SURPRISE, Ariz. (Interstat) — Kansas State scored five runs over the seventh and eighth innings and defeated Utah 9-5 on Tuesday in the 2026 Big 12 Baseball Championship. The Wildcats improved to 28-25 while the Utes fell to 26-25.

Kansas State built a 9-2 lead in the top of the sixth on a two-run homer by Evasco, his eighth of the season. Utah answered with a two-run double from Long in the bottom of the fifth, then added an unearned run on a Miller single.

The Wildcats extended their lead in the seventh on a Kennedy triple, a Lodice single and a Madliak sacrifice fly. Jacobs homered for Utah in the bottom half, and Miller added a sacrifice fly, but Kansas State countered in the eighth with two more runs on a Kennedy single and a two-run single by Smolinski.

Kansas State outhit Utah 13-10. Pitchers James Guyette, Aaron Arnold and Lincoln Sheffield combined for the win. Utah’s Ian Culver, Nevan Noonan, Blake Eckerle and Derek Smith started but did not factor in the decision.