K-State Faces No. 2 LSU in Frisco Classic Opener

MANHATTAN, Kan. – Coming off a sweep of the Amegy Bank College Baseball Series, K-State will wrap up its 11-game road trip this weekend when the Cats compete in the Frisco Classic, starting Friday at 2 p.m. against No. 2 LSU at Riders Field.

The Wildcats (4-4) will send left-hander Jacob Frost (0-0) in the weekend opener against the Tigers (8-1). Lefty Michael Quevedo (1-0) will get Saturday's nod and face Sam Houston (2-6) while left-hander Lincoln Sheffield (1-1), the Big 12 Co-Newcomer of the Week, will get Sunday's start against Nebraska (3-4). Both Saturday and Sunday's contests scheduled for noon.

Fans can purchase tickets online here. The entire Frisco Classic can be seen on D1Baseball.com while radio coverage will be carried on News Radio KMAN (93.3 FM, 1350 AM) with Wade Gerstner calling all the action. A free live streaming audio is available for all games at KStateSports.com/watch and on the K-State Sports app.

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 and single-game 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 #9
K-STATE (4-4, 0-0 Big 12) vs. #2 LSU (8-1, 0-0 SEC)
Friday, February 28 // 2 PM CT // Riders Field (10,216)
Projected Starters: LHP Jacob Frost (0-0) v. TBA
Watch: D1Baseball // Chris Mycoskie and Ben McDonald, Mike Hardge
Radio: KMAN // Wade Gerstner
Listen Online: kstatesports.com/watch
Live Stats // Tickets

GAME #10
K-STATE (4-4, 0-0 Big 12) vs. Sam Houston (2-6, 0-0 C-USA)
Saturday, March 1 // 12 PM CT // Riders Field (10,216)
Projected Starters: LHP Michael Quevedo (0-0) vs. TBA
Watch: D1Baseball // Chris Mycoskie and Mike Hardge
Radio: KMAN // Wade Gerstner
Listen Online: kstatesports.com/watch
Live Stats // Tickets

GAME #11
K-STATE (4-4, 0-0 Big 12) vs. Nebraska (3-4, 0-0 Big Ten)
Sunday, March 2 // 12 PM CT // Riders Field (10,216)
Projected Starters: LHP Lincoln Sheffield (1-1) v. LHP Jackson Brockett (0-0)
Watch: D1Baseball // Chris Mycoskie and Mike Hardge
Radio: KMAN // Wade Gerstner
Listen Online: kstatesports.com/watch
Live Stats // Tickets

THE MATCHUP
Coming off a sweep of the Amegy Bank College Baseball Series, K-State will wrap up its 11-game road trip this weekend when the Cats compete in the Frisco Classic, starting Friday at 2 p.m. against No. 2 LSU at Riders Field … The Wildcats (4-4) will send left-hander Jacob Frost (0-0) in the weekend opener against the Tigers (8-1). Lefty Michael Quevedo (1-0) will get Saturday's nod and face Sam Houston (2-6) while left-hander Lincoln Sheffield (1-1), the Big 12 Co-Newcomer of the Week, will get Sunday's start against Nebraska (3-4). Both Saturday and Sunday's contests scheduled for noon.

A LOOK AT K-STATE
The Wildcats (4-4) announced their presence on a national scale, defeating three teams featured in the national polls – No. 5 Arkansas (D1Baseball), No. 25 Michigan (Baseball America), No. 22 TCU (D1Baseball) – in a three-game stretch to clinch the Amegy Bank College Baseball Series title … Sheffield (1-1), who was named the FloSports Player of the Game, tossed seven complete innings and allowed just one run in his first quality start on his way to earning Big 12 Co-Newcomer of the Week honors … Sheffield become the first Wildcat to earn a weekly award this season … K-State pounded out a tournament-high 12 hits against TCU, while the win marked the Wildcats' second largest margin of victory in the all-time series against the Horned Frogs … Five Wildcats registered a hit in the victory, all with multi-hit efforts ... Maximus Martin and Shintaro Inoue led the way with three-hit days and combining for four runs batted in and three runs scored ... Martin drove in a game-leading three RBI followed by Micah Dean, who was 2-for-5 with two RBI … Six of K-State's 10 runs vs. TCU came with two outs while the Wildcats hit .355 (11-for-31) with men in scoring position … During the three-day event, K-State outscored opponents 18-5 with 26 hits and no errors committed ... The pitching staff posted an incredible 1.67 era, holding opponents to a .186 average and combing for 30 strikeouts over 27 innings.

