The two highest-slugging and home run-hitting teams in the Big 12 will meet at Hoglund Ballpark for a weekend series starting on Friday. Kansas sits at the top of the conference, slugging .548 and clubbing a program record 78 home runs, with Kansas State not far behind at .504 and 63.

The Big 12 is largely known as an offensive conference in baseball, with the two Kansas teams putting up big numbers this season. Kansas and Kansas State both sit in the top half of the conference standings heading into the weekend.

“It’s fun, it’s certainly good for baseball in the state of Kansas,” Dan Fitzgerald said to the media on Wednesday. “To have rivalries, that’s a really important thing, obviously in college sports. So I think our guys are excited.”

Both teams have had a chance to rebuild momentum after falling out of the Top 25 at points in the season. Kansas State rebounded with a series win over UCF after it got swept by Oklahoma State, while Kansas put up 18 runs in a midweek over Wichita State after getting swept by TCU.

Exploding fan support has been a major story for Kansas this season, with this weekend being no different. Fitzgerald said it’s been awesome all year and Kansas has “done some stuff with seating to open up some additional spots.”

“This is, you know, what an awesome experience for our student-athletes and everyone involved at KU and a great sign of where we’re at in the build,” Fitzgerald said. “I think it’s a lot of things. I think it’s the excitement for how our guys have played, how they compete, the fact that we’ve won some games, and then, it’s a great venue. Like it’s really fun, like they’re all crammed in right above our dugout.”

Back in the fall, Kansas played Kansas State in a fall exhibition in Manhattan. Both squads are filled with a lot of newcomers and they have been different teams since the scrimmage, but Fitzgerald said it was a good opportunity for the Jayhawks.

“It was great, competitive. I thought it gave us a picture of what Big 12 baseball feels like to the new guys,” Fitzgerald said. “But yeah, they’re a much different team now than they were then, just like we are, so there is stuff to look back on, but there’s no massive scouting report from the fall game.”

Kansas State comes into the series averaging 7.5 runs per game. Kansas’ pitching is set for a big test, with Fitzgerald saying he likes the way the starters have tallied innings, but there have been some questions in the bullpen.

“I feel really good about the starters, and then the back end has been really good. I think we still have some questions about what the middle looks like,” Fitzgerald said. “K-State does have a good offense. The good and bad news of it is that everyone in the Big 12 has a good offense, so we’re certainly tested already and will continue to be.”