March 10, 2012

Big Inning Powers Jayhawks Past Minnesota, 9-4

March 10, 2012

Coach Price
F. Duncan

Kansas 9, Minnesota 4
H.H.H. Metrodome //Minneapolis, Minn.

Freshman Connor McKay hit a second -inning grand slam to power KU past Minnesota.

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R
KU	0	8	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	9
MINN	4	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	4

Box Score (.pdf)

Leaders – Batting
Kansas	AB	R	H	RBI	BB	HR
C. McKay	4	1	2	4	1	1
C. Manship	4	2	3	1	0	0
Minnesota	AB	R	H	RBI	BB	HR
B. Juan	3	1	3	3	1	0
D. Olinger	5	1	2	0	0	0

Pitching
Kansas	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO
F. Duncan (W)	7.0	9	4	4	0	8
J. Jakubov	0.2	0	0	0	2	1
T. Poppe	1.1	0	0	0	1	2
Minnesota	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO
T. Windle (L)	1.1	6	8	2	3	2
B. Meyer	3.1	3	0	0	1	2
D. Klabunde	3.0	1	1	1	0	3
A. Tukey	1.0	0	0	0	0	0

MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. – Freshman outfielder Connor McKay and senior Chris Manship both homered as part of an eight-run second inning as Kansas knocked off Minnesota, 9-4, at the Golden Gopher Baseball Classic played Saturday evening at the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome.

The Jayhawks take two games at the weekend tournament in Minneapolis to improve to 8-7 on the season, while the Golden Gophers fall to 7-7.

After starting pitcher Frank Duncan allowed four runs in the bottom of the first, Kansas responded in a big way in the second.

The Jayhawks scored eight runs in the second frame, highlighted by a grand slam by McKay – his second home run of the weekend – and a solo shot by Chris Manship that traveled nearly halfway up the bleachers in left field. It was the senior’s second hit of the inning as his line drive to left field started things for Kansas.

The Jayhawks sent 11 men to the plate in the frame, collecting six hits to chase Gopher starting pitcher Tom Windle after 1 2/3 innings.

McKay’s grand slam, which came after the Jayhawks had already plated three runs, followed two errors, a sacrifice fly and two singles. It was the freshman’s team-leading fourth home run of the season after a game-winning round-tripper in KU’s 14-inning triumph on Friday.

After allowing four runs in the first inning, Duncan settled down and tossed six-straight scoreless frames to earn his third victory of the season. The sophomore right-hander went seven innings and scattered nine hits with no walks and a season-high eight strikeouts.

Junior Tanner Poppe bounced back from a rough outing on Wednesday by retiring the final four Minnesota hitters of the game.

Manship led the Kansas offense with three hits in the game, marking his fourth multi-hit contest of the year, while McKay and sophomore Ka’iana Eldredge each contributed two hits.

The Jayhawks will return to action on Thursday, March 15, when they take part in the Irish Baseball Classic in San Antonio, Texas. KU will open the tournament against Indiana State at noon on March 15.