MANHATTAN, Kan. (K-State Athletics) – For the fourth straight week, K-State baseball picked up a Big 12 Conference weekly award, as AJ Evasco was named the Newcomer of the Week on Monday afternoon.
The true freshman from Lincoln, Nebraska, becomes the third Wildcat to earn the honor this season, joining left-handed pitcher Lincoln Sheffield and shortstop Maximus Martin.
For the week, Evasco recorded a team-high 12 RBI and raised his batting average to .429, the third-best in the league and highest among all freshmen. His slugging percentage climbed to .796, ranking fourth overall in the conference.
Evasco drove in a team-leading eight RBI against Utah, helping K-State open Big 12 play with its first series sweep since 2010. Evasco ended the weekend hitting .583 (7-for-12), compiling a 1.488 OPS with a double and home run.
In the series finale against Utah, Evasco went 3-for-4 and launched his fourth home run of the year – a walk-off three-run shot that sealed a run-rule victory and extended the Cats’ home winning streak to six. It marked his second walk-off homer of the season, as the freshman belted a three-run homer in K-State’s 17-5 run-rule victory over William & Mary (March 8).
He blasted his first collegiate grand slam against Creighton, cutting a five-run deficit to one.
The Wildcats (12-7, 3-0 Big 12) will head to Stephenville, Texas for a midweek non-conference matchup against Tarleton State (9-12) on Wednesday, March 19. First pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m. at the Tarleton Baseball Complex. Wednesday’s game will broadcast on ESPN+, while a free live streaming audio available for all games at KStateSports.com/watch and on the K-State Sports app. Season and single-game tickets are now available. To purchase tickets, fans can visit KStateSports.com, call 1-800-221-CATS (2287), or stop by the K-State Athletics Ticket Office in Bramlage Coliseum.
