Kansas Falls in Extra Innings, 2-1
March 3, 2011
SURPRISE, Ariz. –
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Freshman Alex Cox pitched six strong innings, while Jake Marasco collected two hits but it was not enough. UC Riverside’s Tony Nix singled home the winning run in the bottom of the 10th inning as the Highlanders topped the Jayhawks, 2-1 Thursday afternoon as part of the Coca Cola Surprise Classic at George Brett Field.
KU snaps its three-game winning streak and falls to 4-4, while UCR improves to 6-4 with its fourth-straight win.
Kansas fell in extra innings for the second time in eight games this season. The Jayhawks produced their only run in the fifth when Brandon Macias and Jordan Dreiling both reached base on errors and Kaiana Eldredge hit a sacrifice fly to left to tie the game at 1-1.
KU put the go-ahead runs on base in the top of the 10th, but Macias’ long fly ball to center field was hauled in just in front of the fence with two outs.
The Highlanders scored the winning run on a lead-off walk, a sacrifice and Nix’s single to center with one out.
Cox, making just his second collegiate start, went six innings allowing one run on six hits with a walk and four strikeouts. He became the fourth Kansas pitcher to record a quality start in the team’s last five games.
After giving up a run in the third, Cox looked to be on the ropes in the fourth. The freshman allowed three straight hits, including two-straight bunt singles, to open the inning. However, he held the deficit at 1-0 by recording a fielder’s choice and two strikeouts.
The Jayhawk pitching staff held the Highlanders to one hit – Nix’s game winning single – over the final five innings.
Marasco collected two of KU’s four hits, including a leadoff double in the seventh. Dreiling and James Stanfield also had hits for the Jayhawks.
KU will look to bounce back Friday when it takes on Cal State Bakersfield at 5 p.m. CST in Surprise, Ariz.
