K-State baseball wrapped up its fall schedule with the 2026 finale of Cats vs. Cancer, The Battle for Tointon, on Nov. 6. Cats vs. Cancer is connected with College Baseball vs. Cancer to raise awareness and fundraise for the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation.
The Battle for Tointon, a part of K-State baseball’s 19 Ways series, also included the annual ALS Awareness Halloween Game on Oct. 29.
K-State baseball head coach Pete Hughes spearheaded the creation of 19 Ways to help K-State Athletics give back to the Manhattan community. They continue to raise money and awareness through the ALS Awareness Halloween Game and Cats vs. Cancer, organizing over 30 events, such as the Thanksgiving Dinner with Troops at Fort Riley and Cats 4 Cans.
As for the game itself, the scrimmage featured exciting moments, crazy hits and clutch plays.
The Wildcats divided into two teams, with the home team, Team Purple, featuring notable players such as Senior infielder Jalen Evans, junior transfer Paul Jones II, and freshman pitcher Max Nantais-Vlahovich, who started for the first three innings of the seven-inning contest.
In the opposing dugout was Team Gray, led by fifth-year Cadyn Karl, junior infielder Ty Smolinski and starting pitcher fifth-year Jonah Reich.
In the first inning, three runners headed to the plate for both teams, and all three walked back to the dugout as the inning ended 0-0.
However, the second inning opened the scoring when junior Maddix Simpson hit a single over the second baseman. Right after, sophomore Landon Schaefer walked, putting two runners on base. Both moved into scoring position after a wild pitch early in Cadyn Karl’s at-bat, and Karl took advantage by hitting an RBI double into the left-center gap, putting Team Gray up by 2.
Team Purple couldn’t respond, as Reich allowed one hit in his final two innings. To add insult to injury, in the top of the fourth, Smolinski crushed a 104-mile-per-hour solo shot over the centerfield wall, extending the lead to 3-0. Junior Pitcher Trenton Buckley closed out the inning without further damage.
Team Purple fought back in the bottom of the fourth, loading the bases with two outs, but hit a line drive that Team Gray snagged, ending a potential rally.
No one scored in the fifth inning, and as the teams approached the bottom of the sixth, it was getting close to do-or-die for Team Purple.
Kyler Horsman led off the inning with a ground ball right between third and short for an early single, which Nick English followed with a single of his own, putting two runners on base. Brayden Stufft then hit a deep ball that stayed just inside the park, driving in both runners with an RBI double to put runners on second and third and put Team Purple on the board.
After Team Gray’s relief pitcher, Noah Gartner, walked the next batter, Team Purple had the bases loaded with no outs. Donte Lewis then hit the go-ahead 3-RBI single to put Team Purple up 4-3.
Team Purple continued to pile on runs, and by the time the inning was over, the damage was done, and Purple led 7-3.
Freshman Joseph Pereira came in to close out the game for Team Purple. He faced three batters, forcing two groundouts and striking out the last batter to secure the sixth-inning comeback for Team Purple and win the Battle of Tointon.
K-State baseball’s regular season kicks off Feb. 19-21, 2027, against West Florida in Pensacola, Florida.
