<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/4/1744206509564.jpeg" alt="Photo Courtesy ESPN+" />
 <figcaption>Photo Courtesy ESPN+</figcaption>
 </figure><div>Kansas State Athletics
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MANHATTAN, Kan. &ndash;&nbsp;K-State's five home runs, including two by&nbsp;<dfn><a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/baseball/roster/bear-madliak/12309" rel="smarttag" rev="12309">Bear Madliak</a></dfn>, powered the Wildcats to a 12-2 seven-inning victory over Missouri State at Tointon Family Stadium on Tuesday night.&nbsp; "Just what the doctor ordered in a bounce-back game for our team &ndash; a high character win with a resilient group after a disappointing weekend," said&nbsp;<dfn><a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/baseball/roster/coaches/pete-hughes/2603" rel="smarttag" rev="2603">Pete Hughes</a></dfn>, now in his seventh season at the helm of the K-State baseball program. "We came up with energy, played a tough and scrappy team, and performed well in every phase of the game. More importantly, we played with energy and played fundamental baseball." With the win, the Wildcats (21-11) extended their home winning streak to 11, marking the first 11-0 start at home since 2014. Missouri State, which had picked up consecutive midweek Power 4 wins over then-No. 2 Arkansas and Oklahoma State, moved to 16-15 on the year as it dropped its fifth straight game against K-State. Four different Wildcats belted a home run led by Madliak, who became the fourth player to hit multiple in a game this season after blasting a no-doubter in the second and seventh.&nbsp;<dfn><a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/baseball/roster/sam-flores/12310" rel="smarttag" rev="12310">Sam Flores</a></dfn>,&nbsp;<dfn><a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/baseball/roster/dee-kennedy/12308" rel="smarttag" rev="12308">Dee Kennedy</a></dfn>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<dfn><a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/baseball/roster/cayden-phillips/12299" rel="smarttag" rev="12299">Cayden Phillips</a></dfn>&nbsp;each homered, while Phillips delivered a two-run blast in the seventh to clinch the walk-off victory. &nbsp; Flores, who earned his sixth start of the season, became the 13th&nbsp;player to homer for K-State this season.&nbsp; "We got a great start from&nbsp;<dfn><a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/baseball/roster/tanner-duke/12334" rel="smarttag" rev="12334">Tanner Duke</a></dfn>&nbsp;against a super high-powered offense and got to play some guys that we need to play well to have depth in our program. So, top to bottom all around, it was a really good win. A win that will get us going and feeling good about ourselves heading into a conference weekend against UCF." In his debut at Tointon Family Stadium,&nbsp;<dfn><a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/baseball/roster/tanner-duke/12334" rel="smarttag" rev="12334">Tanner Duke</a></dfn>&nbsp;retired 16 of the 22 batters he faced. He ended the night surrendering two earned runs on four hits and matched a season-high six strikeouts over five complete innings &ndash; his longest outing of the year. K-State reliever&nbsp;<dfn><a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/baseball/roster/jj-slack/12304" rel="smarttag" rev="12304">JJ Slack</a></dfn>&nbsp;took over for Duke and fired two scoreless innings, as the left-hander scattered one hit and struck out three in his seventh relief appearance. On the year, K-State has registered a home run in 25 of its 32 games, that includes 18 games with two or more. In the second, Madliak and Flores turned in the team's seventh back-to-back home run performance. HOW IT HAPPENED After a scoreless first, the Wildcats erupted for eight runs over a three-inning span, before clinching the run-rule victory with a four-run seventh inning. Madliak, who served as the designated hitter, put K-State on the board with a solo shot into left center and was immediately followed with Flores' first homer at K-State. The Cats doubled their lead, 4-0, with a two-run double by Kennedy. Missouri State closed the gap to two in the third with a pair of