Louisiana Outduels K-State Tuesday Night, 1-0

Tuesday, February 24

Lafayette, La.

6 p.m.

Kansas State University

6-2

Louisiana

6-2

Kansas State

Louisiana

Feb 24, 2026 | Baseball

Box Score Photo Gallery

LAFAYETTE, La. – Three pitchers combined to shut out K-State Tuesday night, while a solo home run by Mark Collins handed Louisiana a 1-0 victory at M.L. Tigue Moore Field. Louisiana picks up sixth consecutive win with the shutout, while both squads move to 6-2 overall on the year.

"Both teams pitched well tonight, and both teams played very good defense," said head coach Pete Hughes. "A big hit or a big error usually decides these games, and today Louisiana got the big hit. Tanner Duke settled in and deserved a better outcome."

In his second start of the season, Sawyer Pruitt (2-0) allowed just three hits and struck out nine, as the freshman held the Wildcats scoreless over six innings in the win. The right-hander's nine strikeouts are the most by any Ragin' Cajun this season, while he ended the night issuing three walks. Hayden Pearson tossed two hitless innings in relief of Pruitt before handing the ball over to Garrett Carter, who recorded his second save of the year.

Duke (0-1) held the Ragin' Cajuns to one run in his second start of the season. The junior right-hander scattered three hits over his career-high 6 1/3 innings, issuing one walk with a season-high five strikeouts.

HOW IT HAPPENED
After two scoreless frames, Louisiana broke through as right fielder Mark Collins barreled the first pitch he faced from Duke over the wall in left field.
The Wildcats looked to end the drought in the fifth, as Grant Gallagher singled up the middle for the team's third hit of the night. The senior third baseman advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt from Micah Kendrick but was left stranded as Pruitt immediately recorded his sixth and seventh strikeouts.

Trailing 1-0, K-State was given an opportunity to break through after earning back-to-back walks, putting its second runner in scoring position on the night. The Wildcats' best chance of scoring was left short, as Pruitt forced a grounder to first to get out of the inning.

INSIDE THE BOX

Louisiana scored one run on three hits, committed no errors and left two men on base, while K-State was limited to three hits with no errors and stranded seven runners.
Each team was held to three hits.
Carlos Vasquez, Dee Kennedy, and Gallagher each registered a hit for K-State.
Collins homered in the third, recording the lone run of the game.
Over a career-high 6 1/3 innings, Duke held Louisiana to one run (earned) on three hits with one walk and a season-high five strikeouts.
Robert Fortenberry logged 1 2/3 scoreless innings in relief of Duke.
After the first inning, K-State had a runner reach base in eight straight innings.
Pruitt fired six scoreless frames, allowing just three hits with three walks and a season-high nine strikeouts.
Pearson and Carter combined for three hitless innings in relief of Pruitt.
The Wildcats struck out 12 times while earning five walks, while the Ragin' Cajuns struck out five times with one walk.
K-State was 0-for-2 on the bases.
Neither team recorded a hit with runners on base.

TEAM NOTES

Tuesday's game marked the second meeting between the Wildcats and Ragin' Cajuns, and first since March 13, 1986.
UL won 3-2 in the first-ever meeting between the two squads in Lafayette.
As a team, K-State's offense has recorded 10 or more strikeouts in a single game twice this season (11, vs UConn on Feb. 14).

PLAYER NOTES

Kendrick stretched his on-base streak to four, after he was issued a walk in the third.
Vasquez recorded his third game with a hit, going 6-for-12 in his last three games.
Duke recorded his longest career outing with his 6 1/3-inning performance Tuesday.
Bolin has reached base in eight consecutive games.

UP NEXT
K-State will look to split the midweek series with the Ragin' Cajuns Wednesday at 6 p.m. at M.L. "Tigue" Moore Field at Russo Park in Lafayette. Game two of the series features right-hander Matt Flores vs. letfy Tyler Papenbrock and will broadcast on ESPN+.

– k-statesports.com –

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