Kansas Baseball Downs Hawaii-Hilo to Remain Unbeaten
Feb. 8, 2005
HILO, Hawaii – Senior right-handed pitcher Clint Schambach pitched seven innings and allowed only one hit and one unearned run as the University of Kansas baseball team won its fourth straight game to begin the season by defeating Hawaii-Hilo 12-3 at Wong Stadium in Hilo, Hawaii, on Monday.
Schambach finished the game with three strikeouts in his first winning effort of the season.
“Clint Schambach was outstanding tonight,” Kansas head coach Ritch Price said. “This has been the best game he has pitched since coming to KU. His stuff was electric tonight. We needed that tonight because we played very poorly defensively. This was a very sloppy win.”
The Jayhawks (4-0) were able to get on the board first in the game by scoring three runs in the third inning. Junior center fielder Gus Milner led the inning off with a double to center field and scored in the next at bat as freshman third baseman Erik Morrison delivered on an RBI single. After a walk was issued to designated hitter Jared Schweitzer, senior first baseman Andy Scholl drove in two runs with a triple over the head of Hilo center fielder Chris Campbell.
Hawaii-Hilo (0-9) responded to plate a run of its own in the bottom of the inning, cutting the KU lead to 3-1. Hilo shortstop Jimmy Crider reached on a throwing error by Jayhawk shortstop Ritchie Price. Crider scored three batters later on a single by right fielder Sean Tamura.
In the top of the fifth, Kansas plated a fourth run as junior center fielder Matt Baty walked to lead off the inning and scored later in the inning when Ritchie Price grounded into a double play.
KU tagged on an insurance run in the top of the seventh to open up a 5-1 advantage. With one out, Morrison and Baty delivered back-to-back singles to give the Jayhawks runners on the corners. After a Baty steal and an intentional walk was issued to freshman Brock Simpson, Ritchie Price came to the plate with the bases loaded. Price grounded back to the Hilo pitcher, who mishandled the ball and was unable to record an out on the play. Scholl could not continue the inning in the next at bat as he grounded into a double play.
A two-run Baty single highlighted the top of the eighth inning, which saw KU tack three runs on to its lead. In the inning the Jayhawks collected four hits and took advantage of a pair of Vulcan errors to take an 8-1 lead.
Kansas plated four more runs in the top of the ninth inning. Pinch hitter Mike Dudley proved the inning’s biggest hit, slamming a three-run home run to right center field.
Hawaii-Hilo tried to mount a comeback, but could manage only a single run in both the eighth and ninth innings against the Jayhawk bullpen.
Kansas and Hawaii-Hilo will continue the series tomorrow at Wong Stadium in Hilo, Hawaii. First pitch is slated for 6 p.m. local time (10 p.m. CST).