SCOUTING #2 LSU
LSU (8-1) enters the Frisco Classic with a three-game winning streak after defeating Dallas Baptist, 7-3, Wednesday night at Globe Life Field … LSU suffered its only loss to Omaha, 5-4 … Friday's game against the Wildcats marks only second road game this season for the Tigers, who are 7-1 at home … Second baseman Daniel Dickinson homered and drove in three runs Wednesday night, and starting pitcher Conner Ware threw four perfect innings against the Patriots, while right-handed reliever Zac Cowan (1-0) earned the win as he limited the Patriots to two runs – one earned – on two hits in three innings with one walk and five strikeouts … The seven-time national champions, is led by 2023 National Coach of the Year Jay Johnson, who is in his fourth season at the helm of the LSU program … LSU's newcomer class (D1 transfers, freshmen, JUCO transfers) was rated No. 1 ahead of the 2025 season … First baseman Jared Jones was named to the USA Baseball Golden Spikes Award Preseason Watch List, after hitting .301 with 14 doubles, two triples, and 28 homers last season with 59 RBI and 56 runs … As a team, LSU is slashing .324/.467/.500 with 94 hits while the pitching staff has limited opponents to a .143 average with a 1.52 ERA … LSU leads the series, 12-8-1, with a three-game winning streak over K-State.

SCOUTING SAM HOUSTON
Sam Houston brings a 2-6 overall record into the weekend, dropping its last outing, 4-3, against Houston on Tuesday … The Bearkats led for the bulk of the night until Houston rallied for a pair runs in the eighth to hand SHSU its second consecutive loss … Hunter Autrey sent out his third homer of the season Tuesday, hitting a team second-best .333 average and team-leading .741 slugging percentage … Ty Marthijohni leads the offense with a .344 batting average while two additional Kats are hitting over .300 … The pitching staff boasts a 5.66 ERA with opponents hitting .299 … Right-handed junior Danny Valadez has made a team-high four appearances in relief … In 2023, K-State and Sam Houston met for the first time on the diamond with the Kats claiming an 8-3 victory at Round Rock.

SCOUTING NEBRASKA
Nebraska, who ranked No. 24 by D1Baseball and NCBWA in the preseason polls, have started off the year 3-4 with a two-game losing streak after dropping a three-game series at Louisiana … The Cornhuskers are hitting .217 and boast a .327 on-base percentage and .330 slugging percentage with 11 doubles, three triples and three home runs … The pitching staff owns a 4.05 ERA with opponents hitting .256 … Two players are hitting over .300 with Riley Silva (.313) and Cayden Brumbaugh (.300) … Brumbaugh, the Huskers leadoff, has produced a team-leading three multi-hit games that included a three-hit game at Louisiana … Right-hander Luke Broderick earned a spot on the NCBWA Stopper of the Year Preseason Watch List, after going 8-1 with a 5.75 ERA and 69 strikeouts in his two years at Iowa Western … Jackson Brockett will get Sunday's start, his second start of the year … Brocket tossed a no-hitter in a 8-0 victory over the Cats last season … Nebraska leads the all-time series, 176-116, with a current three-game winning streak.

VS RANKED OPPONENTS
K-State is 3-1 against ranked teams this season with three straight victories over opponents featured in at lead one national poll ... K-State has won six of its last 10 games against top-25 teams, dating back to a series win over then-No. 15 Oklahoma State … The Cats finished 4-7 against ranked teams last season with wins over No. 25 UCF, No. 15 Oklahoma State and No. 5 Arkansas … This season, K-State is out-hitting top-25 teams .281-.209 with a .390 on-base percentage and slugging .415, while the pitching staff has a 3.34 ERA (13 ER, 35 IP) against opponents 6.17 ERA (24 ER, 35 IP).

AT THE PLATE
Offensively, the Wildcats lead opponents with a slash line of .269/.379/.399 with 17 doubles and six homers … K-State has out-hit opponents in five of eight games this season (4-1), that included a season-high 15 hits with 10 RBI in its lone victory against St. Joseph's (Feb. 16) … Four players are hitting over .300, led by Maximus Martin (.444) … Martin is 8-for-16 (.500) in his last five games with three doubles and one homer, driving in a team-leading six RBI and scored five runs … Seth Dardar's .407 average is second on the team, while he boasts a team-leading five extra-base hits (3 doubles, 2 home runs), and is followed by Kyan Lodice (.313) and Bear Madliak (.300).

YES, SHEFF
K-State's Lincoln Sheffield was awarded Big 12 Co-Newcomer of the Week honors for his dominant performance in K-State's defeat over No. 22 TCU at the Amegy Bank College Baseball Series ... The transfer from Hinds Community College becomes the first Wildcat to earn a weekly award this season ... Sheffield (1-1), who was named the FloSports Player of the Game, tossed seven complete innings and allowed just one run in his first quality start in a K-State uniform against 22nd-ranked TCU ... The left-hander helped K-State complete the sweep of the College Baseball Series at Globe Life Field, all against ranked opponents, and lead the Wildcats to a tournament title ... He carried a two-hitter into the seventh and allowed just four runners to reach base, ending his second outing of the season with a season-high eight strikeouts … He scattered just five hits in seven innings of work with one walk ... He allowed a leadoff double in the second but quickly settled in and retired nine consecutive batters.

