Kansas State University Athletics
Saturday, April 26
Manhattan, Kan.
4 p.m.
Kansas State University
26-17, 0
14
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5
Houston
22-20, 0
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9
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Kansas State
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X
14
8
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Three Home Runs Back Wildcats' Sixth Series Win
Apr 26, 2025 | Baseball
MANHATTAN, Kan. – Three home runs, including a grand slam by Seth Dardar, powered K-State to a 14-5 series-clinching victory over Houston at Tointon Family Stadium Saturday.
K-State (26-17, 12-8 Big 12) set the tone early, as the Wildcats scored seven runs between the second and third innings on their way to winning their fifth consecutive win over Houston (22-20, 6-13 Big 12).
"We're starting to play good baseball, and that's three games in a row," commented head coach Pete Hughes. "It all starts with good starting pitching. Michael Quevedo was very good today, and didn't beat himself, allowing us to build a lead."
Before giving up a run in the fourth, Quevedo retired 11 of the first 12 batters he faced as he improved his record to 5-1. The senior lefty from Katy, Texas tossed 6 1/3 innings in his 11th start of the year, ending his outing with four runs on eight hits while striking out five and walking one.
"We played a really good team offense, one through nine. We got big hits, and, more importantly, played great two-out baseball," Hughes added.
Six different Wildcats recorded a hit led by two each from Dardar and Dee Kennedy. In addition to Dardar, Sam Flores and Shintaro Inoue also belted a no-doubter in the win.
The Cats scored multiple runs in three of eight innings, including five in the third and fifth.
With the win, K-State recorded its 16th victory at home, matching a program record 16-1 start set in 2006. The Wildcats have won six of eight series in 2025, including four during Big 12 action.
K-State has registered two or more homers in 22 games this season, going 20-2. A total of 13 players have contributed to the team's 74 home runs in 2025. K-State's 74 homers rank fourth all-time in school history.
HOW IT HAPPENED
For the second straight game, K-State jumped on the board in the second inning with a home run, as Sam Flores belted his third homer of the year over the left-center wall.
Quevedo retired seven consecutive batters until Tyler Cox recorded the Cougars' first hit with a single in the third but was left stranded with the Cats picking up two quick outs.
Inoue launched his seventh homer 409-feet to center field – his third homer in three games – igniting the Cats five-run third. Maximus Martin was issued a four-pitch walk in the next at-bat before Dardar singled and Keegan O'Connor walked to load the bases, forcing the Cougars to make their second pitching change of the inning.
With one out, a fielders choice doubled the lead before the Cats capitalized on a fielding error by the shortstop that plated three runs.
Leading 7-1, K-State sent eight to the plate and erupted for five runs in the fifth to put the game away. The Cats' five-run inning was highlighted by Dardar's first grand slam at K-State.
INSIDE THE BOX
Sunday's series finale between the Cats and Cougars is slated for an 11 a.m. first pitch at Tointon Family Stadium. 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.
– k-statesports.com –
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-State (26-17, 12-8 Big 12) set the tone early, as the Wildcats scored seven runs between the second and third innings on their way to winning their fifth consecutive win over Houston (22-20, 6-13 Big 12).
"We're starting to play good baseball, and that's three games in a row," commented head coach Pete Hughes. "It all starts with good starting pitching. Michael Quevedo was very good today, and didn't beat himself, allowing us to build a lead."
Before giving up a run in the fourth, Quevedo retired 11 of the first 12 batters he faced as he improved his record to 5-1. The senior lefty from Katy, Texas tossed 6 1/3 innings in his 11th start of the year, ending his outing with four runs on eight hits while striking out five and walking one.
"We played a really good team offense, one through nine. We got big hits, and, more importantly, played great two-out baseball," Hughes added.
Six different Wildcats recorded a hit led by two each from Dardar and Dee Kennedy. In addition to Dardar, Sam Flores and Shintaro Inoue also belted a no-doubter in the win.
The Cats scored multiple runs in three of eight innings, including five in the third and fifth.
