Wildcats Prepped for Amegy Bank College Baseball Series

Friday, February 21

Arlington, Texas

7 p.m.

Kansas State University

Arkansas

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Wildcats Prepped for Amegy Bank College Baseball Series

Feb 20, 2025 | Baseball

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MANHATTAN, Kan. – K-State continues its 11-game road trip this weekend as the Wildcats head to Arlington, Texas to compete in the Amegy Bank College Baseball Series presented by Kubota and hosted by REV Entertainment at Globe Life Field, home of the Texas Rangers.

The Wildcats (1-4) will take on No. 5 Arkansas (4-0), Michigan (4-0) and No. 22 TCU (4-0) across the three-day event, starting Friday at 7 p.m. CT against the Razorbacks with left-hander Jacob Frost getting the nod. The Wildcats face Michigan at 2 p.m. on Saturday with lefty Michael Quevedo starting on the mound, while left-hander Lincoln Sheffield will get Sunday's start against TCU at 3 p.m.

Fans can purchase tickets online here. The entire College Baseball Series can be seen on FloSports.com while radio coverage will be carried on News Radio KMAN (93.3 FM, 1350 AM) with Brian Smoller calling all the action. A free live streaming audio available for all games at KStateSports.com/watch and on the K-State Sports app.

Following the weekend in Arlington, the Wildcats will return to Texas to compete in the Frisco Classic on February 28-March 2. K-State will take on No. 3 LSU, Sam Houston and No. 24 Nebraska over the three-day event at Riders Field. The tournament will be exclusively streamed on D1Baseball.com. D1Baseball has streaming subscription packages available that give fans live streaming access to all of this weekend's games, PLUS immediate access to D1Baseball's premium on-site content, starting at $34.99.

Season tickets are now available. To purchase season tickets, fans can visit KStateSports.com, call 1-800-221-CATS (2287), or stop by the K-State Athletics Ticket Office in Bramlage Coliseum.

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 #6
K-STATE (1-4, 0-0 Big 12) vs. #5 Arkansas (4-0, 0-0 SEC)
Friday, February 21 // 7 p.m. CT // Globe Life Field (40,300)
Projected Starters: LHP Jacob Frost (0-0) v. Gabe Gaeckle (0-0)
Watch: Flo Sports // Ben Wilson and Pat Combs
Radio: KMAN // Brian Smoller
Listen Online: kstatesports.com/watch
Live Stats // Tickets

GAME #7
K-STATE (1-4, 0-0 Big 12) vs. Michigan (4-0, 0-0 Big Ten)
Friday, February 22 // 2 p.m. CT // Globe Life Field (40,300)
Projected Starters: LHP Michael Quevedo (0-1) v. TBA
Watch: Flo Sports // Ben Wilson and Pat Combs
Radio: KMAN // Brian Smoller
Listen Online: kstatesports.com/watch
Live Stats // Tickets

GAME #8
K-STATE (1-4, 0-0 Big 12) vs. #22 TCU (4-0, 0-0 Big 12)
Friday, February 21 18 // 3 p.m. CT // Globe Life Field (40,300)
Projected Starters: LHP Lincoln Sheffield (0-1) v. RHP Trever Baumler (1-0)
Watch: Flo Sports // Ben Wilson and Pat Combs
Radio: KMAN // Brian Smoller
Listen Online: kstatesports.com/watch
Live Stats // Tickets

THE MATCHUP
K-State baseball will continue its 11-game road trip this weekend as the Wildcats head to Arlington, Texas to compete in the Amegy Bank College Baseball Series presented by Kubota and hosted by REV Entertainment at Globe Life Field. The Wildcats (1-4) will take on No. 5 Arkansas (3-0), Michigan (4-0) and No. 22 TCU across the three-day event, starting Friday at 7 p.m. CT against the Razorbacks with lefty-hander Jacob Frost getting the nod. The Wildcats face Michigan at 2 p.m. on Saturday with lefty Michael Quevedo starting on the mound, while left-hander Lincoln Sheffield will get Sunday's start against TCU at 3 p.m.

A LOOK AT K-STATE
K-State looks to bounce back after a competitive opening weekend that saw five continuous days of baseball, that included a tough battle at No. 6 North Carolina … 20 newcomers made their K-State debuts opening weekend including eight on Opening Day … The Cats picked up their lone win in a neutral contest against Saint Joseph's, where they out hit the Hawks 15-7, led by 4 1/3 Innings from lefty transfer Michael Quevedo and a four-hit performance from Columbia transfer Seth Dardar … Lincoln Sheffield turned in the longest outing for K-State logging five complete innings in the weekend finale at Coastal Carolina … Sheffield held the Chanticleers to three runs with a team-high six strikeouts in his first start as a Wildcat … Frost will make his third appearance of the year and first start since May 18, 2024 vs. BYU … In their last outing, the Wildcats out-hit the No. 6 North Carolina, 12-9, led by a four-hit night from Dee Kennedy ... A sophomore transfer from Texas, Kennedy went 4-for-5 with two runs batted in and two runs scored, while drawing a pair of walks while Maximus Martin was 3-for-3 with two RBI and two runs scored.

