MANHATTAN, Kan. – Fresh off its three-game sweep of the Fayetteville Regional, K-State is set to compete in the program’s second NCAA Super Regional and face No. 12 national seed Virginia in a best-of-three series, starting Friday at Disharoon Park in Charlottesville Va.,
The Fayetteville Regional Champions (35-24) are two wins away from Omaha, as the winner between the Cats and Cavaliers (44-15) will advance to the 2024 College World Series at Charles Schwab Field, beginning on June 14.
The Cats will send lefty graduate Owen Boerema (6-3, 5.07 ERA) to the mound in Friday’s series opener and will go head-to-head with the Cavaliers’ left-hander Evan Blanco (7-3, 3.57). With 105 strikeouts this year, Boerema holds the single-season senior-class strikeouts record. Jackson Wentworth, who is nine strikeouts away from breaking current Major Leaguer Jordan Wicks’ single-season strikeouts record, will start Saturday.
Friday’s Super Regional opener marks the first meeting between K-State and Virginia in school history.
In the regional championship, K-State scored seven runs in a two-inning span over the second and third innings and received eight scoreless innings from its bullpen to defeat No. 4 seed SEMO, 7-2, and advance to the Super Regional.
Five Wildcats were named to the Fayetteville Regional all-tournament team with Kaelen Culpepper, who went 7-for-12 (.583) with two home runs and seven RBI, was named the Fayetteville Regional’s most valuable player. Culpepper was joined by Jaden Parsons (third base), Chuck Ingram (outfield), Jackson Wentworth (starting pitcher), and Tyson Neighbors (relief pitcher) on the regional’s all-tournament team.
Tickets are available through the Virginia athletic ticket office. All three games of the Charlottesville Super Regional can be seen on ESPNU and the ESPN app, while radio coverage is available on the K-State Sports Network. A free, live streaming audio is available for all games at KStateSports.com/watch and on the K-State Sports app.
How to follow the ‘Cats: Stay up to date on K-State baseball online at www.kstatesports.com and on the team’s social media channels on Facebook, X formally known as Twitter and Instagram.
GAME #60
K-STATE (35-24) vs. Virginia (44-15)
NCAA Charlottesville Super Regional // Hosted by Virginia
Friday, June 7 // 6 p.m. CT // Disharoon Park (5,919)
Projected Starters: LHP Owen Boerema vs. LHP Evan Blanco
Watch: ESPN+ // Roy Philpott & Devon Travis
Radio: K-State Sports Network // Brian Smoller & Matt Walters
Listen Online: kstatesports.com/watch
NCAA Super Regional
Friday, June 7
Game 1 – K-State v. #12 Virginia – 6 p.m. CT (ESPNU)
Saturday, June 8
Game 2 – K-State v. #12 Virginia – 2 p.m. CT (ESPNU)
Sunday, June 9 (if necessary)
Game 3 – K-State v. #12 Virginia – 2 p.m. CT (ESPNU)
A LOOK AT K-STATE
K-State (35-24) swept (3-0) through the Fayetteville Regional to advance to the program’s second Super Regional, and will take on No. 12 national seed Virginia, starting Friday in Charlottesville, Va. … The Fayetteville Regional Champs outscored opponents 33-12 on their way to claim the title, with five players claiming all-tournament honors, including regional MVP Kaelen Culpepper … On the year, K-State has produced a slash line of .274/.379/.434 as a team, that includes 96 doubles, 16 triples and 66 home runs with four starters hitting over .300 – Culpepper (.329), Brady Day (.325), Jaden Parsons (.308) and Brendan Jones (.303) … Day and Culpepper have driven in a team-leading 56 runs batted in, while Culpepper and Chuck Ingram each have 11 homers this year … K-State has stolen a league-high 135 bases this season led by 39 from Jones …The pitching staff has struck out record-breaking 577 batters this season and boasts a 5.37 team ERA with a 2.49 strikeout-to-walk-ratio … K-State will send lefty graduate Owen Boerema (6-3, 5.07 ERA) to the mound for Friday’s opener while Jackson Wentworth (5-5, 4.11 ERA) will start Saturday.
REGIONAL CHAMPS
K-State swept the Fayetteville Regional, highlighted by the play of Regional MOP Kaelen Culpepper, who hit .583 in the three games, hitting for the cycle in the 19-4 win over Louisiana Tech to open play. The Wildcats beat No. 5 and top-seeded Arkansas – a team that had only recorded three losses at home all season – 7-6 in the winners’ bracket game, then clinched the berth with a 7-2 victory over Southeast Missouri State … Five Wildcats were named to the Fayetteville Regional all-tournament team with Kaelen Culpepper, who went 7-for-12 (.583) with two home runs and seven RBI, was named the Fayetteville Regional’s most valuable player … Culpepper was joined by Jaden Parsons (third base), Chuck Ingram (outfield), Jackson Wentworth (starting pitcher), and Tyson Neighbors (relief pitcher) on the regional’s all-tournament team.
