TCU Evens Series with Saturday Win

Saturday, April 4

Manhattan, Kan.

4 p.m.

Kansas State University

20-11, 0

TCU

19-11, 0

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
TCU	0	1	0	0	2	4	0	0	2	9	12	0
Kansas State	3	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	3	7	0

Apr 04, 2026 | Baseball

Box Score

MANHATTAN, Kan. – TCU overcame an early three-run deficit and scored nine unanswered runs Saturday to even the series, as the Horned Frogs picked up a 9-3 victory over K-State at Tointon Family Stadium.

The Horned Frogs (19-11, 6-5 Big 12) fell behind after the Wildcats (20-11, 5-6 Big 12) jumped out to a 3-0, highlighted by extra-base hits from Dee Kennedy and Bear Madliak. TCU chipped away to knot the score at 3-3, before pulling ahead with a go-ahead RBI single by catcher Brady Dillamore in the sixth.

"To win Big 12 games, you have to score in more than one frame, and we scored in the first inning and then shut our offense down," said head coach Pete Hughes. "To win in the Big 12, you have to damage control innings, and we had a chance to do that in the sixth inning when we needed to, but we were unable to do that."

"They got a big hit with the bases loaded, and we didn't. That was the difference in the game, not being able to do damage control and not scoring more than in one frame, or you're going to get beat in the Big 12. We'll try to bounce back tomorrow and win a series," Hughes added.

HOW IT HAPPENED
Lincoln Sheffield (5-1) retired the Horned Frogs in order to put momentum in the Wildcats dugout and spark a three-run inning.

Shintaro Inoue walked to lead off the inning and came around the bases on a triple to left center by Kennedy, who earned a spot on the Golden Spikes Award Midseason Watch List. Madliak doubled in the next at-bat to plate Kennedy, before the senior scored on a sacrifice fly from Carlos Vasquez.

TCU trimmed the deficit to two, 3-1, with a leadoff solo blast to left field by Chase Brunson in the second.

Tied 3-3 headed into the sixth, the Horned Frogs hit through the order and spotted Sheffield for three runs to take the lead before adding a pair of insurance runs with solo blasts from Jack Arthur and Cole Cramer in the ninth to secure the win.

INSIDE THE BOX

TCU scored nine runs on 12 hits, committed no errors and stranded five on base while K-State was held to three runs on seven hits with no errors and seven left stranded.
Seven different players recorded a hit for TCU, including five with multiple.
Brady Gallimore and Preston Gamster led all players with two RBI each.
Three Horned Frogs homered – Chase Brunson, Cole Cramer and Jack Arthur.
Madliak and Kennedy each recorded two hits and drove in a RBI along with Vasquez.
Lance Davis (2-3) received the win, allowing just three earned runs over 6 2/3 innings on six hits.
Sheffield suffered the loss and moved to 5-1 after surrendering six runs (earned) on six hits. He walked two and struck out a game-high six batters over 5 1/3 innings.

TEAM NOTES

K-State is 16-36 all-time against TCU, while the series is tied 10-10 for games played in Manhattan.
It marked the first time K-State was held to three or fewer runs since February 27 vs. Columbia.
Saturday's contest marks the first game without reaching 10 or more hits since March 20 vs. Arizona State, snapping a season-high eight game streak reaching double digit hits.

PLAYER NOTES

Smolinski stretched his hitting streak out to a team-best 10 with his single in the second, becoming the first player this season to record a hitting streak in the double figures.
Smolinski and Kennedy have each reached in the last 20 games. Smolinski leads the team with a season-best 23-game on-base streak followed by Kennedy with 20, while Inoue is third with 17.
In his last six games, Kennedy has recorded two or more hits in five, totaling 14 in the stretch.
Sheffield suffered his first loss since April 19, 2025 at KU.

ON DECK
The rubber match is scheduled for 1 p.m. Sunday at Tointon Family Stadium and can be seen on EPSN+ and the ESPN app, while radio coverage is available on KMAN.

– k-statesports.com –

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