Texas faces key road series against No. 23 Kansas State

A disappointing 6-4 homestand for the Texas Longhorns ended with an embarrassing 4-1 loss to the Texas A&M-Corpus Christi on Tuesday at UFCU Disch-Falk Field, setting up a crucial road series against the No. 23 Kansas State Wildcats that starts on Thursday in Manhattan.

In conference play, the Longhorns are still in good shape with series wins against the Red Raiders and the Bears, slotting head coach David Pierce’s team in third place with a 4-2 record. Kansas State comes into the series with momentum, however, winners of nine straight games and with an 11-2 home record at Tointon Family Stadium. At 5-1 in the Big 12 and in first place, Kansas State boasts a home series win over Cincinnati and a road series sweep at Houston last weekend.

Against non-conference opponents, head coach Pete Hughes and Kansas State haven’t been as successful, dropping both games against ranked opponents — Tennessee and Clemson — in addition to losses to Cal and Arizona State.

The Wildcats are in D1Baseball.com’s Top 25 without big years from several preseason All-Big 12 selections, including left-handed starting pitcher Owen Boerema and right-handed reliever Tyson Neighbors.

Currently the projected Sunday starter, Boerema has also made Friday and midweek starts for Kansas State, including a disastrous outing in which he was tagged for nine runs on nine hits, including four home runs, in three innings against Tennessee. Arizona State and Cincinnati also scored four runs against Boerema.

One of the best closers in the country last season with 11 saves, a 1.85 ERA, and 86 strikeouts in 48.2 innings, Neighbors missed more than a month with a muscle injury, but pitched well against Houston over the weekend, pitching three scoreless innings with a combined two hits allowed and four total strikeouts. So Texas could catch Neighbors just as he once again emerges as a huge factor for Kansas State out of the bullpen.

Although opponents are only hitting .244 against the Wildcats staff, sixth in the Big 12, the 5.52 ERA is 11th in the conference, in part the result of allowing 29 home runs, which ranks 10th.

This is clearly an offensive-centric team for Kansas State that is second in the Big 12 in batting average at .311, third in slugging percentage at .510, and fourth in home runs with 33. Second baseman Brady Day is building on a strong 2023 season by improving his batting average to .416 with six home runs, doubling his output from last year, and adding six stolen bases. Four other regular starters are also hitting .316 or better and five players have four or more home runs.

The lineup of the Wildcats will challenge a fluid weekend rotation for the Longhorns that now includes left-hander Ace Whitehead on Saturday and right-hander Max Grubbs on Sunday.

Whitehead used a seven-inning appearance against Washington two weeks ago to secure his first weekend start last Saturday, a complete-game performance against Baylor in which he allowed two runs on six hits with five strikeouts.

Grubbs made his first Sunday start when Texas needed to avoid a sweep by Washington, allowing one run over six innings in that win before giving up a single run in seven innings as the Longhorns took the series over the Bears. Now both pitchers will test their command and poise on the road against a much better offensive team.

Texas is 24-11 against Kansas State in Manhattan with a 63-24-1 edge overall.

Probable pitching matchup

THURSDAY–Texas RHP Lebarron Johnson Jr. (1-1. 3.24) vs. K-State RHP Josh Wintroub (1-1, 7.15)

FRIDAY–Texas LHP Ace Whitehead (2-0, 2.05) vs. K-State LHP Jacob Frost (2-0, 5.67)

SATURDAY–Texas RHP Max Grubbs (3-0, 2.28) vs. K-State LHP Owen Boerema (2-1, 6.12)

Dates: March 28-30

Times (all times Central): 6:00 p.m., 6:00 p.m., 2 p.m.

Location: Tointon Family Stadium

Streaming: Big 12 Now on ESPN+

Radio: AM 1300 The Zone