Courtesy of Kansas State Athletics
MANHATTAN, Kan. – K-State is prepped for the final stretch of Big 12 action as No. 14 Texas Tech visits Tointon Family Stadium for a three-game series starting Friday at 6 p.m.
The second game of the series is set for Saturday at 4 p.m. with the finale slated at 1 p.m. Sunday. K-State (26-16, 9-6 Big 12) ranks third in the conference standings.
Texas Tech (29-13, 8-7 Big 12) enters the weekend with a one-game losing streak after Tuesday's nightcap was suspended due to weather.
Sophomore pitcher Tyson Neighbors was named to the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) Stopper of the Year Midseason Watch List following the office's announcement on Wednesday.
Left-hander Owen Boerema, who ranks second in the league in strikeouts with 69, will head to the hill Friday night. German Fajardo will get his 12th start of the season Saturday while Collin Rothermel will get the call Sunday.
Texas Tech leads the all-time series between the two programs, 50-32-1, while K-State is 19-17 when playing at home. The Cats last series win over the Red Raiders came in 2021 inside Tointon Family Stadium where K-State claimed the rubber match, 10-4.
The entire series can be seen on the Big 12 Now on ESPN+ and the ESPN app with radio coverage available on News Radio KMAN (93.3 FM, 1350 AM). Live streaming audio is available for the three-game series at KStateSports.com/watch and on the K-State Sports app.
With construction ongoing on the new Morgan Family Arena, parking for baseball games at Tointon Family Stadium will be impacted during the 2023 season.
Fans are advised to park in the west parking lot of Bill Snyder Stadium and do so by entering through Gate 3 via College Avenue across from Ascension Via Christi Hospital. Gate 1 and Gate 2 will be closed for the duration of the 2023 baseball season.
When proceeding to the stadium on foot, fans are advised to exit the west parking lot along the pedestrian path between Gate 1 and Gate 2 and then proceed to the stadium via the sidewalk along College Avenue.
Tickets are on sale for the entire 2023 season, starting at just $5 when purchased in advance at K-StateSports.com/Tickets, by calling 800-221-CATS or visiting the K-State Athletics Ticket Office.
GAME #43
K-STATE (26-16, 9-6 Big 12) vs. #14 TEXAS TECH (29-13, 8-7 Big 12)
Friday, April 28 | 6 p.m. | Tointon Family Stadium (2,331)
Projected Starters: LHP Owen Boerema v. LHP Mason Molina
Watch: Big 12 Now on ESPN+
Radio: 1350AM/93.3/93.7FM
Listen Online: kstatesports.com/watch
Live Stats | Tickets
GAME #44
K-STATE (26-16, 9-6 Big 12) vs. #14 TEXAS TECH (29-13, 8-7 Big 12)
Saturday, April 29 | 4 p.m. | Tointon Family Stadium (2,331)
Projected Starters: RHP German Fajardo v. RHP Trendan Parish
Watch: Big 12 Now on ESPN+
Radio: 1350AM/93.3/93.7FM
Listen Online: kstatesports.com/watch
Live Stats | Tickets
GAME #45
K-STATE (26-16, 9-6 Big 12) vs. #14 TEXAS TECH (29-13, 8-7 Big 12)
Sunday, April 30 | 1 p.m. | Tointon Family Stadium (2,331)
Projected Starters: RHP Collin Rothermel v. TBD
Watch: Big 12 Now on ESPN+
Radio: 1350AM/93.3/93.7FM
Listen Online: kstatesports.com/watch
Live Stats | Tickets
A LOOK AT K-STATE
The Wildcats enters the week 26-16 overall after taking a non-conference series, 2-1, against UC Irvine … K-State is slashing .271/.401/.460 as a team which includes 69 doubles, eight triples and 60 home runs with two starters hitting over .300 … K-State leads the nation in walks with 276 which ties 10th in the school all-time leaderboard … The Cats rank 11th in the nation in sacrifice flies (25), and 12th in stolen bases (90) … Brady Day leads the offense hitting .351 followed by Cash Rugely at .307 with the duo each combining for 75 walks, 50 RBI and 65 runs scored … Roberto Pena has launched 11 homers this season followed by Nick Goodwin with 10 while they rank second and third in RBI among the Big 12 combing for 92 this season … Goodwin and Brendan Jones have started in all 42 games for K-State at shortstop and center field… Jones ranks second in the league with 23 stolen bases which ranks 23rd in the nation … Goodwin is second in the nation in sac flies with seven … As a team, the Wildcats have been dangerous on the base path with a league-high 90 stolen bases which ranks 12th in Division I … The Wildcats have a 4.96 team ERA with 379 strikeouts compared to 147 walks … K-State leads the league and ranks 29th in DI with a 2.58 strikeout-to-walk ratio while also leading the Big 12 in fewest walks per nine innings at 3.62 and total walks allowed … Sixteen pitchers have made appearances on the mound with 10 making over 10 outings this year while German Fajardo has a team-high 10 starts … Left-hander Owen Boerema ranks second in the league with 69 total strikeouts while the Minnesota product is just one-of-six pitchers to strikeout 12+ in a single game … Pete Hughes is in his fifth season at the helm and has compiled an 124-108 (.534) record during his time with Wildcats … Hughes is 776-600-3 (.564) in his 26 years as a head coach …
