MANHATTAN, Kan. (Interstat) — The Omaha Mavericks, defying heavy odds and a powerful statistical projection, erupted for 12 runs on 16 hits to rout the Kansas State Wildcats 12-5 in nonconference baseball action Tuesday night at Tointon Family Stadium.

The game’s decisive turn came not with a barrage of late offense, but with a dominant relief performance that slammed the door on a Wildcats comeback. After Kansas State clawed back from an early 6-0 deficit to make it 6-5 in the third inning, Omaha right-hander Brayden Curtis entered with one out and a runner on. He inherited a 1-0 count but proceeded to deliver five hitless and scoreless innings, striking out five and walking one to earn the win. Curtis’s outing, following a rough appearance just three days prior, stabilized the game and allowed the Maverick offense to rebuild its lead at its own pace.

Omaha’s attack was relentless from the start. Designated hitter Nick Riggs provided the initial blow in the first inning, launching a three-run homer to center field off Wildcats starter Tyler Duke. The Mavericks added three more in the second, with RBI doubles from Drew Borner and Jace Trout.

Kansas State capitalized on Omaha miscues to get back into the game. A two-run single by Chandler Murray and a sacrifice fly in the second inning, both runs unearned, cut the lead to 6-3. Dominic Kennedy then led off the third with a solo homeer, measured at 422 feet, to make it 6-4. After a walk and a pair of productive outs, Kaelen Karl drove in another run with a double to left center, trimming Omaha’s advantage to just 6-5 and prompting Curtis’s entry.

From there, Curtis was untouchable. His performance allowed Omaha to add single runs in the fourth and seventh innings, the latter on a 434-foot solo shot by catcher Cardel Dick, before breaking the game open with a four-run ninth. Mason Gaines and Borner delivered RBI hits in the final frame, and Carter Diggins added a sacrifice fly.

Austin Haley took the loss for Kansas State, allowing two runs on five hits over five innings of relief after replacing Duke. Billy Eich and Alex Longoria finished the game for the Wildcats.

With the win, Omaha improved to 12-17 on the season, while 22nd-ranked Kansas State fell to 22-13. The victory was a stark reversal of expectations, as Interstat’s game simulator had projected a 6-4 Wildcats win, and its ELO system gave Kansas State an 83.3% probability of victory.

Omaha travels to face North Dakota State for a three-game series starting Friday. Kansas State heads to Arizona for a three-game set beginning the same day.