Via Kansas Athletics
WICHITA, Kan. – No. 11 Kansas Baseball has now won seven consecutive games and 18 of its last 19 contests after a 14-1 run-rule victory against Wichita State on Tuesday night at Eck Stadium. The win completed a season sweep of the Shockers.
Kansas improved to 34-11 overall this season with the victory. For the first time in school history, the Jayhawks secured a perfect 9-0 record against its regional opponents to the north, south, east and west – Nebraska, Wichita State, Missouri and Kansas State.
KU jumped on Wichita State early and had an 8-0 lead by the midway point of the third inning. Six Jayhawks finished with multi-hit games, including Jordan Bach who tied his career high with four RBIs. Cade Baldridge also added two hits and three RBIs.
On the mound, Kansas used six pitchers to hold Wichita State to only one run. Mathis Nayral started and tossed two scoreless frames, while Carter Fink also had a multi-inning appearance with 2.2 scoreless innings. Kannon Carr, Manning West and Jeremy Allen each through a scoreless innings as well.
HOW IT HAPPENED
• After a scoreless first inning for both teams, Kansas broke through in the top of the second.
• Tyson Owens led off the inning with an infield single and Dariel Osoria drove him in on an RBI double. Two walks loaded the bases for Baldridge. He hit a bases-clearing double into the left field corner that stretched the lead. Baldrige eventually came in to score on a wild pitch. Midway through the second inning, Kansas led 5-0.
• The Jayhawks stretched their lead in the third inning with a pair of two-out hits. Bach delivered a two-run single and Baldridge followed with an RBI single. That made the KU lead 8-0.
• Wichita State (26-20) got a run back in the bottom of the third on an RBI single to make the game 8-1.
• Kansas got the run back in the fifth inning as Bach scored on a wild pitch.
• Bach brought in another run in the seventh with an RBI single. The Jayhawks led 10-1 through seven innings.
• KU pushed the game out of reach with four runs in the top of the eighth. Josh Dykhoff had an RBI single, Dylan Schlotterback delivered a two-run double and Bach had an RBI groundout. The four runs made it a 14-1 ballgame and a run-rule win for Kansas.
PITCHERS OF RECORD
Win: Carter Fink (1-1)
Final line: 2.2 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 SO
Loss: Dax Sharp (0-3)
Final line: 1.1 IP, 5 H, 5 R, 2 BB, 1 SO
QUOTABLES & NOTABLES
“We had a very business-like approach tonight. I thought our pitchers did a really nice job of limiting free stuff. It was great to get Mathis out there and have a pretty clean start. Fink was great again and it was great to get Manning back out there. I thought Kannon was awesome in the middle and then it was fun to see Jeremy. Really nice job by our pitching staff and then I thought we had some really quality at-bats for all eight innings. We really limited the opportunities that they had to respond. Another great start to the week.” – Head Coach Dan Fitzgerald
“We just stuck to our approach today and executed our plan. I was fortunate enough to come up with runners on and fortunate enough to come through. The offense is in a really good spot right now. We’re all clicking, so it’s pass the bat to one another. It’s been good.” – Jordan Bach
“I think what’s working is all about the amount of trust we have in each other. We all love each other. The energy is great. The bench guys are great. Pitching has been great. Hitting has been great. It’s just a lot of trust in each other. This is the closest group I’ve ever been a part of in my five years of college.” – Jordan Bach
“I think this recent stretch has everything to do with the guys playing for each other. Giving a complete team effort and getting a lot of energy out of everyone. When the energy is right, it just helps us keep rolling.” – Cade Baldridge
• Kansas improved to 34-11 overall this season. Eighteen of the 34 victories have come on the road.
• Kansas has won seven straight games, 18 of the last 19 and 24 of its last 27 contests.
• Kansas went a perfect 9-0 against its regional opponents to the north, south, east and west – Nebraska (2-0), Wichita State (2-0), Missouri (2-0) and Kansas State (3-0).
• Kansas has at least 10 hits in seven straight games for the first time since Feb. 17-March 2, 2013 (eight games).
• During the seven-game winning streak, Kansas is averaging 10.3 runs per game.
• Kansas has won each of its last five midweek games.
• Six Jayhawks recorded multi-hit games (Jordan Bach, Cade Baldridge, Tyson LeBlanc, Brady Ballinger, Dariel Osoria, Josh Dykhoff).
• Bach tied his career high with four RBIs.
• Baldridge recorded his team-high 21st multi-hit game of the season.
• Owens matched his career high with three runs scored.
• Fink earned his first win of the season.
UP NEXT
Kansas will return home to Hoglund Ballpark and host Arizona for a three-game weekend series. The series is set to begin on Friday at 6 p.m. CT. Fans can purchase tickets by clicking here.