SCOUTING #5 ARKANSAS
Coming off a series sweep of Washington State, Arkansas (4-0) looks to stretch its win streak to five on Friday in a revenge game against the Cats … In 2024, K-State upset Arkansas at the Fayetteville Regional, with the Cats claiming a 7-6 triumph to advance to the regional title game … Arkansas enters the weekend ranked among the Top-5 in most major College Baseball Top-25 polls, as high as fourth by Baseball America … The Razorbacks boasted a 3-3 record at neutral locations last season, and return to the College Baseball Series where they went 2-1 last season … During opening weekend, Arkansas limited Washington State to two runs in each of their four games … Righthanders Gabe Gaeckle and Gage Wood and lefty Zach Root combined to strike out 22 and allow just three earned runs over 15 innings … Gaeckle will get the start on the mound in the Amegy Bank College Baseball Series opener against the Cats ... The sophomore made his first collegiate start on the bump on Opening Day against Washington State (Feb. 15), logging a career-long five shutout innings with a career-high seven strikeouts … Offensively, the Razorbacks hit .314 with 18 extra-base hits that included five home runs … Brent Iredale and Kuhio Aloy lead the Razorbacks, both hitting over .420 with a pair of home runs … Arkansas leads the all-time series 31-20, while Friday's contest is just the fourth meeting at a neutral location and first since 2017 in Kansas City, Mo.

SCOUTING MICHIGAN
Michigan (4-0) opened the 2025 season at the inaugural Puerto Rico Challenge, starting off with a walk-off upset win over No. 2 Virginia … The pitching staff registered a 1.42 ERA after opening weekend, surrendering just six earned runs and held opponents to a .193 batting average with 42 strikeouts, while the offense produce 32 runs and hit .319 as a team. Johnathan Kim led the offense, slashing .500/.500/.611 with nine hits, and scoring four runs while driving in three … He ranks sixth in the Big Ten in batting average and is tied for third nationally among players with at least 18 at-bats … Preseason All-American Mitch Voit slashed .471/.474/1.059 with eight hits -- six of which went for extra bases (four doubles, two home runs), ranking him second nationally in extra-base hits … Catcher Matt Spear (.357/.438/.571) recorded 24 putouts, four assists, and three caught stealing, including two in a single inning against Stetson … Eight Michigan freshmen made their collegiate debuts in Puerto Rico … The series is tied 1-1, with Michigan taking a 10-2 win in the last meeting on February 19, 2022 at the State Farm College Baseball Showdown.

SCOUTING #22 TCU
TCU, ranked No. 22 by D1Baseball and as high as No. 13 in the polls, is coming off a four-game sweep over San Diego over opening weekend that included a 5-4 extra-inning Opening Day win … The Horned Frogs outscored their opponent 34-17, slashing .273/.394/.580 as a team … Kirk Saarloos is in his fourth season at the helm of the Horned Frogs baseball program, guiding TCU to a 119-67 overall record including a run in the 2023 College World Series … Senior infielder Cole Cramer was voted the Big 12 Newcomer of the Week, as he was one of two Horned Frogs to hit safely in all four games to start the season … He led the Frogs with a .412 (7-for-17) average, with two doubles and two homes while driving in six RBIs … TCU was picked to finish third in the Big 12 preseason poll, earning one first place vote while Ben Abeldt and Anothy Silva were each named to the Big 12 All-Preseason Team …Abeldt was named the Big 12 Preseason Pitcher of the Year by Baseball America, picking up preseason All-American honors by Perfect Game and NCBWA … Trever Baumler (1-0) will make his second appearance and get his first collegiate nod in Sunday's contest … The freshman owns a 3.60 ERA (2 ER, 5 IP) with five strikeouts and one walk … TCU leads the all-time series 33-14, including a 5-1 advantage on neutral territory.

AT THE PLATE
Offensively, the Wildcats produced a slash line of .273/.384/.401 in the first five games with two games recording double-digit hits … K-State has out-hit opponents twice that included a season-high 15 hits with 10 RBI in its lone victory against St. Joseph's (Feb. 16) … Three players are hitting over .300, led by freshman AJ Evasco (.556) … Seth Dardar's .450 average is second on the team, while he boasts a team-leading four extra-base hits, and is followed by Kyan Lodice hitting .308 … In the past four seasons, the Cats have registered four of the top five home run marks in school history – 89 (2021), 84 (2022), 77 (2023), 69 (2024).