SCOUTING #14 TEXAS TECH
Texas Tech enters the weekend 29-13 with a one-game losing streak after Tuesday's nightcap at Abilene Christian was suspended … The Red Raiders are tied fourth in the league standings alongside Texas with a 8-7 record … TTU is ranked in each of the five major collegiate polls ranking 14th by D1 Baseball and as high as 10th by Baseball America … Red Raiders made their sixth straight appearance in the NCAA Tournament where they competed in the Statesboro Regional Finals … Tim Tadlock is in his 11th season at the helm of the Texas Tech baseball program … The two-time National Coach of the Year has guided the team to four College World Series with the latest in 2019 … TTU is slashing .322/.427/.540 with 102 doubles, 18 triples and 63 home runs while ranking in the Top 10 in eight national offensive categories … Gavin Kash and Kevin Brazzell rank second and third, respectively, in the Big 12 in hitting … Five starters are hitting above .330 led by Kash with a .392 average … Kash ranks second in Division I with 20 home runs … Red Raiders have sent 22 players to the hill this season compiling a team ERA of 4.62 … Ryan Free and Brandon Beckel each have five victories on the mound … Mason Molina (4-2) has made a team-high 10 starts while Beckel leads with two saves …
INSIDE THE SERIES
Texas Tech leads the all-time series 50-32-1 since its start on March 15, 1993, including a 42-28-1 record in Big 12 action … The Cats are 19-17 when playing the Red Raiders at home … TTU claimed the regular-season series in 2022 in Lubbock, outscoring the Cats 27-9 … K-State won 6-5 in an 11-inning thriller during the Phillips 66 Big 12 Championship tournament last season where the Cats went on to compete in the semifinals … The Cats last series win over the Red Raiders came in 2021 inside Tointon Family Stadium where K-State claimed the rubber match, 10-4 … Under Pete Hughes, the Cats are 5-8 and are tied 2-2 in postseason play … K-State is 4-6 in the last 10 meetings and 1-5 in the last five …
L, 6-3 – April 8, 2022 (Lubbock)
L, 0-14 – April 9, 2022 (Lubbock)
L, 6-7 – April 10, 2022 (Lubbock)
L, 3-5 – May 25, 2022 (Arlington)
W, 6-5 (11) – May 27, 2022 (Arlington)
A SEASON OF FIRSTS
K-State grabbed its 13th road victory on Saturday over UC Irvine matching a program record 13 road wins … The Cats last won 13 road games in 2013 … The Wildcats' Dillons Sunflower Showdown series sweep was the first sweep over KU on the road since 2013 … The 2023 team is the fastest team to nine conference wins in program history … Fastest team to 24 overall wins since 2013 … First team to 11 road wins in a season and is just two wins shy of tying a program record 13 done by the 2013 and 1991 teams … K-State completed its first sweep over Oklahoma at home since 1990 … The sweep over the Sooners marked the first Big 12 series sweep since 2013 … K-State is the first member of the Big 12 to reach nine conference victories this season … First time in 123-years of K-State baseball history the Wildcats led off the season with a four-game road series sweep …
BRING OUT THE BROOMS
K-State has swept four three-plus game series this season including two Big 12 foes which marks the first since 2013 … The Cats are 13-0 in the four series and have outscored opponents 144-72 (+72) … The Wildcats plated 21 runs in the series finale against the KU Jayhawks in the highest-scoring game in series history to complete the Showdown sweep … K-State is the only program in the Big 12 to have two conference sweeps this season …
KEEP AN EYE ON 25
