Via Kansas Athletics
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Kansas baseball’s historic season came to an end Saturday afternoon at Baum-Walker Stadium with a 4-3 loss to North Dakota State. The Jayhawks finished one of the best seasons in program history with a 43-17 record, which tied for the second most wins in a season in school history.
The Jayhawks were selected for an NCAA Regional in the third season under head coach Dan Fitzgerald and the first time for the program since 2014, while also setting a program record for home runs in a season and most conference wins in a season.
“There are tangible steps you take along the way and some that are really seen and some that are unseen, but I think getting to the NCAA Tournament is a very visible step,” Fitzgerald said. “I think it was important that we did that just to validate the work and everything that has gone into it…None of our guys were surprised we did this. They’re all devastated we aren’t still playing.
“I say that to say that a new bar has been set in terms of what we’re shooting for.”
HOW IT HAPPENED
• North Dakota State (21-33) got out to an early lead with two runs in the first inning, both coming with two outs. Davis Hamilton scored from first base on a double and a fielding error and Colten Becker drove in a run on an RBI single to make it 2-0 at the end of the first.
• The next two innings were scoreless for both teams until the action picked back up in the fourth.
• Kansas tied up the game in the top of the fourth courtesy of a Hauge two-run homer, his 20th long ball of the season–one shy of a program record.
• The Bison regained the lead by scoring a run in both the fourth and fifth innings. That gave North Dakota State a 4-2 lead after five innings.
• The Jayhawks trimmed their deficit to one run in the sixth inning. Tommy Barth delivered a two-out RBI single to make it a 4-3 ballgame.
• Kansas had its best opportunity to even the game in the eighth with two runners on and two outs but it left two runners stranded.
PITCHERS OF RECORD
Win: Logan Knight (5-6)
Final line: 6.1 IP, 4 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 3 SO
Loss: Cooper Moore (7-3)
Final line: 5.0 IP, 8 H, 4 R, 2 BB, 7 SO
Save: Danny Lachenmayer (9)
Final line: 2.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 3 SO
QUOTABLES & NOTABLES
“There were so many great wins, but to me, it’s the moments off the field. The joy they have when they’re together, the way they treat people; they’re just really good men. That is what I’d really like to package up because that’s rare. A team like this is rare to have this many guys who are such elite teammates.” – Dan Fitzgerald
• Kansas finished the season with a 43-17 overall record. The 43 wins were tied for the second most in a season in program history with 43 wins in 2006 and trailing 45 wins in 1993.
• Kansas moved to 9-11 all-time in NCAA Regionals.
• Kansas finished the season with a program-record 104 home runs this year.
• Hauge crushed his 20th home run of the season and recorded his 70th RBI. ??The 20 home runs are the second most in program history and the 70 RBIs are fourth most in school history.
