Kansas State University Athletics
Saturday, May 3
Provo, Utah
2:30 p.m.
Kansas State University
28-20, 0
13
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4
BYU
22-23, 0
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4
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6
7
8
9
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Kansas State
6
2
1
0
0
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2
0
0
13
18
1
BYU Cougars
0
1
2
0
0
1
0
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4
9
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Six-Run First Lifts Cats to Series Victory
May 03, 2025 | Baseball
PROVO, Utah – K-State exploded for six runs in the first inning on its way to capturing its sixth Big 12 series win, as the Wildcats pounded out 18 hits in a 13-4 victory over BYU at Miller Park on Saturday.
"Proud of our fight to win the last two on the road for a series win," said K-State head coach Pete Hughes. "Our top four hitters being on base 16 times can really make for a powerful offensive day."
After dropping the series opener, the Wildcats (28-20, 14-10 Big 12) came back to win the series, outscoring the Cougars 31-8 in the final two games to capture their second road series of the season and seventh overall.
"Loved our energy the last two days. We played with immediate urgency today to set the tone right from the first pitch. Think our guys are seeing the finish line and understand how important these last series are for our program," Hughes commented.
Lincoln Sheffield picked up his sixth win at K-State to improve to 6-4 on the year, after holding the Cougars (22-23, 7-17 Big 12) to four runs (three earned). The senior left-hander capped his 12th start with six strikeouts and scattered seven hits in 5 2/3 innings.
James Guyette closed the game in relief of Sheffield, firing 3 1/3 scoreless innings and allowing just two hits with five strikeouts.
"Lincoln did a great job versus a scary BYU offense. He kept them off balance all day and allowed us to build a lead. Guyette was sharp to finish the game."
The Wildcats sent 21 players to the plate over the first three innings, totaling nine runs during the stretch, while the first four hitters combined to go 11-for-19 with seven runs batted in.
Seven different players contributed a hit, paced by a four-hit day from Maximus Martin, while Seth Dardar, Keegan O'Connor, and AJ Evasco each had three. A native of Edgewater Park, N.J., Martin ended the day going 4-for-5 with four RBI and scoring three runs, and was shy a triple of hitting for the cycle.
Martin and Evasco each homered, bringing the Wildcats season total to 86, which is three short of tying the program record set in 2021 (89).
HOW IT HAPPENED
K-State picked up where it left off in game two, sending 10 to the plate and spotting BYU starter Jaden Harris for six runs in the opening frame. Four consecutive hitters reached base, opening the game with a 2-0 lead before a triple from David Bishop and two-run homer by Evasco lengthened the lead to six.
The Wildcats tacked on a pair of runs in the second inning, as O'Connor drove in his eighth RBI of the series followed by a shot to first by Sam Flores that scored Martin from third.
BYU tagged Sheffield for a run in the second, but the lefty worked out of the inning with back-to-back strikeouts.
With one out in the third, reliever Jake Porter issued a walk to Cayden Phillips until Dee Kennedy recorded his second hit of the game to force the Cougars' second pitching change, bringing Ashton Johnson to the mound. Johnson forced a pop up to record the second out, but Martin doubled into right field to make it 9-0.
Leading 9-3 in the sixth, Martin barreled a two-run homer 393-feet to left field – his 14th blast of the year – to stretch the Cats' lead to eight to put the game away.
INSIDE THE BOX
K-State returns to Tointon Family Stadium for the final home games of the regular season against nationally-ranked and Big 12 leader West Virginia, starting Friday, May 9 at 6 p.m. In Sunday's home finale, the Wildcats will honor eight players and three staff members for Senior Day. The three-game conference set will broadcast on ESPN+ and the ESPN app.
Single-game tickets for the Wildcats final week (May 6-11) at Tointon Family Stadium 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.
"Proud of our fight to win the last two on the road for a series win," said K-State head coach Pete Hughes. "Our top four hitters being on base 16 times can really make for a powerful offensive day."
After dropping the series opener, the Wildcats (28-20, 14-10 Big 12) came back to win the series, outscoring the Cougars 31-8 in the final two games to capture their second road series of the season and seventh overall.
"Loved our energy the last two days. We played with immediate urgency today to set the tone right from the first pitch. Think our guys are seeing the finish line and understand how important these last series are for our program," Hughes commented.
Lincoln Sheffield picked up his sixth win at K-State to improve to 6-4 on the year, after holding the Cougars (22-23, 7-17 Big 12) to four runs (three earned). The senior left-hander capped his 12th start with six strikeouts and scattered seven hits in 5 2/3 innings.
James Guyette closed the game in relief of Sheffield, firing 3 1/3 scoreless innings and allowing just two hits with five strikeouts.
"Lincoln did a great job versus a scary BYU offense. He kept them off balance all day and allowed us to build a lead. Guyette was sharp to finish the game."
