K-State Hosts Texas Tech in Big 12 Action Starting Friday

MANHATTAN, Kan. – K-State is prepped for its third week of Big 12 action, as Texas Tech visits Tointon Family Stadium for a three-game league series starting Friday at 6 p.m.

The second game of the series is set for Saturday at 4 p.m. with the finale slated at 1 p.m. Sunday. K-State (16-8, 5-1 Big 12) sits atop the Big 12 standings with Arizona, while Texas Tech (8-13, 3-2 Big 12) is tied second, alongside newcomer Arizona State.

Left-hander Jacob Frost will get his sixth Friday night start in the series opener. Michael Quevedo (4-0) will get his seventh start of the season Saturday while Lincoln Sheffield (4-2), who leads the Big 12 in with a 7.80strikeout-to-walk ratio, will get the call Sunday.

Friday's contest marks the first meeting between the two squads since 2023.

Texas Tech leads the all-time series between the two programs, 51-34-1, while K-State is 21-18 when playing at home. The Cats last series win over the Red Raiders came in 2023 at Tointon Family Stadium where K-State claimed the rubber match, 10-8, with a game-winning triple by 2024 MLB draftee Brendan Jones.

The entire series can be seen on the ESPN+ and the ESPN app with radio coverage available on K-State Sports Network and News Radio KMAN (93.3 FM, 1350 AM). Live streaming audio is available for the three-game series at KStateSports.com/watch and on the K-State Sports app.

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 #25
K-STATE (16-8, 5-1 BIG 12) vs. TEXAS TECH (8-13, 4-2 BIG 12)
Friday, March 28 // 6 PM CT // Tointon Family Stadium (2,344)
Projected Starters: LHP Jacob Frost (0-0; 4.44 ERA) vs. RHP Mac Heuer (1-2; 5.18 ERA)
Watch: ESPN + // Matt Walters, Craig Wilson, Sophie Smith
Radio: K-State Sports Network // Wyatt Thompson, Mike Clark
Listen Online: kstatesports.com/watch
Live Stats // Tickets

GAME #26
K-STATE (16-8, 5-1 BIG 12) vs. TEXAS TECH (8-13, 4-2 BIG 12)
Saturday, March 29 // 4 PM CT // Tointon Family Stadium (2,344)
Projected Starters: LHP Michael Quevedo (4-0; 4.13 ERA) vs. RHP Tyler Boudreau (1-0; 6.75 ERA)
Watch: ESPN + // Matt Walters, Craig Wilson, Sophie Smith
Radio: KMAN // Wyatt Thompson, Mike Clark
Listen Online: kstatesports.com/watch
Live Stats // Tickets

GAME #27
K-STATE (16-8, 5-1 BIG 12) vs. TEXAS TECH (8-13, 4-2 BIG 12)
Sunday, March 30 // 1 PM CT // Tointon Family Stadium (2,344)
Projected Starters: LHP Lincoln Sheffield (4-2; 4.46 ERA)vs. RHP Zane Petty (0-1; 4.22 ERA)
Watch: ESPN + // Matt Walters, Craig Wilson, Sophie Smith
Radio: KMAN // Wyatt Thompson, Mike Clark
Listen Online: kstatesports.com/watch
Live Stats // Tickets

THE MATCHUP
K-State is prepped for its third week of Big 12 action, as Texas Tech visits Tointon Family Stadium for a three-game league series starting Friday at 6 p.m. … The second game of the series is set for Saturday at 4 p.m. with the finale slated at 1 p.m. Sunday … K-State (16-8, 5-1 Big 12) sits atop the Big 12 standings with Arizona, while Texas Tech (8-13, 3-2 Big 12) is tied second, alongside newcomer Arizona State … Left-hander Jacob Frost (0-0; 4.44 ERA) will get his sixth Friday night start in the series opener ... Michael Quevedo (4-0; 4.13 ERA) will get his seventh start of the season Saturday while Lincoln Sheffield (4-2; 4.46 ERA), who leads the Big 12 in with a 7.80strikeout-to-walk ratio, will get the call Sunday.

