Vasquez Homers Twice, Wildcats Run-Rule Bears

Tuesday, March 17

Waco, Texas

6:30 p.m.

Kansas State University

16-5

Baylor

11-9

Kansas State

Baylor

Mar 18, 2026 | Baseball

Box Score

WACO, Texas – Carlos Vasquez's two home runs and career-high seven RBI fueled K-State to a historic victory Tuesday night, as the Wildcats rolled to a 13-3 seven-inning victory over Baylor Tuesday night at Magnolia Field at Baylor Ballpark.

With its fifth run-rule victory of the 2026 campaign, K-State (16-5, 2-1 Big 12) set a program record for run-rule wins in a single season, while it also marked the first time in school history the Wildcats have run-ruled the Bears. It is the 16^th run-rule victory under eighth-year head coach Pete Hughes, the most by any K-State head coach in recorded history.

"I was proud of our team for a lot of reasons," Hughes said. "We went on a road trip and won three out of four against Big 12 teams, and that's one of our goals this year – to be better on the road. I was proud of their resiliency and bouncing back after a disappointing loss on Sunday. I was also proud of the fact that we got back to Kansas State baseball, which was error-free, no free 90s, and two out hits.

"We did a phenomenal job with two outs there and beat a really good team convincingly. This coming weekend is going to be big for our program. You always want to play well midweek heading into a big weekend series. We stayed here in Texas to play a tougher schedule, and we accomplished what we set out to do. Our team has some good momentum and is hungry to play well and be back in front of our hometown crowd," Hughes added.

In addition to Vasquez, who went 3-for-3 with a career-high seven RBI, Kyan Lodice and Cadyn Karl each recorded their first home runs of the season. The Wildcats led 6-3 entering the seventh, before erupting for seven unanswered runs to put the game away.

In his second start, Matt Flores was awarded his first victory of the season, after holding the Bears (11-9, 1-2 Big 12) to three runs (two earned) across five complete innings. Flores (1-0) carried a two-hitter into the fifth inning, allowing just one runner to reach scoring position before allowing two runs in the fifth. The right-hander finished the night allowing six hits and issued just one walk with a strikeout.

HOW IT HAPPENED
Vasquez opened scoring for the second straight game with a home run, as the senior belted his fifth homer of the season 391 feet over the left field wall. Lodice walked in the next at bat to lead to Karl's first collegiate homer. The redshirt junior blasted a 428-foot shot – the furthest home run of the night – to centerfield to give the Wildcats a 3-0 lead.

Baylor answered in the bottom of the second with a groundout to cut the deficit to 3-1.

The Wildcats responded with their second consecutive three-run frame, highlighted Vasquez's second blast of the night. After Dee Kennedy and Ty Smolinski drew walks, Vasquez cleared the bases with a two-out blast, becoming the fifth Wildcat this season to record a multi-home run game.

In the fifth, back-to-back hits by Cade Dodson and Brytton Clements positioned runners on first and second until Flores issued a walk to load the bases with two outs. Brady Janusek doubled down the left field line to add a pair of runs to the board, but K-State executed a perfect relay from left field and gunned down the runner at the plate to preserve a 6-3 lead.

Leading 6-3, K-State broke the game open with seven runs – all with two outs – in the seventh inning. The surge was highlighted by a bases-clearing double from Vasquez and a two-run home run from Lodice, his first of the season.

Arnold, who relieved Flores in the sixth, used 21 pitches to set down the Bears in order, as he retired six consecutive batters to secure his first save of the season.

INSIDE THE BOX

K-State scored 13 runs on nine hits, committed no errors and stranded just one runner on base, while Baylor scored three runs on seven hits, had no errors and left one on base.
Five different players recorded a hit for K-State, led by three from Vasquez (3-for-3).
Karl added two hits alongside Shintaro Inoue, the Big 12 Player of the Week.
Vasquez led all players with a career-high seven RBI, followed by Lodice and Karl with two.
Four players hit for Baylor with Robert De La Garza going 3-for-3 with a run scored, while Janusek produced a team-high two RBI (2-for-3).
Flores (1-0) earned the win, surrendering three runs (two earned) on six hits across his five-inning start. He issued just one walk with a strikeout.
Arnold earned the save, firing two shutout innings in relief of Flores.
Flores and Arnold used just 80 pitches (11.4 per inning) to shut down the Bears, throwing 52 of those for strikes (65%).
The Wildcats scored seven unanswered runs in the seventh.
Vasquez and Karl each homered, while Vasquez recorded two in consecutive at-bats.
K-State rolled two double plays, including one in the final inning.

TEAM NOTES

K-State is 36-56 all-time in against Baylor dating back to the series start in 1966, that includes a 6-4 edge in non-conference matchups.
In the Hughes era, the Cats are 9-8 vs. the Bears with a 6-4 lead over the last 10 games.
The Wildcats are 3-3 in 2026 when playing as a true road team, while posting a 9-4 record overall on the road.
Tuesday contest marks the eighth multi-home run game of the season and third game with four or more.
K-State has homered in 15 of 21 games this season, including 9 of the last 10.
In the Hughes era, the Wildcats have recorded 16 run-rule victories, that includes a program-record five in 2026. Hughes' 16 run-rule wins are the most by any K-State head coach in recorded history.
Tuesday's victory marks the first time K-State has run-ruled Baylor in school history.
In 2026, 11 of K-State's 17 hitters have homered, including eight with multiple.
K-State has played in four consecutive run-rule games – first time in recorded history.
It is also the first time in recorded history the Cats produced three run-rule games within a four-game stretch.
K-State reached double figure runs in nine games this season, while producing 11 10-hit games and eight games with 10+ RBI.
In the month of March, K-State has outscored opponents 113-49 and out-hit opponents 113-64 with 30 doubles, three triples and 22 home runs.

PLAYER NOTES

Kennedy recorded his Big-12 leading 13^th stolen base of the season, setting a new all-time career-high.
Vasquez became the fifth player to produce a multi-home run game of the season, joining Kennedy, Bear Madliak, Ty Smolinski and Micah Kendrick.
Karl recorded his first collegiate home run, while Lodice registered his first of the season.
Vasquez is the second player this season to produce a seven-RBI game (Kennedy vs. Penn State, Feb. 15).
Arnold has logged four consecutive shutout innings, surrendering just one run in three relief appearances.

ON DECK
The Wildcats return to Big 12 action this weekend to host a three-game set with Arizona State (15-5, 2-1 Big 12), starting Friday at 6 p.m. CT at Tointon Family Stadium. The entire conference series will broadcast on ESPN+ and the ESPN app.

– k-statesports.com –

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