The Wildcats sent 21 players to the plate over the first three innings, totaling nine runs during the stretch, while the first four hitters combined to go 11-for-19 with seven runs batted in.
Seven different players contributed a hit, paced by a four-hit day from Maximus Martin, while Seth Dardar, Keegan O'Connor, and AJ Evasco each had three. A native of Edgewater Park, N.J., Martin ended the day going 4-for-5 with four RBI and scoring three runs, and was shy a triple of hitting for the cycle.
Martin and Evasco each homered, bringing the Wildcats season total to 86, which is three short of tying the program record set in 2021 (89).
HOW IT HAPPENED
K-State picked up where it left off in game two, sending 10 to the plate and spotting BYU starter Jaden Harris for six runs in the opening frame. Four consecutive hitters reached base, opening the game with a 2-0 lead before a triple from David Bishop and two-run homer by Evasco lengthened the lead to six.
The Wildcats tacked on a pair of runs in the second inning, as O'Connor drove in his eighth RBI of the series followed by a shot to first by Sam Flores that scored Martin from third.
BYU tagged Sheffield for a run in the second, but the lefty worked out of the inning with back-to-back strikeouts.
With one out in the third, reliever Jake Porter issued a walk to Cayden Phillips until Dee Kennedy recorded his second hit of the game to force the Cougars' second pitching change, bringing Ashton Johnson to the mound. Johnson forced a pop up to record the second out, but Martin doubled into right field to make it 9-0.
Leading 9-3 in the sixth, Martin barreled a two-run homer 393-feet to left field – his 14th blast of the year – to stretch the Cats' lead to eight to put the game away.
INSIDE THE BOX
- K-State scored 13 runs on 18 hits with one error committee.
- BYU scored four runs on nine hits, committed no errors.
- Both squads left 10 runners stranded on base.
- Seven different Wildcats produced a hit, with six producing multiple.
- Martin went 4-for-5 with a game-leading four RBI and scored three runs.
- Dardar, O'Connor and Evasco each had three-hit days.
- Evasco drove in three RBI while O'Connor had two.
- Martin and Evasco each launched a two-run homer.
- Sheffield (6-4) was awarded the victory, surrendering four runs (three earned) on seven hits with six strikeouts in 5 2/3 innings.
- Guyette picked up his fourth save, firing 3 1/3 scoreless innings in relief of Sheffield.
- K-State leads the all-time series 9-6, while BYU has a 5-2 advantage in games played in Provo.
- The 2025 squad's 86 home runs ranks second in the school history – three away from tying the program record set in 2021.
- With his ninth homer of the year, Evasco is one away from tying the freshman single-season home run record (10 – Dylan Phillips, 2019; Nick Goodwin, 2021).
- Martin launched his 14th homer – ties third in the single-season records.
K-State returns to Tointon Family Stadium for the final home games of the regular season against nationally-ranked and Big 12 leader West Virginia, starting Friday, May 9 at 6 p.m. In Sunday's home finale, the Wildcats will honor eight players and three staff members for Senior Day. The three-game conference set will broadcast on ESPN+ and the ESPN app.
Single-game tickets for the Wildcats final week (May 6-11) at Tointon Family Stadium 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: Sheffield, Lincoln (6-4)
L: Harris, Jaden (1-7)
S: Guyette, James (4)
Batting:
2B: Inoue, Shintaro 1 ; Martin, Maximus 1 ; Dardar, Seth 1 ; O'Connor, Keegan 1 ; Bishop, David 1 ; Kennedy, Dee 1
3B: Bishop, David 1
HR: Martin, Maximus 1 ; Evasco, AJ 1
RBI: Martin, Maximus 4 ; Dardar, Seth 1 ; O'Connor, Keegan 2 ; Flores, Sam 1 ; Bishop, David 1 ; Evasco, AJ 3
SF: Flores, Sam 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Inoue, Shintaro 2 ; Martin, Maximus 3 ; Dardar, Seth 2 ; O'Connor, Keegan 1 ; Bishop, David 2 ; Evasco, AJ 2 ; Phillips, Cayden 1
HBP: Dardar, Seth 1
PO: Dean, Micah 1
Batting:
2B: Anderson, Luke 1 ; Hurdsman, Bryker 1
RBI: Anderson, Luke 1 ; Hurdsman, Bryker 1 ; Painter, Keoni 1 ; Goff, Parker 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Gambill, Tate 1 ; Robinson, Ryder 1 ; Hurdsman, Bryker 1 ; Painter, Keoni 1
HBP: Goff, Parker 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
5
R
3
H
4
RBI
4
AB
5
R
2
H
3
RBI
1
AB
5
R
1
H
3
RBI
2
Players Mentioned
INF
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RHP
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LHP
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