K-State Takes on Tarleton State Wednesday in Stephenville

MANHATTAN, Kan. – Coming off a Big 12 series sweep over Utah, K-State will take a quick break from conference play and face Tarleton State Wednesday at Tarleton Baseball Complex, with first pitch scheduled for 6 p.m. CT.

Freshman right-hander Donte Lewis (2-0) will get the nod in the first-ever meeting between K-State (12-7, 3-0 Big 12) and Tarleton State (9-12, 0-0 WAC).

AJ Evasco was announced as the Big 12 Newcomer of the Week Monday, becoming the third Wildcat to earn the weekly award this season, while it marks the fourth consecutive week K-State earned Big 12 weekly recognition.

Wednesday's non-conference contest will be carried on ESPN+ and the ESPN app with radio coverage available on News Radio KMAN (93.3 FM, 1350 AM). Live streaming audio is also available at K-StateSports.com/watch and on the K-State Sports app.

K-State takes on Baylor (14-5, 2-1 Big 12) this weekend at Baylor Ballpark in Waco, Texas, starting Friday at 6 p.m. The entire three-game Big 12 series will broadcast on ESPN+.

Season and single-game tickets are now available and can be purchased online at KStateSports.com, or by calling 1-800-221-CATS (2287), or stopping 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 #20
K-STATE (12-7, 3-0 Big 12) at TARLETON STATE (9-12, 0-0 WAC)
Tuesday, March 19 // 6 PM CT // Tarleton Baseball Complex
Projected Starters: RHP Donte Lewis (2-0) v. RHP Brendon Carter (1-0)
Watch: ESPN +
Radio: KMAN // Matt Walters
Listen Online: kstatesports.com/watch
Live Stats

THE MATCHUP
Coming off a Big 12 series sweep over Utah, K-State will take a quick break from conference play and take on Tarleton State Wednesday at Tarleton Baseball Complex, with first pitch scheduled for 6:30 p.m. CT … Freshman right-hander Donte Lewis (2-0) will get the nod in the first-ever meeting between K-State 12-7, 3-0 Big 12) and Tarleton State (9-12, 0-0 WAC).

A LOOK AT K-STATE
K-State enters midweek action with an over 12-7 record, including a 3-0 record after sweeping Utah in the Big 12 opening weekend … The sweep marks the first time since 2010 K-State opened Big 12 play with a sweep, stretching the Cats' home winning streak out to six while they won their fifth consecutive series … On the weekend, K-State out-scored the Utes, 34-10, in the series and hit .360 (36-for-100) with 15 extra-base hits, including seven home runs to end the weekend. The pitching staff boasted a 3.60 ERA and issued just five walks against 24 strikeouts … The Wildcats have won eight of their last 10 games, out-hitting opponents .329-.250 during the stretch … Twelve different Wildcats have homered this season, led by Maximus Martin with eight … 26 of the Cats 34 homers have come in the month of March ... K-State's .301 average is sixth in the league … True freshman AJ Evasco was named the Big 12 Newcomer of the Week, becoming the third player this season to earn the weekly award … On the mound, K-State has a 4.98 ERA and averages 10.3 K/9 inning … Freshman right-hander Donte Lewis will get this second start of the season Wednesday, making his sixth overall appearance … The Pearland, Texas product is 2-0 in his first collegiate season with a 1.69 ERA (6 ER, 10.2 IP) with nine strikeouts, while limiting opponents to a .125 batting average.

SCOUTING TARLETON STATE
Tarleton State (9-12) brings a three-game losing streak into Wednesday's contest after dropping a non-conference series at Loyola Marymount … The Texans are 0-5 against Power 4 programs this season, with losses against Big 12 members KU, TCU and Baylor … As a team, the Texans are hitting .288 with a .394 on-base percentage and slugging .451 with 40 doubles, 15 triples and 14 home runs … On the year, TSU has stolen 45 bases on 56 attempts … Four everyday starters are hitting over .300, paced by Slade McCloud's .380 average followed by Jaime Perez (.373) … McCloud has registered 30 hits and driven in 13 RBI … Tyson Drake leads the offense with 14 extra-base hits, including five triples and six homers for a team-leading .652 slugging percentage … The Texans pitchers boast a 5.94 ERA, with opponents hitting .290 against them … The staff has struck out 155 batters this season with 90 walks … Overall, the Texans are fielding .966 and have committed 26 errors this season with 39 double plays … Fifteen pitchers have made relief appearances this season led by Aden Lucas (10), who owns a 1-2 record … Wednesday's contest marks the first-ever meeting between the two squads.

HISTORIC WEEKEND
K-State opened Big 12 play with a sweep for the first time since 2010 (vs. Oklahoma State) … K-State clinched its fifth consecutive weekend series at home dating back to April last year; fourth consecutive over a Big 12 opponent … Under Hughes, K-State has won 18 Big 12 series – 37 overall in three or more-game series … Evasco's homer marked the third walk-off homer of the season and second of the series … K-State leads the all-time series 8-1, with a 3-0 edge in games played in Big 12 action and in Manhattan … The Cats move to 6-0 at home during the 2025 season – 106-42 all-time under Hughes … K-State held UU scoreless in the first inning for the first time in the series Sunday … In 19 games, K-State has homered in 13 of those, and registering multiple in 10.

WEEKLY HONORS
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 … 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 … Drove in a team-leading eight RBI against Utah, ending 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 … He blasted his first collegiate grand slam against Creighton, cutting a five-run deficit to one.

