Kansas State's perfect run hits a wall, Wildcats fall short against Auburn

Kansas State baseball entered the Amegy Bank College Baseball Series with high hopes, looking to knock off the ninth-ranked Auburn Tigers. Jake Marciano, however, had other plans. Marciano shut the Wildcats down on the mound with a dominant start and a win in the 5-1 result.

Marciano continued his dominant start to his 2026 campaign, notching 12 strikeouts in his first outing, collecting eight more against the Wildcats. Amongst his victims was reigning Golden Spikes Player of the Week Dee Kennedy, who punched out three times.

Kansas State baseball's perfect season ends in Wildcats' loss to No. 9 Auburn

The Tigers started the game with three straight singles off of James Guyette, but Kansas State managed to get out of the inning with only one run of damage. Chase Fralick notched an RBI for the Tigers on a fielder's choice, as Dee Kennedy couldn't cleanly snag the ball at second base to turn the double play.

Robby Bolin became the first Wildcat to reach base in the fourth inning off a solid bunt single down the third base line, but was caught leaning and picked off moments later at first base. AJ Evasco singled later in the inning to extend his hit streak to five games, but Kansas State failed to score.

Wildcats fight back, but ultimately fall short

The Wildcat defense gave Guyette a hand on the mound in the fifth, as Carlos Vasquez made a dazzling catch on a slide in right-center field to take away a hit and keep Cade Belyeu on first base.
Moments later, Guyette caught Belyeu stealing on a smooth step-off.

The Tigers stayed alive in the inning, however, as Bristol Carter walked and stole a base to give Bub Terrell an opportunity to create a 1-4-5-4 RBI. The play started with a tip off the glove of Guyette and ended with Terrell out at second base to end the inning, but not before Carter scored to make it 2-0.

Auburn doubled its lead in the eighth with an RBI single from Eric Guevara and a sacrifice fly from Lucas Steele to make it a 4-0 advantage. Kansas State managed to respond with an RBI double from Micah Kendrick in the bottom of the frame, but the Tigers struck right back with a Bristol Carter RBI groundout in the ninth to make it a four-run contest.

AJ Evasco managed to keep the game alive in the bottom of the ninth with a two-out double, but the game ended unceremoniously on a Dee Kennedy pop-out. Auburn outhit Kansas State 11-4 in their victory.

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