DO SOMETHING CRAZY
Five freshmen made their collegiate debuts in opening day – AJ Evasco, Donte Lewis, Micah Henson, Ty Smolinski, Micah Dean and Rohan Putz … Evasco and Lewis highlighted the freshmen outings … Evasco, a product of Lincoln, Nebraska went produced at least one hit in each of the first four games, including a two-hit effort at Coastal Carolina (Feb. 15) … The freshman leads the Wildcats offense with a .556 batting average and tied first in the Big 12 in total doubles (3) … Lewis earned his first collegiate start on the mound against No. 6 North Carolina … In his pitching debut, the Pearland, Texas native didn't allow an earned run as he became the first two-way player for K-State to see the field since Dylan Phillips (2019-22).

BIG BAT CATS
Four different Wildcats belted their first homers of 2025, led by a solo shot from graduate Seth Dardar against Coastal Carolina (Feb. 15) … David Bishop and Nick English each launched a two-run homer into left center in the Cats' 12-7 triumph over St. Joseph's (Feb. 16), while Maximus Martin added his first against No. 6 North Carolina … Since 2019, K-State's offense has turned in four of the top five seasons in terms of total home runs in program history, including a single-season record 89 in 2021 … The 89 bombs ranked 11th in the nation and shattered the previous record of 75 set in 1997.

BREAKOUT WEEKEND
In the first four games, Seth Dardar slashed an impressive .533/.588/.933 with four of his eight hits being for extra-bases … The Louisiana product finished as one of four Conference players to produce eight or more hits over opening weekend, while he was one of three to generate a four-hit performance … Dardar went 4-for-6 with three doubles in the Cats 12-7 victory over St. Joseph's to become the first Wildcat with four-plus hits since first-rounder Kaelen Culpepper and Jaden Parsons in the first round of the NCAA Tournament last season … The graduate student's three doubles against the Hawks are the most by any Big 12 player in a single-game this season, and he is the first K-State player to hit three since Cole Johnson in 2023 (vs. Kansas, April 16).

AROUND THE BIG 12
Five members of the Big 12 started off the year 4-0, while Texas Tech is the only program without a win … Arizona State's Brandon Compton (player), Baylor's Ethan Calder (co-pitcher), TCU's Cole Cramer (newcomer) and Utah's Colter McAnelly (co-pitcher) collected the Big 12 baseball weekly awards for the opening weekend … Four schools are ranked in at least one of the national polls with Cincinnati, Oklahoma State, TCU and West Virginia … OSU ranks as high as 17 by Baseball America and USA Today.

BEEF IT UP
The 2025 slate features eight teams that reached last season's regional round of the NCAA Tournament, including matchups against College World Series participant North Carolina and Super Regional squad West Virginia … In addition to a three-game series against WVU, four other home contests are against teams that competed in the NCAA Tournament with Nebraska and UCF. 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 … Six 2025 opponents were ranked in the preseason national polls, with the Cats facing five of them in the first 11 games of the year.

COACH HUGHES FILE
Pete Hughes, the winningest active Big 12 coach, is in 28^th season as a head coach and sixth at the helm of K-State baseball … Hughes has led four squads to the tournament (Virginia Tech [2010, 2013], Oklahoma [2017], K-State [2024]) … In 28 seasons, Hughes has compiled a career record of 821-638-3 as a head coach … His 821 career wins are the most by any active Big 12 head coaches … In six seasons as the head coach of the Wildcats, Hughes has put together a 169-146 record … K-State has put together back-to-back 35-win seasons, its highest win total since posting 45 in 2013 … Hughes has overseen 89 former student-athletes selected in the Major League Baseball Draft, including 25 taken in the first 10 rounds after four players were selected in the 2024 MLB Draft. In total, Hughes has recruited 143 players who were drafted and/or played professionally, including eight first-rounders … He has developed and/or recruited 22 Major Leaguers during his collegiate coaching career, most recently left-hander Jordan Wicks of the Chicago Cubs, who made his MLB debut in August of 2023.

OPENING DAY
For the 21^st straight season K-State opened its season on the road … K-State last opened the season in 2003 with a doubleheader against Western Illinois … The Wildcats is 2-5 in season openers under Hughes ... The Cats are 4-6 over their last 10 season openers and 15-11 going back to the year 2000.

UP NEXT
Following the weekend in Arlington, the Wildcats will return to Texas to compete in the Frisco Classic on February 28-March 2. K-State will take on No. 3 LSU, Sam Houston and No. 24 Nebraska over the three-day event at Riders Field. The tournament will be exclusively streamed on D1Baseball.com. D1Baseball has streaming subscription packages available that give fans live streaming access to all of this weekend's games, PLUS immediate access to D1Baseball's premium on-site content, starting at $34.99.