Allman, Jayhawks Rally Past SDSU, 3-2
Feb. 11, 2007
MINNEAPOLIS –
John Allman’s two-run single in the bottom of the eighth lifted the <?xml:namespace prefix=”st1″ ns=”urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags”?>University of Kansas past South Dakota State, 3-2 in the second game of a three-game series at the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome. The suspended contest was completed Sunday morning after the teams had played the first eight innings Saturday morning. <?xml:namespace prefix=”o” ns=”urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office”?>
KU improves to 6-1 overall, while the Jackrabbits drop to 1-1.
Allman’s two-run single capped a three-run rally which saw the Jayhawks erase a 2-0 deficit in the final three innings. Trailing 2-1 in the bottom of the eighth, senior Kyle Murphy started the inning by reaching on a throwing error and then moved to third on Brock Simpson’s double to right field. That set up Allman, who took the first pitch he saw up the middle to score both runners.
KU cut into the two-run deficit in the bottom of the seventh, on Justin Ellrich’s two-out, RBI double. After junior Ryne Price led off the inning with an RBI double, SDSU starter Matt Bowman got Erik Morrison to hit into a fielder’s choice and Casey Larson to strike out swinging before Ellrich’s double.
Allman and Price both collected a pair of hits for the Jayhawks.
KU starting pitcher Nick Czyz rebounded from a rocky start to retire the final seven hitters he faced. Czyz went five innings, allowing two runs on four hits, while striking out seven.
Junior Andres Esquibel earned his second victory of the season, pitching three innings of scoreless relief. Esquibel, who won the finale in the Hawaii-Hilo series, allowed just two hits and struck out six of the 11 batters he faced.
Sophomore Paul Smyth earned his second save of the season by pitching a scoreless ninth on Sunday.
Game Notes: The three-game series, which was originally scheduled for Hoglund Ballpark, had to be moved to the Metrodome due to inclement weather in Lawrence. Start times for the games were scheduled around the Hurricane Winter Invitational, a college baseball tournament which features several Division II and NAIA schools from the upper Midwest … This series will mark the first of two major league parks the Jayhawks will visit during the 2007 season. On April 25, KU is scheduled to face Missouri at Kaufman Stadium in Kansas City, Mo.