SCOUTING NO. 12/1 VIRGINIA
Virginia, who ranks 18th by D1Baseball, entered as the 12th national seed and host of the NCAA Tournament … The Cavaliers (44-15) won the Charlottesville Regional to advance to its ninth Super Regional in the last 15 year, while hosting for the ??? in program history … Virginia went undefeated in the Charlottesville Regional, and picked up a 9-2 win over Mississippi State in the regional title game … Junior shortstop Griff O’Ferrall was named one of five finalist for the Brooks Wallace Award for the second consecutive season, which is bestowed to the nation’s top shortstop … The Cavaliers’ .356 average is second in the nation with eight players hitting above .330 led by Bobby Whalen (.385/.471/.500) … UVA has belted 114 home runs this season with four players sending out 10+, including 23 from Harrison Didawick … As a team, UVA’s pitching staff posts a 5.43 ERA and has combined for 586 strikeouts … Left-hander Evan Blanco (7-3, 3.57 ERA) will start in the series opener … Friday marks the first-ever meeting between the two squads.
CATS IN THE NCAA TOURNAMENT
K-State continues its fifth run in NCAA Tournament, and first since 2013 … The Wildcats’ .333 average in Fayetteville was third overall across the 16 regions, while led the NCAA in scoring (11 runs per game) and were seventh in home runs (7) … Culpepper is fourth in the NCAA Tournament with a 1.333 slugging percentage and is third in runs batted in per game (2.33) … The Cats are 10-8 all-time in the postseason tournament, that includes a 1-2 record in the 2013 Corvallis Super Regional … K-State hosted the 2013 Manhattan Regional after winning the Big 12 regular-season title.
PARTY LIKE IT’S 2013
K-State makes its second Super Regional appearance and first since 2013 this weekend … In 2013, K-State went 3-0 in the Manhattan Regional to advance to the Corvallis Super Regional where the Wildcats finished 1-2 against No. 3 Oregon State, after taking game one, 6-2 … The 2013 team featured K-State All-Americans Ross Kivett and Jarde King … Both players along with Shane Conlon were selected later that year in the MLB Draft, as all three were picked for the first time in their careers.
BIG 12 IN THE TOURNAMENT
Kansas State (Fayetteville) and West Virginia (Tucson) won NCAA Regionals this weekend, marking the sixth consecutive year that multiple Big 12 teams have reached Super Regionals. K-State travels to No. 12 seed Virginia and West Virginia heads to No. 4-seeded North Carolina … It is the first time the Mountaineers have advanced to Super Regionals and just the second time the Wildcats have advanced, joining the 2013 campaign … All told, seven different Big 12 programs have reached Super Regionals since 2019 … Five Big 12 teams reached their respective regional final, with all six teams selected winning their opening game … The Big 12 was the only 3+ bid league that sent all of its teams to the winner’s bracket.
THE HILL RUNDOWN
The Cats’ pitching staff has combined for a record-achieving 577 strikeouts in 2024, breaking the previous record of 541 set in 2021 … K-State has issued 232 walks, for a 2.49 strikeout-to-walk ratio which is 24th nationally… Three members of the pitching staff earned All-Big 12 honors –Neighbors (Second Team), Boerema (Honorable Mention) and Wentworth (Honorable Mention) … K-State’s pitching staff is third in the Big 12 is third in fewest walks per nine innings (3.94), fourth in strikeouts per nine innings (9.8), third in total strikeouts, and third in saves (16) …
IN THE BOOKS
Jackson Wentworth 110 strikeouts this season ranks second in the single-season records – nine behind current Major Leaguer Jordan Wicks – while Boerema’s 105 strikeouts is third … Boerema has compiled 200 strikeouts in his two seasons with K-State, ranking fifth all-time in school history …With 39 stolen bases this year, Jones is now second in the single-season records while his 69 career stolen bases in third all-time … Neighbors earned his 20th career save, ranking third all-time in school history … With 17 doubles on the season, true freshman Nick English has matched the freshmen class single-season doubles record set by current Major Leaguer Nick Martini (2009).
COACH HUGHES FILE
Pete Hughes is in 27th season as a head coach and sixth at the helm of K-State baseball … With K-State’s selection to the NCAA Tournament, Hughes has now led four squads to the tournament, that included two appearances with Virginia Tech in 2010 and 2013 … In 27 seasons, Hughes has compiled a career record of 820-632-3 (.565) as a head coach … His 820 career wins are the most by any active Big 12 head coaches … In six seasons as the head coach of the Wildcats, Hughes has put together a 168-140 (.545) record … In 2023, K-State turned in a 35-24 mark, its highest win total since posting 45 in 2013 … Two players were selected in the 2022 MLB First-Year Player Draft increasing Hughes’ career draft total to 84, including 10 while at K-State, with 21 top-10 round picks after Nick Goodwin was taken in the seventh round by the Toronto Blue Jays in the 2023 MLB Draft … In total, Hughes has recruited 138 players who were drafted and/or played professionally, including 22 major leaguers and seven first-round draft picks.
How to follow the ‘Cats: Stay up to date on K-State baseball online at www.kstatesports.com and on the team’s social media channels on Facebook, X (formally known as Twitter) and Instagram.
