The Kansas State baseball team started the season 11-2. The start included a win over then-No. 4 South Carolina and a seven-game win streak. Since their win on March 8 against Northeastern State, the Wildcats have hit tough times, going just 4-8 since that day.
A three-game homestand this weekend against Big 12 foe TCU provides the Wildcats their next opportunity to end their mid-season slide.
That might prove a difficult task, though. TCU comes into the series as the No. 4 team in the nation, according to D1Baseball top 25.
The Horned Frogs are coming in on a five-game winning streak. They swept all three games against Oklahoma State last weekend and dominated the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley Tuesday and Wednesday. They outscored UTRGV 28-4 in the two-game series.
Senior outfielder Nolan Brown leads the Horned Frogs in hitting with a .314 batting average. Sophomore first baseman Luken Baker has supplied the power; he leads the team with five home runs on the season.
One thing that does bode well for the Wildcats is TCU’s 2-3 record in true road games so far this season. Despite recent struggles, K-State has played well at home this season; they are 9-4 in the friendly confines of Tointon Family Stadium.
The Wildcats are coming off an 11-1 blowout loss to Nebraska on the road in Lincoln, Nebraska. K-State was down from the start. The Cornhuskers scored six runs in the first inning, and K-State was never able to make a run to get back in the game.
Junior right-hander Justin Heskett will start pitching today, senior left-hander Parker Rigler is slated to start Saturday and sophomore right-hander Brogan Heinen is set to start the series finale Sunday.
The Wildcats and TCU will first get underway at 6:30 p.m. today in Tointon Family Stadium. All three games of the series can be seen on ESPN3.