With the win, K-State recorded its 16th victory at home, matching a program record 16-1 start set in 2006. The Wildcats have won six of eight series in 2025, including four during Big 12 action.
K-State has registered two or more homers in 22 games this season, going 20-2. A total of 13 players have contributed to the team's 74 home runs in 2025. K-State's 74 homers rank fourth all-time in school history.
HOW IT HAPPENED
For the second straight game, K-State jumped on the board in the second inning with a home run, as Sam Flores belted his third homer of the year over the left-center wall.
Quevedo retired seven consecutive batters until Tyler Cox recorded the Cougars' first hit with a single in the third but was left stranded with the Cats picking up two quick outs.
Inoue launched his seventh homer 409-feet to center field – his third homer in three games – igniting the Cats five-run third. Maximus Martin was issued a four-pitch walk in the next at-bat before Dardar singled and Keegan O'Connor walked to load the bases, forcing the Cougars to make their second pitching change of the inning.
With one out, a fielders choice doubled the lead before the Cats capitalized on a fielding error by the shortstop that plated three runs.
Leading 7-1, K-State sent eight to the plate and erupted for five runs in the fifth to put the game away. The Cats' five-run inning was highlighted by Dardar's first grand slam at K-State.
INSIDE THE BOX
- K-State scored 14 runs on eight hits, committed no errors and left eight runners on base.
- Houston scored five runs on nine hits with four errors and leaving six runners on base.
- Quevedo (5-1) was awarded the win, surrendering four runs on eight hits in his 6 1/3 innings of work with five strikeouts and one walk.
- Dardar and Kennedy went 2-for-4 with Dardar leading the offense with four RBI with his grand slam.
- Dardar, Inoue and Flores each homered.
- Flores scored three runs.
- Solis (1-1) suffered the loss after giving up four runs on four hits in two innings.
- Nine different players tallied a hit for UH.
- K-State went 5-for-18 (.278) with runners on and scored six runs with two outs.
- K-State leads the all-time series, 7-2, that includes five straight wins in Big 12 play.
- The Cats have won all three series against the Cougars – 2009, 2024, 2025.
- K-State has homered in 32 of 43 games, totaling 74 with 25 in the month of April.
- The 2025 team's 74 home runs rank fifth all-time in school history.
- K-State tallied its eighth and ninth innings with five or more runs.
- With Dardar's slam, K-State has registered four grand slams this season by three different players – Martin (2), Evasco, Dardar.
Sunday's series finale between the Cats and Cougars is slated for an 11 a.m. first pitch at Tointon Family Stadium. 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.
– k-statesports.com –
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.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Quevedo, Michael (5-1)
L: Solis, Alex (1-1)
Batting:
2B: Tatom, Jake 1
HR: Bishop, Brandon 1 ; Jackson, Riley 1
RBI: Bishop, Brandon 1 ; Tatom, Jake 1 ; Climie, Cade 1 ; Jackson, Riley 2
SH: Jackson, Riley 1
SF: Climie, Cade 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Bishop, Brandon 1 ; Broussard, Tre 1 ; Avalos, Anthony 1 ; Cox, Tyler 1 ; Jackson, Riley 1
Batting:
2B: Kennedy, Dee 2
HR: Inoue, Shintaro 1 ; Dardar, Seth 1 ; Flores, Sam 1
RBI: Inoue, Shintaro 1 ; Martin, Maximus 1 ; Dardar, Seth 4 ; Flores, Sam 2 ; Madliak, Bear 1 ; Kennedy, Dee 2
SF: Kennedy, Dee 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Inoue, Shintaro 2 ; Martin, Maximus 2 ; Dardar, Seth 1 ; O'Connor, Keegan 2 ; Flores, Sam 3 ; Madliak, Bear 1 ; Evasco, AJ 2 ; Kennedy, Dee 1
HBP: Martin, Maximus 1 ; Evasco, AJ 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
4
R
1
H
2
RBI
4
AB
4
R
1
H
2
RBI
2
AB
5
R
2
H
1
RBI
1
AB
3
R
2
H
1
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
INF
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INF
/ BaseballINF
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LHP
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