A LOOK AT K-STATE
K-State returns to Tointon Family Stadium, where it holds a perfect 7-0 record, for the first meeting against Texas Tech since 2023 ... The Wildcats are 16-8 overall with a 5-1 league record to sit atop the conference standings alongside Arizona … After starting of the season 1-4, K-State is 16-3 in the month of March, that included a season-long six-game winning streak … K-State is hitting .296 as a team and is second in the Big 12 with 43 home runs, ranking 12^th overall in the country … Maximus Martin leads the Cats in eight offensive categories, producing a slash line of .413/.489/.888 with 33 hits and 35 RBI … His .888 slugging percentage leads the Big 12 and ranks ninth in the nation, while he is the first K-State player to reach 10 homers and second in the conference … Shintaro Inoue is the only player on the 2025 roster to have appeared in all 24 games … Seth Dardar is third in the Big 12 and leads the team with 10 doubles … As a team, the Wildcats' .526 slugging percentage is 25^th overall in the nation and 14^th highest among Power 4 teams … The Wildcats have a 5.28 team ERA with 230 strikeouts (2.30 strikeout-to-walk ratio) … 16 pitchers have made appearances on the mound with Blake Dean making a team-leading 11 appearances … Left-hander Lincoln Sheffield ranks fifth in the league with 39 total strikeouts, followed by Michael Quevedo (36) ranking eight … Pete Hughes, the winningest active Big 12 coach (836 career wins), is in 28^th season as a head coach and seventh at the helm of K-State baseball … In 28 seasons, Hughes has compiled a career record of 836-642-3 as a head coach, while leading the Cats to an overall 184-150 record.

SCOUTING TEXAS TECH
TTU enters week three of league action 8-13 overall and 4-2 in league play, to tie second in the Big 12 standings alongside Arizona State … Red Raiders are coming off 10-7 comeback victory over Tarleton State, erasing a 7-1 deficit … TTU is led by 13^th-year head coach Tim Tadlock, who has led the Red Raiders to four College World Series (last: 2019) and has guided the program to a 461-256 overall record … TTU is slashing .293/.380/.477 with 41doubles, five triples and 29 home runs … The Red Raiders were predicted to finish fifth in the Preseason Big 12 Coaches Poll … TJ Pompey ranks 11^th overall, respectively, in the Big 12 in hitting … Five starters are hitting above .300 led by Pompey's with a .393 average … Red Raiders have sent 21 pitchers to the hill this season compiling a team ERA of 6.33 … Relievers Logan Bevis and Jack Cebert each have five victories on the mound … Right-hander Mac Heuer (1-2) has made a team-high six starts, boasting a 5.18 season ERA … Heuer will get the start in the series opener, while right-handers Tyler Boudreau (1-0); 6.75 ERA) and Zane Petty (0-1; 4.22 ERA) will get the nods on Saturday and Sunday.

INSIDE THE SERIES
Texas Tech leads the all-time series 51-34-1 since its start on March 15, 1993, including a 43-30-1 record in Big 12 action … The Cats are 21-18 when playing the Red Raiders at home … K-State has won three of the last five meetings, that includes a regular-series win in 2023 in Manhattan … In 2022, the Cats won 6-5 in an 11-inning thriller during the Phillips 66 Big 12 Championship tournament last season where the Cats went on to compete in the semifinals … Under head coach Pete Hughes, the Cats are 7-9 overall and 5-4 in games played in Manhattan.

LAST FIVE MEETINGS
L, 3-5 – May 25, 2022 (Arlington)
W, 6-5 (11) – May 27, 2022 (Arlington)
W, 3-2 – April 28, 2023 (Manhattan)
L, 2-5 – April 29, 2023 (Manhattan)
W, 10-8 – April 30, 2023 (Manhattan)

WELCOME TO TOINTON
K-State is 7-0 at home this season, its best start at home since 2023 … K-State baseball is 415-217 when playing at Tointon Family Stadium (since 2002) … The Wildcats are 109-42 at home under Hughes and 88-21 (.806) since 2021.

MARCH MADNESS
K-State is 12-3 in games played in the month of March, that included a season-long six-game winning streak (March 14-22) ... The Wildcat offense is hitting at a .311 clip in the month and averaging 10.1 runs a game with 10.5 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 .361 with runners in scoring position, and .313 with two outs in March with 43 two-out RBI ... Seven Cats are hitting north of .300 in the month of March, with two starters hitting .400 or better ... O'Connor leads the offense, hitting .420 followed by Martin (.414) ... Eleven players have homered in March, with six hitting multiple ... K-State has 35 homers in March.

SLUG-KING
Maximus Martin, who became the first player to earn the Brooks Wallace Award and Golden Spikes Award Player of the Week in school history, continues his breakout season as he became the second player to reach 10 homers … Martin barreled his 10^th blast of the year on March 25 against Nebraska to become just the second player in the league to hit 10+ … He leads the Big 12 with a season 1.377 OPS, that includes a league-high .888 slugging percentage, ranking ninth overall in the category … In week four, Martin turned in an incredible 2.714 OPS, after launching five home runs and tallying 12 RBI … Became the first player since 2018 to drive in eight RBI in a single game, while achieving the first multi-homer game this season for K-State with his first-inning grand slam and three-run homer in the second against William and Mary (March 8) … Homered in four straight games from March 2-9 … Became the fourth player in the Big 12 to turn in a five-hit day (March March 9) … Leads the offense with 11 games with multiple RBI, including a team-best nine games with two or more hits.

