Kansas State Baseball Set for 3-Game Home Series vs SIUE at Tointon Family Stadium
The familiar sound of baseball is ready to echo across Manhattan once again. Bats cracking, fans cheering, and the unmistakable energy of the "Purple and White" faithful will fill the air as the Kansas State Wildcats continue their eight-game homestand this weekend.
Waiting for them at Tointon Family Stadium is a brand-new opponent, the SIUE Cougars. They are about to set the stage for a three-game series that carries plenty of early-season intrigue.
Kansas State Baseball Looks to Extend Momentum at Tointon Family Stadium
Kansas State enters the weekend with an 8–4 record, representing the second-best start through 12 games during the Pete Hughes era.
ON DECK
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Across the diamond will be SIUE, which arrives in Manhattan with a 5–8 record and a fresh slate in the Ohio Valley Conference. The historic first meeting begins Friday, March 6, at 4 p.m. CT, with all three games of the series available for fans to watch on ESPN+.
The Wildcats are coming off their first series victory of the season after taking two out of three games against Columbia, capped by a gritty 5–2 win in the finale. Kansas State found itself trailing 2–0 early, forcing the lineup to respond quickly. The turning point came in the bottom of the second inning when Ty Smolinski delivered a thunderous three-run home run.
Lincoln Sheffield turned in a commanding outing on the mound, delivering his first quality start of the season. The Flowood, Mississippi, native allowed just two runs across 6⅔ innings while striking out eight batters, his highest total of the year.
Sheffield recovered quickly after a shaky opening inning and locked into a groove that Columbia couldn’t disrupt. Over the course of the outing, he retired 19 of the next 23 batters he faced and allowed only two runners to reach scoring position.
As the Wildcats continue their season, Sheffield has quietly become one of the most reliable arms in the rotation. Now sitting at 3–0 with a 3.93 ERA, he has built a reputation as a dependable "stopper" whenever Kansas State needs a strong outing.
Sheffield is scheduled to start Sunday’s matchup against SIUE’s Spencer Stearns. He enters the game with a 0–1 record and a 3.94 ERA. Saturday’s contest will feature another intriguing pitching duel with Kansas State right-hander Tanner Duke. He owns a 0–1 record and a 5.00 ERA, facing SIUE right-hander Tim Teixeira, currently 0–2 with an 8.03 ERA.
Wildcats' Offense Finding Its Groove Ahead of SIUE Series
Senior transfer Grant Gallagher has been one of the most impressive additions to the roster. The former East Tennessee State standout was named the Big 12 Co-Newcomer of the Week after a dominant showing in the Columbia series. Gallagher hit .444 during the weekend, going 8-for-18 while delivering both the game-tying and game-winning hits that helped Kansas State secure the series victory.
Defensively, Gallagher has been just as valuable. Playing third base, he has recorded a perfect 1.000 fielding percentage along with nine assists, showing why the Wildcats trust him on both sides of the ball.
Shortstop Dee Kennedy has also emerged as one of the most dangerous hitters in the lineup. Recently named to the Brooks Wallace Player of the Year Award Watch List, Kennedy has already turned heads nationally. Through 12 games, he is hitting .357 with a .455 on-base percentage and a .762 slugging mark. His stat line includes three doubles, one triple, and a team-leading four home runs.
Another versatile contributor is sophomore Donte Lewis, who was named to the John Olerud Two-Way Player of the Year Watch List. Lewis has struck out nine batters in 6⅔ innings on the mound and carries a .250 batting average with a .400 on-base percentage at the plate.
The Wildcats’ success extends beyond individual performances. As a team, Kansas State holds a 3.81 ERA across 106.1 innings and ranks second in the Big 12 with just 3.30 walks allowed per nine innings. The bullpen has also been effective, recording a 3.31 ERA while limiting opposing hitters to a .197 batting average.
At the plate, Kansas State owns a .271/.394/.429 slash line with 19 doubles, four triples, and 11 home runs. Four starters are hitting above .300, led by AJ Evasco with a .362 average.
If there is one place where those numbers become even more dangerous, it is at home. Since Tointon Family Stadium opened in 2002, Kansas State has compiled a remarkable 432–223 record there. Under head coach Pete Hughes, the Wildcats are 122–46 in Manhattan, and since 2021 they have posted a dominant 104–33 home record.
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Shayni Maitra is a sports girl through and through writing about everything from locker room drama to game-day legends in the NFL and NBA. She’s covered the action for outlets like College Sports Network, Sportskeeda, EssentiallySports, NB Media, and PinkVilla, blending sharp takes with a deep love for storytelling. Whether it’s college football rivalries, Olympic gold-chasers, or the off-field chaos that keeps Twitter alive, Shayni brings the heat with heart—and just the right amount of humor.