
Kansas Sweeps Sunflower Showdown
Apr 19, 2025 | Baseball
LAWRENCE, Kan. – Kansas completed a doubleheader sweep of K-State at Hoglund Ballpark on Saturday, winning the first game 6-3 before a 6-5 victory in the Dillons Sunflower Showdown finale.
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KU (31-10, 12-6 Big 12) ended its three-series losing streak, as the Jayhawks picked up their first series win against K-State since 2021, and first series sweep since 2019. K-State (23-17, 10-8 Big 12) has won five of the last 10 meetings.
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"We played and coached good enough to lose all weekend," said head coach Pete Hughes, who is in his seventh season at the helm of the K-State baseball program. "The only positive is we'll find out what we are truly made of in the next month."
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"We are at that time where you figure it out or you don't. I'm betting on our guys."
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Martin, who was named to the Brooks Wallace Award Player of the Year Watch, led the way for the Wildcat offense going 6-for-8 on the day with three runs batted in in Game 2.
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Sam Flores recorded his second homer of the season in the day's first game, launching the Wildcats 64th blast of the season – ranks sixth all-time in program history. Flores is the 11th different player to register two or more home runs on the year.
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GAME 1: KU 6, K-STATE 3
After a scoreless first inning, Flores put the Cats on the board, as the designated hitter launched a lead-off no-doubter to the scoreboard in right field.
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The Jayhawks evened the score in the bottom of the frame, with an RBI single through the left side.
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With the score tied 1-1, K-State immediately responded as Martin and Donte Lewis each singled to lead off the third. A walk loaded the bases before Seth Dardar and Keegan O'Connor each drove in a run with grounders to second to put the Cats ahead, 3-1.
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KU came back to score five unanswered runs over a three-inning span secure the series win.
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In the start, Lincoln Sheffield went four innings with five runs on eight hits to earn the loss (5-4). He struck out two and walked two. Offensively, Martin led the Wildcats with his 3-for-3 effort. Â
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INSIDE THE BOX (Game 1)
A solo blast from Brady Ballinger handed the Jayhawks an early one-run lead in the first.
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K-State broke through and scored three runs in the second frame, utilizing three hits and taking advantage of a fielding error. Dardar reached on the error by Carr and advanced to third on back-to-back hits from Dee Kennedy and AJ Evasco.
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Bear Madliak lifted a sacrifice fly ball to left field to score Dardar, before Maximus Martin delivered a two-out single into left center to hand the Wildcats a 3-1 lead.
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Tied 3-3, Lewis hit a two-out single back to the mound before scoring on a double to right by Martin to take the one-run lead.
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KU spotted reliever JJ Slack for three runs in the fourth to make it a 6-4 ballgame.
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The Jayhawks held on, leaving K-State without a run through four innings, until a sacrifice fly from Bear Madliak pulled the game within one.
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INSIDE THE BOX (Game 2)
The Wildcats return to Tointon Family Stadium to host Wichita State (12-27) on Tuesday at 6 p.m. in the final game of the home-and-home season series.
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K-State baseball single-game tickets at Tointon Family Stadium are available, and can be purchased by visiting KStateSports.com, call 1-800-221-CATS (2287), or stopping by the K-State Athletics Ticket Office in Bramlage Coliseum.
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KU (31-10, 12-6 Big 12) ended its three-series losing streak, as the Jayhawks picked up their first series win against K-State since 2021, and first series sweep since 2019. K-State (23-17, 10-8 Big 12) has won five of the last 10 meetings.
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"We played and coached good enough to lose all weekend," said head coach Pete Hughes, who is in his seventh season at the helm of the K-State baseball program. "The only positive is we'll find out what we are truly made of in the next month."
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"We are at that time where you figure it out or you don't. I'm betting on our guys."
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Martin, who was named to the Brooks Wallace Award Player of the Year Watch, led the way for the Wildcat offense going 6-for-8 on the day with three runs batted in in Game 2.
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Sam Flores recorded his second homer of the season in the day's first game, launching the Wildcats 64th blast of the season – ranks sixth all-time in program history. Flores is the 11th different player to register two or more home runs on the year.
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GAME 1: KU 6, K-STATE 3
After a scoreless first inning, Flores put the Cats on the board, as the designated hitter launched a lead-off no-doubter to the scoreboard in right field.
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The Jayhawks evened the score in the bottom of the frame, with an RBI single through the left side.
