Utah Baseball Completes Historic Series Comeback Over Kansas State

Utes rally from early deficits to win first-ever series over Wildcats

Mar. 29, 2026 at 11:20pm

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The Utah Utes baseball team pulled off a stunning series comeback over Kansas State, winning the final two games after dropping the opener. Led by a historic performance from Jake Long, who hit for the cycle in the finale, Utah's hitters came alive to power the Utes to their first-ever series victory over the Wildcats.

Why it matters

This series win is a major milestone for the Utah baseball program, which has struggled to find consistent success in recent years. The gritty, come-from-behind nature of the wins showcases the team's resilience and chemistry, raising hopes that Utah can make a push for its first NCAA Tournament berth since 2016.

The details

After falling 8-5 in the series opener, Utah stormed back with a 13-11 win in Game 2, erasing an 11-8 eighth-inning deficit. In the finale, the Utes overcame an early 7-0 hole, fueled by Jake Long's cycle and a go-ahead home run from Zakye Hawkins in the eighth inning to clinch the series victory.

  • Utah fell 8-5 in the series opener on Friday.
  • Utah won 13-11 in Game 2 on Saturday, rallying from an 11-8 deficit in the eighth inning.
  • Utah won the series finale 16-14 on Sunday, overcoming an early 7-0 deficit.

The players

Jake Long

The Utah infielder recorded the first cycle by a Ute player since 2005, going 5-for-6 with two home runs, a triple, a double, four RBIs, and three runs in the series finale.

Zakye Hawkins

The Utah infielder hit a go-ahead two-run home run in the eighth inning of the series finale to help the Utes complete their comeback.

Cameron Gurney

The Utah outfielder had four hits in the Game 2 victory.

Daniel Arambula

The Utah infielder hit his first home run of the season, a two-run shot, in the series opener.

Dee Kennedy

The Kansas State shortstop is considered one of the top players in the country.

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What’s next

Utah will travel to Lawrence, Kansas for a three-game series against the Kansas State Jayhawks. On the road, where they're 5-7, the Utes will need to show they can get it done away from home.

The takeaway

This series showcased the grit and resilience of the Utah baseball team, as they refused to be counted out despite early deficits. The Utes' ability to rally together as a unit and find contributions from across the lineup bodes well for their chances of making a push for the NCAA Tournament this season.