PURE FILTH
Donte Lewis, a native from Pearland, Texas, was tabbed the Player of the Game by FloSports after retiring 12 consecutive batters in his exceptional relief outing and picking up his first collegiate win against Michigan ... The freshman logged four scoreless innings in relief and earned national recognition as Aaron Fitt of D1Baseball mentioned that the "two-way player has a chance to be a superstar." … In two appearances, including his first collegiate start against then-No. 6 North Carolina, Lewis posts a 0.00 ERA and 1-0 record … He's allowed two hits in 4 1/3 innings of work with four strikeouts.

BIG BAT CATS
Five different Wildcats belted a home run this season, led by two from Seth Dardar … K-State has turned in two multi-home run contests led by David Bishop and Nick English each launching a two-run homer into left center in the Cats' 12-7 triumph over St. Joseph's (Feb. 16) … Dee Kennedy and Dardar registered the first back-to-back performance on Feb. 22 against Michigan … 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.

ON THE MOUND
The 2025 K-State pitching staff posts a 5.22 ERA (40 ER, 69 IP), with four players throwing at least eight innings on the year … Four different players have picked up a win while James Guyette owns the lone save … Opponents are hitting .242 against K-State … The pitching staff ranks second in the Big 12 and 41^st nationally in strikeouts per nine innings at 10.7 … K-State has struck out 82 batters this season and issued 37 walks for a 2.22 strikeout-to-walk ratio … Sheffield has struck out a season-high 14 batters with just one walk for a 14.00 strikeout-to-walk, ranking third in the Big 12.

FROM THE PEN
Following Sunday's victory vs TCU, K-State's bullpen has now thrown 11 more innings than its starters (40.0-29.0) ... The bullpen has 13 more strikeouts than its starting rotation (46-36), for a 10.4 K/9 rate ... The pen also has a lower walk rate, averaging 4.7 walks per nine innings while starters have a rate of 5.0 ... Opponents are hitting .211 against Wildcat relievers while hitting .280 against starters ... Junior Tazwell Butler leads the team with four relief outings... Blake Dean and Donte Lewis each picked up wins last weekend, marking the first wins out of the bullpen this season.

A LOOK AT THE NUMBERS
K-State has a season -4 run differential through eight games averaging 5.8 runs on 9.1 hits ... Cats are undefeated (3-0) when leading after the sixth and 1-1 when tied after six ... K-State is 4-1 when committing one or no errors ... The Wildcats are 3-2 when scoring first and 1-2 when scoring in the first inning … K-State has outhit opponents in five of eight games this season (4-1) … The Cats are 3-0 when limiting opponents to five or less runs … Seven of eight games have been against right-handed starters (4-3), while K-State is 4-1 overall in neutral site games.

BREAKOUT WEEK
Maximus Martin ended week two of action slashing .467/.556/.800 with a team-high three extra-base hits and five RBI in the Wildcats four-game week, all coming against nationally ranked opponents ... The junior shortstop turned in a pair of three-hit efforts against No. 6 North Carolina and No. 22 TCU, totaling five RBI and four runs scored ... With K-State leading 2-0 against the Horned Frogs, Martin drove in the deciding run with a two-out RBI double. Martin shelled a momentum building homer and his first of the year against the No. 6 Tar Heels while his RBI double on Friday led the Cats to a 3-2 victory over No. 5 Arkansas ... At the College Baseball Series, where the Wildcats claimed the title with a sweep of three nationally ranked teams, Martin finished as one of three players to drive in a team-best three RBI.

AROUND THE BIG 12
West Virginia and KU are the last remaining undefeated teams in the Big 12 Conference … Arizona State's Nu'u Contrades and BYU's Cooper Vest shared Big 12 Player of the Week honors while Arizona's Mathis Meurant and K-State's Lincoln Sheffield were co-Newcomers of the Week and Utah's Colter McAnelly was the Big 12 Pitcher of the Week for the second week of the 2025 season … Two schools are ranked in the D1Baseball Top 25 poll – No. 23 Cincinnati and No. 25 TCU – while Oklahoma State ranks 16^th by Baseball America and West Viginia 22^nd by NCBWA.

UP NEXT
The Wildcats will take on Creighton (3-3) in the home opener on Wednesday, March 5 at Tointon Family Stadium. Season and single-game 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. The home opener against the Bluejays will be broadcast on ESPN+.

Next Event

Players Mentioned

David Bishop

Tazwell Butler

Seth Dardar

Blake Dean

Micah Dean

Nick English

Jacob Frost

James Guyette

Shintaro Inoue

Dee Kennedy

Donte Lewis

Kyan Lodice

Bear Madliak

Maximus Martin

Michael Quevedo

Lincoln Sheffield

Kansas State University Athletics