Junior Nick Goodwin was named to the 2023 Brooks Wallace Award Watch List, as the College Baseball Foundation announced the season's initial list Tuesday … The award honors the nation's top shortstop and will be presented by the College Baseball Foundation later this year ... It is named for former Texas Tech shortstop Brooks Wallace, who played for the Red Raiders from 1977 to 1980 … Wallace died of leukemia at the age of 27 … Goodwin, a junior from Overland Park, Kan., ranks second in the nation with seven sacrifice flies while ranking third in the league with 45 RBI … At the plate, the Overland Park native has a slash line of .295/.421/.545 to go with five doubles, two triples, and 10 homers … Goodwin hit his 31st career home runs in the Cats victory over UC Irvine to rank fifth overall in the K-State all-time leaderboard … He was one of seven shortstops from the Big 12 represented on the watch list …
AROUND THE LEAGUE
West Virginia took control of the league standings after sweeping past TCU … The Mountaineers (30-11) lead the league with an 8-4 record followed by Oklahoma State (28-13, 11-7) and K-State (26-16, 9-6) rounding out the top three … Texas (28-15, 8-7) dropped to fourth in the conference standings after getting swept by Oklahoma … Texas Tech (29-13, 8-7) is fifth in the league standings followed by Oklahoma (22-19, 7-8), TCU (23-18, 7-8), Kansas (20-21, 5-10), and Baylor (15-26, 6-12) …
WALK THE WALK
The Cats rank second in the nation in walks with 276, averaging 6.6 per contest … Brady Day and Cash Rugely rank 19th and 27th in the nation in walks … K-State has registered double figure walks in eight games this season … The Cats had 16 walks against Youngstown State (March 10) which was nine short of matching the Division I all-time record … K-States' 276 walks ties 10th in the all-time program single-season records … The Wildcats all-time single-season walks record was set in 1995 with 382 …
GOTTA BE QUICKER THAN THAT
K-State has caused trouble on the base path for opponents, stealing a 90 bases which ranks 14th in all Division I and second in the Big 12 while sitting 20th with 2.58 stolen bases per game … Brendan Jones has been the speedster for the Cats lineup with 23 stolen bases which is second in the Big 12 and 24th among all Division I players … The Cats nearly matched the program record with 11 stolen bases against Youngstown State (March 10) and were just one base shy of matching the record … The Cats 90 stolen bases surpasses the 2022 season total by 48 … The K-State single-season record is 149 set in 2009 thru 62 games …
R-E-S-P-E-C-T
Raphael Pelletier continues to be a threat behind the plate as the redshirt-sophomore catcher from Mascouche, Quebec, Canada has thrown out a league-high 15 runners this season after tossing out a pair of runners in the series against UC Irvine… As a team, K-State is second in the league in caught stealing with 23 runners thrown out while having the lowest stolen base attempt percentage at .410 …
THE LONG BALL
K-State has launched 60 balls out of the park this season which ranks third in the Big 12 and 47th across Division I … Eleven players have recorded multiple homers this season led by Roberto Pena with 11 … Nick Goodwin leads the current career leaderboard with 31 which ranks fifth on the all-time leaderboard … Four players have hit multiple homers in a single game with Kaelen Culpepper, Cole Johnson, Orlando Salinas, Jr., and Pena … Brendan Jones hit the Cats only game leadoff home run in the series opener against the West Virginia … The Cats have produced 80+ home runs the past two seasons … K-State hit back-to-back home runs for the third time this season against Wichita State by Culpepper and Pena … Four Wildcats have hit grand slams this season with the last coming from Kyan Lodice against Kansas (April 16) … Johnson and Pena each launched a grand slam against SFA (Feb. 20) to mark the first time since 2010 where two Wildcats posted grand slams in the same game … Just eight homers have been against left-handed pitchers, 26 are solo shots while 22 have come with one-out … The Wildcats were the only team to produce double digit bombs in the opening weekend (10) … The Wildcats sent five deep and out in the series finale against No. 24 West Virginia marking the fourth time in the Hughes era, and second this season … The five home runs were just short two of matching a program record seven …
LAST TIME OUT
