By Jayson Henderson

In the opening round of the 2024 Phillips 66 Big 12 Championship on Tuesday, KU edged out K-State with a 2-1 victory at Globe Life Field. K-State head coach Pete Hughes expressed disappointment with the outcome, noting the necessity for cleaner play in tight games. Despite a solid pitching performance that included 10 strikeouts and limiting KU to five hits, K-State fell short. Kaelen Culpepper and David Bishop led the Cats with three hits each, while Culpepper’s fifth-inning RBI tied the game briefly. Ultimately, Lenny Ashby’s ninth-inning triple and subsequent sacrifice fly secured the win for KU. K-State now faces West Virginia in an elimination game, aiming to stay alive in the tournament.