPN app. Fans can tune in News Radio KMAN (93.3 FM, 1350 AM) and 1350KMAN.com while a free live stream audio is available for the three-game series at K-StateSports.com/watch and on the K-State Sports app.

Season and single-game tickets for the Cats 2024 home schedule are now available. To purchase season tickets, fans can visit K-StateSports.com/Tickets, call 1-800-221-CATS (2287), or stop by the K-State Athletics Ticket Office in Bramlage Coliseum.

How to follow the 'Cats: Stay up to date on K-State baseball online at www.kstatesports.com and on the team's social media channels on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

GAME #17
K-STATE (10-6, 2-1 Big 12) v. Missouri State (9-6, 0-0 MVC)
Friday, March 15 | 6 p.m. | Tointon Family Stadium (2,344)
Projected Starters: RHP Josh Wintroub (1-1) v. RHP Brandt Thompson (2-0)
Watch: Big 12 Now on ESPN+
Radio: 1350AM/93.3/93.7FM
Listen Online: kstatesports.com/watch

GAME #18
K-STATE (10-6, 2-1 Big 12) v. Missouri State (9-6, 0-0 MVC)
Saturday, March 16 | 4 p.m. | Tointon Family Stadium (2,344)
Projected Starters: LHP Jacob Frost (2-0) v. RHP Jason Schaaf (0-0)
Watch: Big 12 Now on ESPN+
Radio: 1350AM/93.3/93.7FM
Listen Online: kstatesports.com/watch

GAME #19
K-STATE (10-6, 2-1 Big 12) v. Missouri State (9-6, 0-0 MVC)
Sunday, March 17 | 1 p.m. | Tointon Family Stadium (2,344)
Projected Starters: LHP Owen Boerema (0-0) v. LHP Tyler Charlton (0-0)
Watch: Big 12 Now on ESPN+
Radio: 1350AM/93.3/93.7FM
Listen Online: kstatesports.com/watch

A LOOK AT K-STATE
K-State concludes its seven-game homestand this weekend with a three-game, non-conference set against Missouri State … The Cats head into the series 10-6 overall (2-1 Big 12) after topping South Dakota State 16-5 Wednesday … K-State's offense is hitting .310 with five players hitting over .300 … Ten players have produced home runs this season, including seven with multiple led Brady Day with five … Day is leading the Wildcats in six offensive categories: batting average (.381), hits (24), home runs (5), RBI (27), slugging percentage (.714), OPS (1.227) … Brendan Jones is on a 20-game on-base streak dating back to last season while Raphael Pelletier is on a 19-game on-base streak also from last season … Jones has stolen a team-high eight bases, which is the third most in the Big 12 … K-State will send right-hander Josh Wintroub (1-1) to mound to get his first Friday night start … Big 12 Co-Newcomer of the Week Jacob Frost (2-0) will start in the middle game while Owen Boerema (0-0) will close out the series finale.

SCOUTING MISSOURI STATE
Missouri State makes a stop at K-State, as part of its 11-game road trip … The Bears are 9-6 on the year, including a 7-5 record on the road … Missouri State was picked to finish second in the Missouri Valley Conference Preseason Poll with four players earning preseason all-conference honors … Three All-Americans highlight the Bears roster with Zack Stewart, Garrett Ferguson and Nick Rodriguez … Stewart leads the Bears offense, slashing .385/.467/.885 with seven home runs and 13 RBI … The everyday starter has earned MVC Player of the Week accolades twice this season, leading the league in slugging percentage … As a team, MSU is hitting .270 averaging 6.9 runs a game on9.4 hits … The bullpen has a 4.47 ERA (65 ERA, 131 IP) and .227 opposing batting average … Right-handed pitcher Brandt Thompson (2-0) will get the start in Friday's series opener with righty Jason Schaaf (0-0) throwing the middle game … Left-hander Tyler Charlton (0-0) will start in the series finale … Brandt has made five starts this season, including four weekend starts, posting a 3.05 ERA (7 ER, 20.2 IP) with a team-high 22 strikeouts.

INSIDE THE SERIES
K-State holds a 14-11 edge over Missouri State since the first game in 1984 … Of the 25 games, 15 have been decided by three runs or less, including three one-run contests … K-State is 8-4 in games played in Manhattan … The last time the two teams squared off in Manhattan was in 2015 when the Wildcats claimed a 2-1 series victory … The Bears won the last meeting 10-7 to end the Cats four-game win streak in Manhattan.

HOME. SWEET. HOME.
K-State is 8-2 when playing at home this season … At home, the Wildcat offense is slashing .336/.468/.585 with 47 extra base hits, including 21 home runs and 99 RBI ... K-State averages 11 runs a game on 12.4 hits when playing at Tointon Family Stadium while drawing 82 walks with 36 stolen bases... The Wildcat bullpen boasts a 5.36 ERA at home with opponents hitting .242 … The Cats have struck out 110 compared to 38 walks for a 2.89 strikeout-to-walk ratio ... Day's .415 average at Tointon leads the Cats this season, as the redshirt-junior has generated 17 hits with a team-leading 21 RBI … K-State picked up its 400^th victory at Tointon Family Stadium since its rededication in 2002 … K-State baseball is 400-214 when playing at home since 2002 … The Wildcats are 89-37 at home under Hughes and 75-25 since 2021 … Tointon's largest crowd was on March 30, 2010, against Wichita State with 4,745 in attendance.

