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Kansas State 24-15 (9-6)
The Wildcats are playing its best baseball of the season, with victories in five of its last seven games. Even with a 10-4 defeat to the Wichita State Shockers on Tuesday, the Wildcats’ bats are heating up as the weather warms up. First baseman Roberto Pena has homered in his last two games, giving him 10 on the season. Meanwhile, pitcher Owen Boerema has established himself as the Wildcats’ ace, throwing 25 strikeouts over his last three starts.
UC Irvine 22-11 (7-8)
The Anteaters have had a solid season, even with a losing conference record. The team enters this weekend’s matchup on a high after beating No. 22 UCLA on the road on Tuesday. The team comes in with a .287 team batting average and is led by first baseman and catcher Anthony Martinez, who’s hitting a team-best .366, with seven home runs and 36 RBI. Outfielder Caden Kendle has also been an impact bat, hitting .324 with 35 RBI.
Matchup to Watch: Jo Oyama’s base running vs. K-State
On the base paths, the Wildcats must keep an eye on infielder Jo Oyama, who leads the team with eight steals in nine attempts. The junior from Okinawa, Japan, may only be 5-foot-7, but his wheels could have an impact not just on the bases, but in the field as well. Oyama may be able to steal a few runs in the series, pushing a Wildcat team into a slugfest, having allowed 28 runs in its last two games.
Prediction
K-State wins two of three
