Wildcats, Huskies Meet in Midweek Action Tuesday

MANHATTAN, Kan. – K-State heads to Boston, Mass., for a two-game set at Northeastern, starting Tuesday at Friedman Diamond with both games scheduled for 1 p.m. CT.

K-State (23-12, 10-5 Big 12) collected its fifth series victory, after coming back to take the rubber match against UCF. With the win, the Cats moved to third in the league standings. Northeastern (25-9, 10-2 CAA) brings a four-game winning streak into the midweek series with an 11-1 record at home.

Tuesday's contest marks the third meeting between the two squads, with K-State holding a 2-0 edge in the series.

In 1991-1996, head coach Pete Hughes served as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at Northeastern, during the playing career of Northeastern's head coach Mike Glavine.

Northeastern is one of several teams across the country that have adopted Hughes' 19 Ways program – a community service initiative designed to have a positive impact on the community on 19 different occasions.

Two-game series will stream on FloCollege while radio coverage is available on News Radio KMAN (93.3 FM, 1350 AM) with Brian Smoller calling all the action. Live streaming audio is available at kstatesports.com/watch and on the K-State Sports app.

Single-game tickets are now available for all K-State baseball games at Tointon Family Stadium 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 #36
K-STATE (23-12, 10-5 Big 12) at NORTHEASTERN (25-9, 10-2 CAA)
Tuesday, April 15 // 1 p.m. CT // Friedman Diamond (2,000)
Projected Starters: RHP Tanner Duke (1-1, 5.79 ERA) vs. RHP Charlie Walker (2-0, 0.30 ERA)
Watch: FloCollege // Joe Weil, Mike Puzzanghera
Radio: KMAN // Brian Smoller
Listen Online: kstatesports.com/watch
Live Stats

GAME #37
K-STATE (23-12, 10-5 Big 12) at NORTHEASTERN (25-9, 10-2 CAA)
Wednesday, April 16 // 1 p.m. CT // Friedman Diamond (2,000)
Projected Starters: TBA vs. TBA
Watch: FloCollege // Joe Weil, Mike Puzzanghera
Radio: KMAN // Brian Smoller
Listen Online: kstatesports.com/watch
Live Stats

A LOOK AT K-STATE
K-State enters week 10 with a 23-12 overall record (10-5 Big 12), that includes a 13-7 mark in non-conference contests … Lincoln Sheffield logged seven innings of one-run ball to power the Wildcats to a series-clinching 8-6 victory over UCF Sunday afternoon at Tointon Family Stadium … K-State captured its fifth series win of the season and moved to third in the Big 12 standings … The Wildcats now tie third in the league standings … Sheffield turned in his fourth quality start at K-State in improving his record to 5-3, as he allowed scattered two hits to go with five strikeouts and one walk. retired 17 consecutive batters to start off the game … Sheffield put down of the 21 of the 24 batters he faced in his third seven-inning start of the year … Right-hander James Guyette, who picked up the victory in relief on Saturday, used four pitches to strike out the final batter in the series finale to earn his second … Six different players contributed a hit in the win with multi-hit efforts from Keegan O'Connor and Dee Kennedy ... O'Connor, who went 3-for-3 with two RBI and three runs scored, finished a triple short of completing the cycle ... Kennedy produced a game-high three RBI with a three-run blast in the second … With two home runs in the series finale by O'Connor and Kennedy, the Cats brought their season total to 61, registering their 19^th game with two or more … Right-hander Tanner Duke (1-1, 5.79 ERA) will get his fourth midweek start of the season … Duke picked up his first win at K-State after logging five innings in the Cats' 12-2 run-rule victory over Missouri State last week.

SCOUTING NORTHEASTERN
Northeastern (25-9, 10-2 CAA) is coming off a sweep of Hofstra, extending its winning streak to four … At home, the Huskies are 11-1 … Northeastern lost 3-2 in 11-innings to Towson at home on March 21 … The Huskies are 1-1 against Power 4 programs this season, after splitting a home-and-home series with Boston College … Cam Maldonado paces an offense that is hitting .272, with his .379 average … Maldonado alongside Harrison Feinberg have each recorded double digit homers this season, combining for 21 of the Huskies' 48 … Northeastern's defense has shut out opponents nine times this season, the most in NCAA Division I, including twice last weekend … As a team, the Huskies carry the nation's seventh-best ERA (3.74), holding opponents to a .222 average with a 1.14 WHIP … Right-hander Charlie Walker (2-0, 0.30 ERA) will get the nod for Tuesday's contest.

INSIDE THE SERIES
Tuesday's contest marks the third meeting between the two squads, with K-State holding a 2-0 edge in the series after an extra-innings thriller in last season … In the last meeting, former Wildcat Brady Day had a game-high three RBI and the K-State pitching staff combined for 14 strikeouts to defeat the Huskies, 9-8, in 11 innings … After Northeastern leveled the score to send the game into extras, 2024 first-rounder Kaelen Culpepper singled into left center to lead off the 11^th inning before advancing to third on a sacrifice bunt and a ground out before scoring the game-winning run on a wild pitch.

