Via Kansas Athletics
LAWRENCE, Kan. – In the fourth annual Buck O’Neil Classic, Kansas defeated Missouri 9-3 on Tuesday night at Hoglund Ballpark in front of a crowd of 2,545 fans. Kansas has now won nine consecutive games to match its longest winning streak of the season and the longest under third-year head coach Dan Fitzgerald. The Jayhawks are 4-0 all-time in the Buck O’Neil Classic.
Brady Counsell hit his 11th home run of the season and finished the night with a career-high five RBIs. The Jayhawks improved to 36-10 overall this season, marking the most wins in a season since 2009.
Kansas used seven pitchers to pick up the victory. Malakai Vetock started for Kansas and went a pre-determined two innings to earn the win. Manning West, Dalton Smith Alex Breckheimer and Eric Lin each had scoreless relief appearances. Brigden Parker also did not allow an earned run.
HOW IT HAPPENED
• Missouri (13-31) scored a run in the first inning on a solo homer by Kaden Peer.
• Kansas responded right away in the bottom of the first. Brady Ballinger and Jackson Hauge each got on base and then Counsell launched a three-run homer to left-center field to give Kansas a 3-1 lead.
• The Jayhawks tacked on another run in the second inning on an RBI single by Ian Francis. That made it a 4-1 Kansas advantage.
• The Tigers scored a run in the third inning while Missouri was in a rundown between first and second base. The run cut the game to 4-2.
• In the fourth inning, Kansas scored two more runs on a two-run single by Counsell to give the Jayhawks a 6-2 lead.
• Each team traded a run in the seventh inning. Peer hit an RBI single for Missouri in the top of the inning and Sawyer Smith had an RBI double in the bottom half of the inning to bring the score to 7-3.
• KU wrapped up the scoring with two runs in the eighth inning to make it 9-3. Dariel Osoria hit an RBI single to left field to bring home one run and another run scored on the same play on an errant throw from the left fielder.
PITCHERS OF RECORD
Win: Malakai Vetock (3-0)
Final line: 2.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 BB, 2 SO
Loss: Josh Kirchhoff (2-1)
Final line: 1.0 IP, 4 H, 4 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 0 SO
QUOTABLES & NOTABLES
“I loved how the guys competed and loved that we just kept it the same in terms of another day to prepare and get better. Malakai did a nice job in the first and then came back and did a really nice job in the second. We needed someone to stretch us for two (innings). We were hoping it would be Malakai. As you get closer to the postseason, you have to think about who else is going to start and if you get into a tournament situation where you have to play more than three games in a weekend. We had kind of mapped out that spot for Trumper and it worked out great and then the rest of it we had mapped it. Obviously, things didn’t go our way perfectly, but the pitching plan kind of went to the way we were hoping it would go. Then, some timely hitting and some really good at-bats. Any time you have more walks then punch outs in a game you’ve done a nice job at the plate. Overall, really pleased with how he competed. It is so much fun playing at home. Our crowd is amazing and creative and many other words. Fun night.” – Head Coach Dan Fitzgerald
“I think I just got some good pitches to hit. Had a good game plan going into the first at-bat and got a good pitch to hit and put it out of the park. Derek (Cerda), Jackson (Hauge) and Brady (Ballinger) get on base a lot, so it makes my job a little bit easier with getting RBIs.” – Brady Counsell
• Kansas improved to 36-10 overall this season. The 36 wins are the most in a season since 2009.
• Kansas has won nine consecutive games, which matches the team’s longest winning streak of the season and the longest under Fitzgerald.
• Tuesday’s game had an attendance of 2,545 fans. That is the second largest crowd of the season and the third largest in Hoglund Ballpark history.
• Kansas has a program-record 85 home runs this year.
• Kansas is now 4-0 in the annual Buck O’Neil Classic.
• Kansas recorded a season-high four stolen bases. The four steals are the most since April 12, 2023 vs. Texas Southern.
• Counsell set a new career high with five RBIs and tied his career high with 11 home runs this season. He extended his hitting streak to seven games.
• Smith has reached base safely in each of the last 22 games.
• Osoria extended his on-base streak to 12 games.
• Ballinger now has 18 multi-hit games this season.
UP NEXT
Kansas will host Cincinnati in a weekend conference series at Hoglund Ballpark, beginning on Friday at 6 p.m. CT. Fans can purchase tickets by clicking here.