WALK THE WALK
The Cats drew a season-high 13 walks in game two of the Holy Cross series, bringing the season total to 52 … K-State's 52 walks rank second in the Big 12 and 40^th in the nation led by Brendan Jones … The junior has drawn a league-high 12 walks this season, ranking 11^th overall in Division I … The Cats turned in 16 walks last season against Youngstown State (March 10, 2023) which was nine short of matching the Division I all-time record … The Wildcats all-time single-season walks record was set in 1995 with 382.

GOTTA BE QUICKER THAN THAT
K-State has caused trouble on the base path for opponents, stealing a league-high 43 bases this season which ranks eighth in Division I … The Cats 2.69 stolen bases per game is first in the Big 12 and sixth in the nation … Brendan Jones has stolen a team-high eight bases, which is the third most in the Big 12 … Last season, the Wildcats finished third in the league with 114 stolen bases through 59 games … The K-State single-season record is 149 set in 2009 thru 62 games …

A LOOK AT THE NUMBERS
K-State has a season +30 run differential through 16 games averaging 8.75 runs on 11 hits ... The Wildcats outscore opponents 43-29 (+14) from the seventh inning and on … Cats were 8-0 when leading after the sixth and 1-0 when tied after six ... K-State is 9-5 when committing less than one error in a game ... The Wildcats are 4-3 when scoring first and 4-2 when scoring in the first inning … K-State has outhit opponents in 10 contests (8-2) … The Cats are 7-0 when limiting opponents to five or less runs … Seven of the Cats six wins have come against right-handed starters.

AROUND THE LEAGUE
Houston and Oklahoma each swept opponents in opening Big 12 action, to sit at the top of the league standings … Four programs opened league play 2-1, including K-State which ties fourth overall … Oklahoma's Easton Carmichael (co-player), Texas' Max Belyeu (co-player), Kansas' Reese Dutton (pitcher and co-newcomer) and Kansas State's Jacob Frost (co-newcomer) garnered Big 12 baseball weekly honors for the fourth week of the season.

LAST TIME OUT
An explosive 11-run second inning and multi-RBI efforts from three different players helped K-State overcome an early deficit, as the Wildcats cruised to a 16-5 victory over South Dakota State Wednesday at Tointon Family Stadium … K-State rallied behind a lead-off home run by Chuck Ingram, as the Wildcats sent 16 players to the plate and scored 11 runs in the second to take control of the game after SDSU scored four in the top of the first … K-State scored 16 runs on 15 hits with no errors committed and 11 men left on base … SDSU scored five runs on five hits, committed two errors and left three men stranded … Eight Wildcats contributed a hit in the win with three turning in multi-hit efforts while six pitchers were utilized in the win, combining for 11 strikeouts … Andrew Evans was awarded the victory in his one inning in relief, surrendering one earned run on two hits in 4 2/3 innings of work … Ingram and Lodice each had three-hit days … Day led with a game-high four RBI followed by Ingram with three … SDSU issued 13 walks … K-State leads the all-time series against SDSU 13-1 and 11-1 at home … The win marked the Cats' seventh 10-plus run game of the season … Culpepper became the first Wildcat to draw four walks since March 24, 2023 (Dom Hughes v. Oklahoma) … Ingram's leadoff home run marked the first since March 31, 2023 (Brendan Jones, v. #24 West Virginia).

COACH HUGHES FILE
Pete Hughes is in 27th season as a head coach and sixth at the helm of K-State baseball … Hughes has compiled a career record of 795-614-3 (.564) as a head coach … His 795 career victories ranks first among active Big 12 head coaches … In five seasons as the head coach of the Wildcats, Hughes has put together a 143-122 (.540) record … Hughes grabbed his 100^th victory at K-State on Feb. 18, 2023 against Stephen F. Austin… He's led the Cats to three straight runs in the Phillips 66 Big 12 Championship semifinals ... In 2023, K-State turned in a 35-24 mark, its highest win total since posting 45 in 2013 … Two players were selected in the 2022 MLB First-Year Player Draft increasing Hughes' career draft total to 84, including 10 while at K-State, with 21 top-10 round picks after Nick Goodwin was taken in the seventh round by the Toronto Blue Jays in the 2023 MLB Draft … In total, Hughes has recruited 138 players who were drafted and/or played professionally, including 22 major leaguers and seven first-round draft picks.

UP NEXT
The Wildcats will face in-state rival Wichita State (10-6) Tuesday at Eck Stadium at 6 p.m. before returning to Big 12 action Friday with a three-game series at Houston (11-4, 4-0 Big 12).

How to follow the 'Cats: Stay up to date on K-State baseball online at www.kstatesports.com and on the team's social media channels on Facebook, X (formally known as Twitter) and Instagram.

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Kansas State University, the nation's first operational land-grant institution and a Carnegie Foundation Tier One university, is recognized as one of the nation's best colleges with world-class research and academic excellence located in America's No. 1 College Town (Manhattan, KS).

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Players Mentioned

Owen Boerema

Brady Day

Andrew Evans

Jacob Frost

Nick Goodwin

Dom Hughes

Chuck Ingram

Brendan Jones

Raphael Pelletier

Josh Wintroub

Kansas State University Athletics