K-State 21-11 (8-4)
Kansas State baseball bounced back from a sweep on the road at Oklahoma State with a solid win over Missouri State on Tuesday night. The Cats’ bats woke up as they scored 12 runs on their way to the victory. K-State hopes that is a sign of things to come this weekend against UCF.
Bear Madliak led the way for K-State offensively, as he pounded two home runs against Missouri State. Madliak has taken over as the team’s full-time catcher and has done well, hitting .286 on the season with seven home runs and 20 RBIs.
Left-handed pitcher Adam Arther has ascended his level of play for the Wildcats. Arther is a side-arm throwing relief pitcher and is effective in getting batters out. In his 10 innings, he allowed just one run, good for a 0.87 ERA. His ability to get outs effectively makes him useful in lots of situations.
UCF 18-14 (3-9)
UCF, like K-State, was swept in its last Big 12 series, so the Knights will be trying to get back into the conference win column as well. UCF has a solid offense that can put up runs and pressure teams by getting on base.
The Knights are led offensively by outfielder Andrew Williamson. Williamson hits .353 and leads the team with seven home runs. Williamson is a sophomore and is having a really good year after a great freshman year, catching the eyes of many scouts.
On the mound for UCF for this weekend will be right-handed pitcher Wiley Hartley. Hartley has a 4.23 ERA in 38.1 innings and has 33 strikeouts. After Hartley, UCF has a really good bullpen, making things tough for others late in games.
Who to Watch:
K-State: C Bear Madliak, LHP Adam Arther
UCF: OF Andrew Williamson, RHP Wiley Hartley
K-State:
ERA: 5.23
Batting Average: .283
Home Runs: 58
UCF:
ERA: 4.29
Batting Average: .325
Home Runs: 32
