Will the Bat Cats dance? Kansas State awaits NCAA fate

Kansas State baseball is back in the postseason conversation.

After an early exit in the Big 12 Tournament, the Wildcats await their NCAA Tournament fate.

K-State finished the regular season 31-23 overall and 17-13 in conference play, and both D1Baseball and Baseball America project the Wildcats as a No. 3 seed in regional play.

The team will host a watch party Monday for the NCAA Division I Selection Show at the Shamrock Zone. Coverage begins at 11 a.m. CT on ESPN2.

This marks the second straight season Kansas State has been in the mix for a regional bid under head coach Pete Hughes.

Six Wildcats earned All-Big 12 honors this season. Junior Maximus Martin and graduate slugger Keegan O’Connor were named to the second team. Freshman AJ Evasco was selected to the All-Freshman Team, while Seth Dardar, Jacob Frost, and James Guyette received honorable mentions.

Martin led the offense with a .337 average, a team-best 18 doubles, and 14 home runs.

O’Connor tied K-State’s single-season home run record with 16 and became just the fifth player in program history to hit three in a game. His .665 slugging percentage and home run total both rank fourth in the Big 12.

Since taking over, Hughes has now coached 42 All-Big 12 selections. The league’s postseason awards were voted on by its 14 head coaches.

The NCAA Regionals run May 30 through June 2.