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With the score tied 1-1, K-State immediately responded as Martin and Donte Lewis each singled to lead off the third. A walk loaded the bases before Seth Dardar and Keegan O'Connor each drove in a run with grounders to second to put the Cats ahead, 3-1.
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KU came back to score five unanswered runs over a three-inning span secure the series win.
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In the start, Lincoln Sheffield went four innings with five runs on eight hits to earn the loss (5-4). He struck out two and walked two. Offensively, Martin led the Wildcats with his 3-for-3 effort. Â
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INSIDE THE BOX (Game 1)
- K-State scored three runs on seven hits, committed three errors, and left six runners on base.
- KU plated six runs on 11 hits with no errors committed and six left stranded.
- Five Wildcats produced a hit led by Maximus Martin going 3-for-3, while three players drove in a run.
- KU had two players record multiple hits with five driving in an RBI.
- Sheffield (5-4) suffered the loss, allowing five earned runs on eight hits with two walks and two strikeouts.
- Three pitchers came out of the bullpen for K-State with Ruhl logging 3 2/3 scoreless innings with three strikeouts.
- Moore received the win, moving to 4-1 and surrendering three earned runs in his eight-inning start.
- Breckheimer earned his fourth save, second of the series.
A solo blast from Brady Ballinger handed the Jayhawks an early one-run lead in the first.
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K-State broke through and scored three runs in the second frame, utilizing three hits and taking advantage of a fielding error. Dardar reached on the error by Carr and advanced to third on back-to-back hits from Dee Kennedy and AJ Evasco.
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Bear Madliak lifted a sacrifice fly ball to left field to score Dardar, before Maximus Martin delivered a two-out single into left center to hand the Wildcats a 3-1 lead.
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Tied 3-3, Lewis hit a two-out single back to the mound before scoring on a double to right by Martin to take the one-run lead.
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KU spotted reliever JJ Slack for three runs in the fourth to make it a 6-4 ballgame.
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The Jayhawks held on, leaving K-State without a run through four innings, until a sacrifice fly from Bear Madliak pulled the game within one.
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INSIDE THE BOX (Game 2)
- K-State scored five runs on nine hits, committed no errors and stranded eight on base.
- KU scored six runs on eight hits with one error committed and leaving nine runners stranded.
- Martin went 3-for-5 with three RBI.
- Seven Wildcats contributed a hit.
- Slack suffered the loss in relief of Quevedo's start, surrendering three earned runs on four hits in two innings of work.
- Trumper (3-0) earned the victory, logging a scoreless inning in relief of starter Carr, while Lin was credited with his fourth save.
- With the sweep, KU tied the all-time series 193-193-1.
- In Big 12 play, K-State is 57-40 against the Jayhawks while owning a 75-97 record all-time in Lawrence.
- Dardar stretched his hitting streak to six with a double in Game 2. Â
- Flores became the 11th player to hit two or more home runs this season. Â
- The 2025 squad ranks sixth all-time with 64.
- Martin recorded his team-leading 14th multi-RBI game and 14th game with two or more hits. .
The Wildcats return to Tointon Family Stadium to host Wichita State (12-27) on Tuesday at 6 p.m. in the final game of the home-and-home season series.
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K-State baseball single-game tickets at Tointon Family Stadium are available, and can be purchased by visiting KStateSports.com, call 1-800-221-CATS (2287), or stopping by the K-State Athletics Ticket Office in Bramlage Coliseum.
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– k-statesports.com –
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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.
– k-statesports.com –
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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.
Players Mentioned
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Moore, Cooper (4-1)
L: Sheffield, Lincoln (5-4)
S: Breckheimer, Alex (4)

Batting:
HR: Flores, Sam 1
RBI: Dardar, Seth 1 ; O'Connor, Keegan 1 ; Flores, Sam 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Flores, Sam 1 ; Martin, Maximus 1 ; Lewis, Donte 1
HBP: Madliak, Bear 1 ; English, Nick 1 ; Martin, Maximus 1
PO: Dardar, Seth 1
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Batting:
2B: Ballinger, Brady 1 ; Brooks, Michael 1
RBI: Hauge, Jackson 1 ; Osoria, Dariel 1 ; Brooks, Michael 1 ; Barth, Tommy 1 ; Francis, Ian 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Ballinger, Brady 2 ; Hauge, Jackson 1 ; Counsell, Brady 1 ; Brooks, Michael 1 ; Barth, Tommy 1
Game Leaders
Wednesday, September 30
Tuesday, May 26
Thursday, May 21
Wednesday, May 20

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