YES, SHEFF
In his fifth start of the year, Lincoln Sheffield (4-1) was awarded his fourth consecutive victory as he tossed a 14-2 seven-inning complete game to help K-State open Big 12 play with a series sweep for the first time since 2010 … The left-hander from Flowood, Mississippi, finished his outing with a season-high nine strikeouts, including striking out the side in the fifth ... Sheffield produced his third quality start, and after allowing a leadoff single in the first, he retired nine consecutive batters to allow the Cats to build a 4-0 lead ... He surrendered two earned runs in the fourth and scattered just three hits over the next three frames.

THE TALES OF MARCH
After a 4-5 February, K-State has won eight of its 10 games in the month of March, that included a five-game winning streak ... The Wildcat offense is hitting at a .329 clip in the month and averaging 10.7 runs a game with 11.1 hits a game ... In February, the Cats hit just .270 as a team with 5.6 runs per game on 9.2 hits a contest ... Additionally, K-State is hitting .333 with runners in scoring position, and .312 with two outs in March after just .237 in February ... Eight Cats are hitting north of .300 in the month of March, with four starters hitting .400 or better ... Kyan Lodice leads the offense, hitting .464 followed by Martin (.447), Evasco (.421) and O'Connor (.412 ... Six players have homered multiple times this month... K-State has 26 homers in that stretch compared to eight last month.

ON THE ROAD, AGAIN
K-State is 6-7 when playing on the road this season, including a 0-5 record in true road games … On the road, the Wildcat offense is slashing .266/.383/.423 with 15 home runs and 70 RBI ... K-State averages 6.4 runs/game on 9.1 hits while drawing 69 walks with 20 stolen bases... The Wildcat pitching staff boasts a 5.34 ERA on the road, holding opponents to a .242 average … The Cats have struck out 133 compared to 62 walks for a 2.15 strikeout-to-walk ratio ... Martin's .395 average at leads the Cats, as the junior has generated 15 hits with a team-leading 11 RBI.

AT THE PLATE
Offensively, the Wildcats lead opponents with a slash line of .301/.411/.525 with 42 doubles and 34 homers – the second-most in the Big 12 … K-State has out-hit opponents in 12 of its 19 games this season (11-1), that included a season-high 20 hits with a season-high 18 RBI at home against William & Mary (March 9) … K-State has recorded 10+ hits in 10 games … Six starters are hitting over .300, with Martin leading the way with a .433 average followed by Evasco (.429) and Lodice (.383) … The team's .525 slugging percentage is third in the league and ranks 32^nd nationally, while Martin leads all conference players with a .933 slugging percentage, which is seventh overall in the country.

BIG BAT CATS
Twelve Wildcats have sent one out this season, as K-State totals 34 on the year – second-highest in the league – with 26 coming in in the month of March … Eight different players have recorded multiple home runs this season led by Martin with eight … Martin and Keegan O'Connor have each turned in a two-run home run game this season … K-State has turned in 10 multi-home run games, including a season-high six homers on Sunday against William & Mary … The Cats have generated five back-to-back performances this season (Latest: Shintaro Inoue and Cayden Phillips, vs. William & Mary, March 9) … Martin and Evasco have each launched a grand slam this season … 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 boasts a 4.98 ERA (89 ER, 161 IP), with six players throwing at least 10 innings on the year … Six different players have picked up a win while James Guyette, Blake Dean and Brody Roe each garnering a save … Opponents are hitting .248 against K-State … K-State pitchers rank fourth in the Big 12 and 36^th nationally in strikeouts per nine innings at 10.3 … K-State has struck out 184 batters this season and issued 75 walks for a 2.45 strikeout-to-walk ratio … Sheffield has struck out a season-high 35 batters – second-most in the Big 12 – with just three walks for a 12.67 strikeout-to-walk ratio, ranking 12^th overall in the nation … Starters have thrown just one more inning than the bullpen (81-80), with 10 more strikeouts (97-87) for a 10.8 K/9 rate ... Starters have lower walk rate, averaging 3.8 walks per nine innings while non-starters have a rate of 4.6 ... Opponents are hitting .223 against Wildcat relievers while hitting .271 against starters ... Blake Dean leads the bullpen with eight appearances in relief this season ... Four players have recorded a victory out of the pen this season.

A LOOK AT THE NUMBERS
K-State has a season +56 run differential through 19 games averaging 8.3 runs on 10.2 hits per game ... Cats are undefeated (10-0) when leading after the sixth and 1-2 when tied after six ... K-State is 9-3 when committing one or no errors ... When scoring first, K-State is are 8-3 and 6-2 when scoring in the first inning … K-State has outhit opponents in 12 of 19 games this season (11-1) and is 8-1 when limiting opponents to five or less runs … 15 of 19 games have been against right-handed starters (10-5), while K-State is 2-2 against lefty starters.

UP NEXT
K-State takes on Baylor (14-5, 2-1 Big 12) this weekend at Baylor Ballpark in Waco, Texas, starting Friday at 6 p.m. The entire three-game Big 12 series will broadcast on ESPN+.

K-State Takes on Tarleton State Wednesday in Stephenville

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Blake Dean

AJ Evasco

James Guyette

Shintaro Inoue

Donte Lewis

Kyan Lodice

Maximus Martin

Keegan O'Connor

Cayden Phillips

Brody Roe

Lincoln Sheffield

Kansas State University Athletics