HOME COOKIN'
K-State has won each of its seven home tilts ... At home, the Wildcat offense is hitting .362 and slugging an incredible .724 with 21 home runs ... K-State averages 12.4 runs a game on 12 hits at Tointon Family Stadium ... Conversely, the Cats are hitting .269 and slugging .447 in games away from home, averaging 6.8 runs per game and 9.2 hits a game ... The Wildcat bullpen boasts a 4.58 ERA at home, striking out 64 compared to 17 walks (3.8 strikeout-to-walk ratio) ... In road and neutral contest, K-State starters and relievers have a combined ERA of 5.55 with 166 strikeouts and 83 walks ... K-State has homered in each of its seven home games this season, with 21 of its 43 home runs have come at Tointon Family Stadium ... Martin leads the Wildcats' offense, hitting at a .500 clip at home, followed by Evasco (.444), Madliak (.440), and Lodice (.400).

POWER SURGE
K-State's 43 homers – ranks second in the league and 12^th in Division I – with 35 coming in in the month of March … Twelve Wildcats belted at least one home run this season… Nine different players have recorded multiple home runs this season led by Martin (10) and O'Connor (6) … Martin and O'Connor have each turned in a two-run home run game this season … K-State has turned in 14 multi-home run games (13-1), 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.

WINNING TIME
In K-State's 16 wins this season, the Wildcats are hitting .354 with runners in scoring position and .303 with two outs ... Conversely, the Cats have a .281 average with runners in scoring position while hitting .247 with two outs over eight losses ... K-State has produced 49 two-out RBI in victories with 12 in eight losses ... Overall, K-State hits .324 in victories against just .236 in defeats ... In eight losses, K-State pitchers have combined for 50 walks (6.3 per game) while in victories the staff averages 3.1 walks per game (50 walks in 16 wins).

NUMBERS NUGGETS
K-State has a season +62 run differential through 24 games averaging 8.5 runs on 10 hits per game ... Cats are undefeated (14-0) when leading after the sixth and 1-2 when tied after six ... K-State is 13-4 when committing one or no errors ... When scoring first, K-State is 11-3 and 8-2 when scoring in the first inning … K-State has outhit opponents in 13 of 23 games this season (12-1) and is 10-1 when limiting opponents to five or less runs … 17 of 23 games have been against right-handed starters (12-5), while K-State is 4-3 against lefty starters.

AROUND THE LEAGUE
Following the series win at Baylor, K-State jumped atop the Big 12 standings with a 5-1 league record for the second consecutive season … The Cats are tied alongside Arizona (19-5, 5-1 Big 12) while Arizona State and Texas Tech are tied for third … A battle for fifth in the league standings is between a four-way tie with schools posting a 3-3 record… Arizona is the only school featured in the each of the four major national polls from the Big 12, ranking as high as 16^th by Baseball America, while West Virginia is ranked 23^rd by the NCBWA … TCU's Sawyer Strosnider (player and newcomer) and Utah's Colter McAnelly (pitcher) garnered the Big 12 Baseball weekly awards for games ending March 23.

LOOK BACK AT IT
K-State recorded its longest win streak into the weekend series from March 14-22 … During the six-game winning streak, the Cats are slashed .322/.412/.596 in the stretch with four starters hitting above .375 … In six games, K-State hit 16 doubles, one triple and 13 home runs, led by three homers from Bear Madliak … Wildcats outscored opponents 63-22, averaging 11.2 hits per game … The pitching staff boasted a 3.63 ERA, surrendering 3.5 earned runs per game while opponents hit a .264 average … The Cats pitchers struck out 53 batters and issued 15 walks, accumulating a 3.5 strikeout-to-walk ratio.

UP NEXT
Following the weekend series with TTU, the Cats will set out on a four-game road trip, starting at 6 p.m. on April 2 at Wichita State at Eck Stadium. K-State will then face Oklahoma State in three-game Big 12 series starting on Friday, April 4 at O'Brate Stadium.

K-State Hosts Texas Tech in Big 12 Action Starting Friday

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Players Mentioned

Seth Dardar

Blake Dean

Jacob Frost

Shintaro Inoue

Brendan Jones

Bear Madliak

Maximus Martin

Cayden Phillips

Michael Quevedo

Lincoln Sheffield

Kansas State University Athletics