MANHATTAN, Kan. – K-State starting pitcher Owen Boerema turned in eight shutout innings to help the Wildcats complete a three-game sweep of Missouri State on a chilly, windy Sunday afternoon at Tointon Family Stadium, 11-3.

“Everything begins and ends with a good start, and we got a great start today from Owen,” head coach Pete Hughes said on his team’s fifth straight victory. “I thought he was awesome. It was a tough day offensively, but he was so good he bought us time to create a big inning.”

Boerema (2-1) used a season-high 112 pitches to get through his career-long outing and did not allow a run in his sixth career quality start at K-State. The graduate from Litchfield, Minn., scattered just two hits in his seventh start of the season.

The left-hander allowed just one hit over a seven-inning stretch, as he retired 24 of 27 batters he faced with five strikeouts. Boerema’s eight innings was the longest outing by a Wildcat since April 14, 2019, by major leaguer Jordan Wicks in a 2-0 shutout over Texas.

The Wildcats scored nine runs over a three-inning span, including a five-run sixth to secure the series sweep.

“Our guys have recognized when the big inning is coming in and how to take advantage of that lately, and that was the story of the game but a really good weekend against a really good team for our program,” said Hughes.

Kaelen Culpepper led the Wildcat (13-6) offense, going 3-for-5 with two runs scored and an RBI. Brady Day and Danniel Rivera each had two-hit days, while Rivera drove in a season-high four runs and Raphael Pelletier drove in two RBIs.

Bears’ (9-9) starter Tyler Charlton was credited with the loss, allowing four runs (three earned) on four hits with one walk and six strikeouts.

THE RUNDOWN
Chuck Ingram walked to lead off the bottom of the first frame before advancing to third on a double by Culpepper before K-State capitalized on a throwing error by the catcher to score the first run of the game.

K-State doubled its lead in the fourth, as Day and Nick English strung together a pair of hits before Day scored on a grounder to second from Rivera.

After the third 1-2-3 inning behind Boerema, the Wildcats quickly loaded the bases in the sixth before a run was walked in to extend the lead to three. With no outs, Rivera roped a one-two pitch to center to drive in two runs. Pelletier and Jayden Lobliner each recorded an RBI in the Cats’ five-run inning.

The Wildcats used three hits in the next frame to add three runs to the board before Mason Schwalbach recorded his first career home run at K-State to pin the final run to the board in the eighth.

The Bears scored all three runs in the final inning with hits by pinch hitter William Zareh and Dylan Leach.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

• K-State scored 11 runs on 10 hits, committed no errors, and left five on base.
• Missouri State scored three runs, all in the ninth, on four hits with two errors and stranded three baserunners.
• K-State scored nine innings over a three-inning span.
• Boerema (2-1) picked up the win, throwing a career-high eight innings without allowing a run and limiting the Bears to two hits.
• Culpepper went 3-for-5 to lead the Wildcats, with two runs scored and an RBI.
• Day and Rivera had two-hit days.
• Rivera drove in a season-high four RBI.
• K-State hit .333 (4-for-12) with runners in scoring position while MSU only had two runners reach scoring position (1-for-2).

NOTES

• K-State now leads the all-time series, 17-11, dating back to 1984.
• Boerema’s eight innings was the longest outing by a Wildcat since April 14, 2019 (Jordan Wicks vs. Texas, 2-0).
• The Wildcats improved to 11-2 at home, that includes a current five-game win streak.
• Jones is on a 23-game on-base streak dating back to last season while Pelletier is on a 22-game on-base streak also from last season.
• Pete Hughes is two games away from his 800^th career win (798-614-3)
• K-State moves to 92-37 at home in the Hughes era.

ON DECK
The Wildcats will face in-state rival Wichita State (13-6) Tuesday at Eck Stadium at 6 p.m. before returning to Big 12 action Friday with a three-game series at Houston (12-6, 4-2 Big 12). Tuesday’s game with the Shockers can be seen on ESPN+ and the ESPN app, while radio coverage is available on News Radio KMAN (93.3 FM, 1350 AM). A free live streaming audio available for all games at KStateSports.com/watch and on the K-State Sports app.