Jayhawks Fall to Louisiana, 8-6

March 3, 2012

Final Stats

Louisiana 8, Kansas 6 Wolff Stadium //San Antonio, Texas

Senior James Stanfield collected three hits in KU’s loss Saturday. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R UL 0 0 3 1 3 0 0 0 1 8 KU 0 2 0 0 0 0 1 3 0 6 Box Score (.pdf) Leaders – Batting Kansas AB R H RBI BB HR D. Smith 4 2 4 4 0 1 C. Manship 4 2 2 1 0 0 Louisiana AB R H RBI BB HR R. Leonards 4 1 2 3 0 0 B. Bowman 2 2 1 0 1 0 Pitching Kansas IP H R ER BB SO W. Benjamin (L) 4.1 5 5 5 3 2 R. Kahana 3.1 4 2 2 1 4 Jor. Luvisi 0.1 0 0 0 0 0 T. Poppe 1.0 1 1 1 0 0 Louisiana IP H R ER BB SO C. Griffitt (W) 5.0 8 2 2 1 5 M. Hicks 2.2 5 4 3 0 1 C. Kellogg (SV) 1.1 1 0 0 0 2

SAN ANTONIO, Texas – Freshman Dakota Smith went 4-for-4, which included a three-run homer and four RBIs, however for the second-straight day a late KU rally fell short. Louisiana scored seven runs in the first four innings and held on for an 8-6 triumph over Kansas baseball Saturday afternoon at Wolff Stadium.

KU falls to 5-4 on the year, while the Ragin’ Cajuns improve to 6-4.

For the second day in a row, the Jayhawks faced a multi-run deficit early, but rallied to bring the tying run to the plate. After trailing 7-2 after six innings KU cut the UL lead to a single run after an RBI double by Zac Elgie in the seventh and a three-run homer by Smith in the eighth, which capped the freshman’s four-hit day.

Smith became the first Jayhawk freshman to collect four hits in a game since Jake Marasco went 4-for-4 against Iowa on March 7, 2010. He finished a triple shy of hitting for the cycle.

However, UL tacked on an insurance run in the top of the ninth on a bloop double down the left field line and a throwing error on the ensuing sacrifice bunt attempt. Ragin’ Cajun closer Caleb Kellogg got a double play and a strikeout to end KU’s threat in the ninth.

The Jayhawks took a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the second on an RBI triple by senior Chris Manship and a single by Smith. Manship’s triple marks his third of the season after going the first three years of his career without one.

The lead was short-lived as UL rallied for three runs in the third highlighted by a two-run double to left center by Ragin’ Cajun shortstop Ryan Leonards. UL then scored a single run in the fourth and three more in the fifth to chase KU starting pitcher Wes Benjamin.

Offensively, Kansas collected a season-high 14 hits in the game. Smith led the way with four hits and four RBIs, while senior James Stanfield went 3-for-5, while Kevin Kuntz, Elgie and Manship all had two-hit games.

KU will look to salvage its final contest of the UTSA Classic Sunday when it takes on undefeated Gonzaga at noon. A live audio broadcast of the game is available on AT&T Jayhawk All-Access at kuathletics.com.