LAST TWO MEETINGS
W, 6-1 – February 28, 2010 (Winter Haven, Florida)
W, 9-8 (11) – April 17, 2024 (Boston)

ON THE ROAD, AGAIN
K-State is 10-11 when playing on the road this season, including a 4-9 record in true road games after dropping a three-game set at Oklahoma State …The Cats are 1-4 in their last five road trips, that includes a 13-10 victory against Wichita State … On the road, the Wildcat offense is slashing .254/.363/.418 with 26 home runs and 115 RBI ... K-State averages 6.4 runs/game on 8.5 hits while drawing 104 walks with 29 stolen bases ... The Wildcat pitching staff has a 5.83 ERA on the road with 208 strikeouts (9.9 per game) ... Four starters are hitting north of .300 on the road led by Dardar's .345 average with 11 extra-base hits that includes four home runs … Kennedy has launched a team-high five homers on the road this season.

AT THE PLATE
Offensively, the Wildcats lead opponents with a slash line of .285/.387/.509 with 76 doubles, one triple and 61 homers – the second-most in the Big 12 … K-State has out-hit opponents in 17 of its 35 games this season (16-1), 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 16 games (13-3) … Five starters are hitting over .300, with Martin leading the way with a .355 average followed by O'Connor (.330) and Evasco (.327) … The team's .509 slugging percentage is second in the league and ranks 34^th nationally, while Martin is second in the conference with a .744 slugging percentage.

ON THE MOUND
The 2025 K-State pitching staff boasts a 5.23 ERA … Three relievers have made 10 or more appearances on the hill, while seven pitchers have made a start … Eight different pitchers have picked up a win while four have garnered a save … Opponents are hitting .262 against K-State … K-State pitchers rank third in the Big 12 and 28^th nationally in strikeouts per nine innings (10.0) … K-State has struck out 330 batters this season and issued 140 walks for a 2.6 strikeout-to-walk ratio … Left-handed weekend starter Lincoln Sheffield has struck out a team-leading 50 in his first season at K-State.

HAMMERIN' CATS
K-State has erupted for 61 homers, ranking second in the league and 13^th in the country while averaging 1.81 per game … Thirteen different Wildcats belted at least one home run this season with ten recording multiple home runs led by 12 from Martin … Martin, O'Connor, Kennedy and Madliak have each turned in a two-run home run game this season, with Madliak joining the club after his two blasts vs. Missouri State (April 8) … With 12 homers on the year, Martin is the first player to reach 12 since 2023 … K-State has turned in 19 multi-home run games (18-1), including a season-high six homers on Sunday against William & Mary … The Cats have generated seven back-to-back performances this season (Latest: Madliak and Flores, vs. Missouri State, April 8) … 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 23 wins this season, the Wildcats are hitting .317 in victories against just .219 in defeats ... Six Wildcats are hitting north of a .315 clip, led by Martin's .417 average … 53 of the Cats' 61 home runs have come in victories, including multiple in 18 wins with Martin and O'Connor combining for 20 of those … In 12 losses, K-State pitchers have combined for 69 walks (5.8 per game) while in victories the staff averages 3.1 walks per game (71 walks in 23 wins) and 9.9 strikeouts per nine innings.

NUMBERS NUGGETS
K-State has a season +60 run differential, averaging 7.7 runs on 9.5 hits per game ... Cats are undefeated (20-0) when leading after the sixth and 1-2 when tied after six ... K-State is 17-6 when committing one or no errors, while picking up six victories when two or more errors were committed ... When scoring first, K-State is 14-3 and 10-3 when scoring in the first inning … K-State has outhit opponents in 17 of 35 games this season (16-1) and is 15-2 when limiting opponents to five or less runs … 27 of 35 games have been against right-handed starters (19-8), while K-State is 4-4 against lefty starters.

AROUND THE LEAGUE
With a sweep of Houston, West Virginia (30-4) moved atop the league standings with a 10-3 mark in conference play … TCU stands alone in second after a clean sweep of then-No. 22 KU … K-State and Arizona tie third followed by a two-way tie between KU and Arizona State to round out the top five … West Virginia's Logan Sauve (player) and Oklahoma State's Harrison Bodendorf (pitcher and newcomer) earned Big 12 baseball weekly honors for games ending Sunday, April 13.

UP NEXT
Following the two-game series in Boston, K-State will head to Lawrence, Kan., for the annual Dillons Sunflower Showdown against Kansas (27-10, 9-6 Big 12) at Hoglund Ballpark, starting Friday at 6 p.m.

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Kaelen Culpepper

Brady Day

Tanner Duke

James Guyette

Dee Kennedy

Keegan O'Connor

Lincoln Sheffield

Kansas State University Athletics