Bat Cats Heat Up Ahead of Crucial Rivalry Series with KU

The Bat Cats took three out of four games on their Arizona trip, winning two of three against Arizona before picking up a victory over Grand Canyon. Neither team boasts an impressive record and both are below .500, but it was still refreshing to come away with a series win heading into a tough rivalry weekend against ranked KU.

James Guyette and Lincoln Sheffield continued their strong seasons, each allowing just one run to lead the Cats to 2–1 and 11–1 victories. Guyette recorded eight strikeouts, while Sheffield tallied 10. It’s the Sunday finale—game three—where K-State has struggled this season, winning just one so far in Big 12 play. That lone win came against Arizona State, when Sheffield threw a complete game and allowed just one run in a run-rule victory.

Game three against Arizona this past weekend featured four pitchers, all of whom allowed two or more runs, with three errors not helping the situation. The midweek game also saw four pitchers take the mound, led by Cohen Feser, who threw four innings while allowing just one hit and no runs.

I hate to say it, but KU baseball looks strong this year. They enter the weekend at 30–11 and are coming off a second win against Nebraska. They sit in first place in the Big 12 at 14–4, though they are 5–4 in conference road games. KU has been effective using a variety of pitchers, so it will be interesting to see how K-State’s bats adjust.

Injuries are starting to pile up. It’s been difficult to find detailed updates, but Carlos Vasquez’s absence from the lineup over the past few games has been noticeable. Still, this is a gritty team that could grind out more wins as the postseason approaches.