solo blasts. The Wildcats recovered the runs handed over in the top of the inning, as&nbsp;<dfn><a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/baseball/roster/aj-evasco/12312" rel="smarttag" rev="12312">AJ Evasco</a></dfn>&nbsp;singled through the left side and advanced to third on a throwing error to first. With runners on first and third, Flores doubled into right field to stretch the Cats lead to four. Leading 4-2 heading into the bottom of the fourth, Kennedy launched his seventh homer of the year to opposite field before Madliak delivered a two-out RBI double to left center. The Wildcats put the game away in the seventh led by the Cats' fourth homer, as Madliak barreled his second no-doubter of the night to force the Bears to make their sixth call to the bullpen. Pinch hitter&nbsp;<dfn><a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/baseball/roster/micah-dean/12291" rel="smarttag" rev="12291">Micah Dean</a></dfn>&nbsp;doubled into left field and came across the plate in the next at bat on&nbsp;<dfn><a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/baseball/roster/shintaro-inoue/12311" rel="smarttag" rev="12311">Shintaro Inoue's</a></dfn>&nbsp;single through the right side. With two outs and Inoue on first, Phillips shelled a 3-1 pitch 396-feet over the left-field wall to secure the run-rule win. INSIDE THE BOX
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<li>K-State scored 12 runs on 12 hits, committed one error and stranded four on base.</li>
<li>MoState scored two runs on five hits with one error and leaving six runners on base.</li>
<li>Four different Wildcats homered &ndash; Madliak (2), Flores, Kennedy, Phillips.</li>
<li>Phillips delivered a walk-off two-run homer in the seventh.</li>
<li>Duke (1-1) picked up his first win, surrendering two earned runs on four hits and matching a season-high six strikeouts.</li>
<li>Slack fired two scoreless innings in relief of Duke.</li>
<li>Smith (0-1) suffered the loss, allowing four earned runs in the second on four hits.</li>
<li>Madliak went 3-for-4 with three RBI &ndash; matching a season-best in both categories. He finished with a double and his first multi-home run game.</li>
<li>Four players had multi-hit efforts &ndash; Madliak (3), Flores (2), Kennedy (2), Phillips (2).</li>
<li>Flores drove in a season-high three RBI on two hits.</li>
<li>The Cats went 3-for-7 with runners in scoring position and 4-for-9 with two outs, driving in four RBIs with two-outs.</li>
<li>MoState was 1-for-10 with men on base and went 0-for-5 with runners in scoring position.</li>
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TEAM NOTES
<ul>
<li>K-State remains undefeated at home with a perfect 11-0 record &ndash; marking the first 11-0 home start since 2014.</li>
<li>K-State leads the all-time series 19-11, including a 12-4 advantage in games played in Manhattan while extending its winning streak to five.</li>
<li>The Cats have won six of the last seven contests played in Manhattan.</li>
<li>Madliak became the fourth player to produce a multi-home run game.</li>
<li>Phillips delivered a two-run walk-off homer to capture the Cats' fifth walk-off of the season &ndash; third by a home run. &nbsp;&nbsp;</li>
<li>Flores became the 13th&nbsp;Wildcat to homer this season.&nbsp;</li>
<li>K-State has homered in 25 of 35 games, including 18 with two or more (17-1).</li>
<li>Madliak and Flores turned in the team's seventh back-to-back home run effort. &nbsp;</li>
<li>In three starts, Duke has surrendered four runs and scattered nine hits over 13 innings.</li>
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UP NEXT The Wildcats host UCF (18-14, 3-9 Big 12) for a three-game Big 12 series, starting Friday at 6 p.m. at Tointon Family Stadium. The entire Big 12 series can be seen on ESPN+ and the ESPN app, while radio coverage is available on KMAN. A free live audio can be found for all K-State baseball games at kstatesports.com/watch. K-State baseball single-game tickets are available, and can be purchased by visiting&nbsp;<a name="_Hlk192492882"></a>KStateSports.com, call 1-800-221-CATS (2287), or stopping by the K-State Athletics Ticket Office in Bramlage Coliseum.</div>

⚾ K-State cruises to win over Missouri State