K-State claimed its fourth three-game series of the season after going 2-1 against UC Irvine over the weekend … The Wildcats took hold of the series opener, 6-3, before clinching the series in the middle game, 6-4 … Brady Day hit .444 (4-for-9) to lead the offense with a .583 on-base percentage while Nick Goodwin and Raphael Pelletier each drove in three RBI … Owen Boerema and German Fajardo each picked up a victory against the Anteaters while Tyson Neighbors and Kyler Heyne each recorded a save … Neighbors struck out a team-high seven during his three innings …
A LOOK AT THE NUMBERS
K-State has a season +88 run differential through 42 games averaging 7.8 runs on 9.1 hits ... The Wildcats have outscored opponents 48-26 in the second inning alone and 114-52 (+62) from the seventh and on … Cats are 18-3 when leading after the sixth and 4-0 when tied after six ... K-State is 12-10 when committing no errors in a game … Conversely, K-State has won 14 games when one or more errors are committed, 14-6 overall ... The Wildcats are 19-6 when scoring first and 8-6 when scoring in the first inning … K-State has outhit opponents in 21 contests this season and is 5-16 when being outhit … The Cats are 18-2 when limiting opponents to five or less runs and are 6-5 in one-run games… K-State is 20-10 when playing afternoon games and 6-6 when playing under the lights … The Cats have won 21 games against right-handed starters while going 5-6 against lefties …
FROM THE 'PEN
Under the guidance pitching coach Rudy Darrow, the Cats pitching staff has produced a 4.96 ERA which ranks fourth in the Big 12 with outings from 16 different players this season … The Wildcats have struck out 379 batters this season compared to 147 walks, averaging 9.3 strikeouts per nine innings which ranks third in the Big 12 … K-State's pitching staff leads the league with a 2.58 strikeout-to-walk ratio which is 30th in Division I … The Cats lead the Big 12 with fewest walks allowed per nine innings at 3.62 and fewest allowed overall with 147 … Four players have earned at least three victories on the mound led by newcomer Owen Boerema with five followed by Tyson Neighbors, Mason Buss and Kyler Heyne each with three … Boerema earned his fifth victory in the series opener against UC Irvine limiting the 'Eaters with five strikeouts … The Litchfield, Minn., product is one of six players to strikeout 12+ batters in a single-game after fanning 12 against No. 21 Texas (April 7), ranks second in the league with 69 total strikeouts… Right-hander German Fajardo has made a team-high 11 starts on the mound this season, ranks seventh in the nation … Four different players have earned a save this year led by sophomore Tyson Neighbors with a league-high seven which is the 21st-best in D1…
TOINTON FAMILY STADIUM
The home of K-State baseball was rededicated in 2001 before its renovation and expansion debut in 2020 … The stadium is named in honor of Bob and Betty Tointon … K-State baseball is 386-209 (.674) when playing at home … The Wildcats are 77-32 (.714) at home under Hughes and 59-19 (.770) since 2021 … The Cats had 5,355 total fans in attendance during opening weekend with a season-high 2,247 against Army (March 5) … Tointon's largest crowd was on March 30, 2010 against Wichita State with 4,745 in attendance …
HOME. SWEET. HOME.
K-State is 13-5 when playing at Tointon this season ... Over the last three seasons, K-State has compiled an overall home record of 59-19 (.770) ... At home, the Wildcat offense is hitting .278 while slugging .486 with 28 home runs ... K-State averages 8.8 runs a game on nine hits when playing at Tointon Family Stadium ... The Wildcat bullpen has boasted a 4.10 ERA at home with opponents hitting .260 … The Cats have struck out 156 compared to 55 walks for a 2.84 strikeout-to-walk ratio ... K-State has homered in 14 of the 18 games played at home with 28 of the 60 total home runs coming at Tointon … Five Cats are hitting over .300 at home led by Cash Rugely … The senior leads the pack at home with a .404 batting average while Roberto Pena has a team-high .710 slug percentage… Pena has recorded 13 extra base hits at home with five home runs … Owen Boerema has picked up three of the victories on the mound at Tointon followed by Mason Buss, Tyson Neighbors and Shay Hartis each with two …
UP NEXT
K-State will look for a rematch against Wichita State on Tuesday, May 2 at Eck Stadium with first pitch slated for 6 p.m. The game will be streamed on ESPN+ and the ESPN app with radio coverage on News Radio KMAN (93.3 FM, 1350 AM). Live streaming audio is available for all games at KStateSports.com/watch and on the K-State Sports app.