K-State Earns Sixth Straight Win Over Wichita State

Tuesday, April 7

Wichita, Kan.

6:05 p.m.

Kansas State University

21-12

Wichita State

21-13

Kansas State

Wichita State

Apr 07, 2026 | Baseball

Box Score Photo Gallery

WICHITA, Kan. – K-State jumped back into the win column Tuesday night, as the Wildcats dealt Wichita State a 10-6 loss at Eck Stadium.

With the win, Kansas State (21-12, 5-7 Big 12) earned its sixth consecutive win over Wichita State, tying the program's second-longest winning streak in the series' history.

"Thought it was a good all-around baseball game we played on the road," head coach Pete Hughes said, following his ninth victory over Wichita State (21-13, 5-4 American) at K-State. "I thought it was a good start from Tanner Duke."

"Ten hits and five innings is deceiving, because I kind of just look at barrel contact to see whether it was a quality start or not, and it was one walk, seven strikeouts. So. Tanner has improved from his last couple of outings, which is great. It's what we wanted to see and what we needed. The bullpen was solid pitching with the lead. Those are all positives to build on again when beating an in-state rival on the road and playing clean baseball. I thought our kids did a good job tonight."

Duke (3-1) was awarded the victory in his seventh start of the season. The junior right-hander surrendered five earned runs on 10 hits with one walk and striking out a game-high seven.

HOW IT HAPPENED
After a scoreless first inning, the Wildcats jumped on the board with a two-run single from Cadyn Karl, ending a 18-inning scoreless drought.

K-State pushed its lead to 5-0 in the third, as Kyan Lodice, Dee Kennedy and Bear Madliak were each walked to lead off the inning. The trio all scored, as the Wildcats took advantage of a wild pitch before Carlos Vasquez and Shintaro Inoue each drove in a run.

The Shockers trimmed the deficit to two, 5-3, headlined by a two-run third inning.

With one out, catcher Shea McGahan laced 0-1 pitch into right field to score the runner from third and make it 6-1 in the fifth. Grant Gallagher pushed another run across the plate, as the senior lifted a sacrifice fly to right field to stretch the lead to four.

Leading 8-5, lefty Robert Fortenberry relieved Duke and set down the Shockers in order in the sixth and seventh, before surrendering a hit in the eighth. WSU tagged Fortenberry for a run, leading K-State to make its second call to the pen.

Tazwell Butler entered the game and inherited runners on first and third. The redshirt senior quickly picked up the final two outs to preserve the lead. Butler allowed one hit in the ninth before finishing off his third save of the season.

INSIDE THE BOX

K-State scored 10 runs on 13 hits, committed one error and stranded 13 on base while Wichita State scored six runs on 13 hits, with no errors and nine left on base.
Eight different players contributed a hit for K-State, with five hitting two.
Inoue and Karl each drove in two RBI and went 2-for-5 at the plate.
WSU had six players record a hit, while Jayson Jones and Anthony Cepeda each had four-hit nights.
Duke (3-1) allowed five runs (earned) on 10 hits in his seventh start of the year, walking one with seven strikeouts.
Brady Hamilton (3-5) suffered the loss, allowing two earned runs on three hits over his two inning start.
Butler earned his third save of the year.

TEAM NOTES

K-State is 50-58 all-time vs. Wichita State, that includes a 20-37 record in Wichita.
The Wildcats have won that last six meetings against the Shockers, tying the team's second-longest winning streak in the series (April 29, 2008-April 13, 2011; April 9, 2013-April 14, 2015).
Under Hughes, K-State is 9-5 against WSU.
With two runs in the second, the Wildcats ended a 18-inning scoreless drought – the team's longest streak without scoring run this season.
K-State improves to 16-5 in non-conference games, including a 3-2 mark as a true road team.

PLAYER NOTES

Chandler Murray earned his first start since the midweek series at Louisiana on February 25 and registered his first extra-base hit since his collegiate debut on Opening Day.
Vasquez drove in one RBI with two outs, bringing his season total to a team-leading 29.
Inoue recorded his ninth multi-RBI game while Karl earned his seventh.

ON DECK
The Wildcats return to Tointon Family Stadium this weekend, when they host Oklahoma State (21-12, 6-6 Big 12). The series gets underway Friday with first pitch slated for 6 p.m. CT, and will broadcast on ESPN+ and the ESPN app, while radio coverage is available on KMAN News Radio.

– k-statesports.com –

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