Five Late Unanswered Runs Sparks Comeback Win over UConn

Saturday, February 14

Scottsdale, Ariz.

6 p.m.

Kansas State University

2-0

UConn

0-2

UCONN

Kansas State

Five Late Unanswered Runs Sparks Comeback Win over UConn

Feb 14, 2026 | Baseball

Box Score Photo Gallery

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. – K-State scored five unanswered runs in the eighth inning to take game two of the MLB Desert Invitational, that included a go-ahead two-run triple by AJ Evasco, as K-State defeated UConn, 7-3, on Saturday night.

"It was great to have one of those wins early in the season," said head coach Pete Hughes. "To come back and chip away and have some veteran guys on the mound allowed us to do that. I can't say enough about Carson Liggett's outing. Congratulations to Carson for coming back after surgery and being out for the entire year last year, to rehab like crazy, and to put himself in position to help our team win a game."

Liggett, who sat the 2025 season due to Tommy John surgery, fired five scoreless innings in relief to keep the game within one before passing the ball onto Cohen Feser (1-0). The right-hander from San Antonio, Texas held off UConn (0-2) in the eighth, bringing the Wildcats back to the plate.

Down 3-2, K-State (2-0) capitalized a throwing error to even the score before Evasco tripled into left center to drive in the go-ahead run.

"Without Carson, we don't win tonight, also veteran presence with Cohen [Feser]. He was awesome down the stretch, allowed our guys to get big hits and play in big moments. We got the big hit by AJ [Evasco], while Dee Kennedy and Carlos Vasquez kind of paced our offense tonight, but that doesn't happen without the efforts of Liggett and Feser," Hughes added.

HOW IT HAPPENED
For the second consecutive day, K-State opened scoring in the first frame as Robby Bolin and Grant Gallagher each singled before Bolin scored on an attempted steal at second.

The Huskies answered with three runs over the second and third innings, forcing K-State to make a call to the bullpen. Liggett entered the game, relieving sophomore Donte Lewis in the fourth and inheriting runners on second and third.

The redshirt senior retired seven consecutive batters before surrendering a hit in the fifth, including striking out the side in his first inning in a Wildcat uniform.

After getting out of a bases load situation, Shintaro Inoue and Vasquez each laced a hit into center field to position runners on first and third. Austin Haley, a transfer from Murray State College, lifted a sacrifice fly to drive in Inoue and trim the deficit to one, 3-2.

After two scoreless innings, the Wildcats broke the game open, as pinch hitter Micah Kendrick was hit by a pitch to lead off the five-run inning. Bolin laid down a sacrifice bunt and advanced to third on an overthrown ball to first from the catcher that tied the game.

Gallagher was issued a four-pitch walk before the duo came around the bases on a two-run triple by Evasco to pull ahead. Kennedy immediately followed with a single into left field before a double by Vasquez stretched the lead to four, 7-3.

With two outs and a runner on first, Feser struck out the final batter to complete the comeback victory and earn his first win at K-State.

INSIDE THE BOX

K-State scored seven runs on seven hits with one error committed and just four runners left on base. UConn plated three runs on eight hits, committed one error and left 10 runners on base.
Six Wildcats produced a hit led by Vasquez going 2-for-4 with one RBI, while Evasco led all players with two RBI.
1-6 of K-State's lineup generated a hit.
Kennedy stole a game-high two bases, while Bolin and Gallagher each had one.
UConn's Menzel and Minick each led with a game-high three hits.
Liggett retired 14 of the 18 batters he faced in relief of Lewis, surrendering just two hits with five strikeouts over five shutout innings.
Feser was awarded the victory in relief of Liggett, surrendering three hits with three strikeouts over two scoreless frames.
UConn's Suchy recorded nine strikeouts and held K-State to two runs over his six-inning start.
Meyers was tagged for the loss after surrendering five runs (four earned) on two hits.
Lewis was spotted for three runs (earned) on three hits with four walks and three strikeouts in his first start of the season.

TEAM NOTES

Saturday's contest marks the second meeting between the Wildcats and Huskies on the diamond – both in the Hughes era (2024, 2026).
The win tied the all-time series, 1-1.
Five players have registered a hit in both games this season, while six have reached base in each.
K-State is off to a 2-0 start for the first time since 2023, when the Cats opened the season 4-0 with a four-game sweep of Stephen F. Austin.

PLAYER NOTES

Evasco delivered his second straight multi-RBI game, tallying four RBI in two games.
Liggett and Feser each made their K-State debuts on Saturday,
Redshirt freshman Chandler Murray made his first collegiate start, while graduate transfer Shea McGahan made his first start in a K-State uniform.
Kennedy recorded his third K-State career game with two or more steals.

UP NEXT
The Wildcats will face Penn State at 1 p.m. CT at Sloan Park on Sunday. The game can be seen on MLB.com/MiLB/Pipeline, while radio coverage is available on KMAN.

– k-statesports.com –

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