Open Game Thread: K-State vs. Bryant

Who: K-State (42-17) vs. Bryant (45-16-1)

What: NCAA Baseball Championship, Manhattan Regional

When: May 31, 2013 | 7:00 p.m. CDT

Where: Manhattan | Tointon Family Stadium (2,331 plus brand-new portable bleachers)

Media: 1350 KMAN (and possibly other K-State Sports Network Affiliates) | WatchESPN/ESPN3

Having outrun Wichita State to the finish line yesterday afternoon, the Cats are set up nicely to capture the regional crown. They'll have to get past an underrated and pesky squad to accomplish that, however, as Bryant handled Arkansas last night.

Expected starters are senior Joe Flattery (4-4, 4.02) for the Cats and junior Craig Schlitter (10-3, 2.53) for the Bulldogs. This game marks the first-ever meeting between Bryant and Kansas State.

Should the Cats win, they'd play again tomorrow night against the winner of tomorrow afternoon's rematch between Bryant and Arkansas (winners over Wichita State this morning). That makes winning tonight really important for K-State, because playing one game against a team forced to play a doubleheader is a lot better than having to play a doubleheader themselves. A loss would mean an early game against Arkansas, with the winner facing Bryant in the nightcap.