April 08, 2012

Early Runs Too Much to Overcome for Kansas Baseball

April 8, 2012

Oklahoma State 4, Kansas 2
Allie P. Reynolds Stadium//Stillwater, Okla.

Junior Thomas Taylor recorded a season-high eight strikeouts in Sunday’s loss to Oklahoma State.

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

Box Score (.pdf)

Leaders – Batting
Kansas	AB	R	H	RBI	BB	HR
K. Eldredge	4	1	2	1	0	0
J. Stanfield	4	0	1	1	0	0
Oklahoma State	AB	R	H	RBI	BB	HR
J. Womack	3	1	2	0	1	0
G. Weidenaar	4	0	2	2	0	0

Pitching
Kansas	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO
T. Taylor (L)	6.1	7	4	4	4	8
T. Poppe	1.2	1	0	0	0	0
Oklahoma State	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO
V. Wheeland (W)	6.2	6	2	2	4	4
B. Barnes (SV)	2.1	0	0	0	0	2

STILLWATER, Okla. – Sophomore second baseman Ka’iana Eldredge went 2-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored, however Oklahoma State scored two runs in the bottom of the first inning which proved to be the difference in a 4-2 Cowboy victory to complete a three-game sweep of the Jayhawks Easter Sunday at Allie P. Reynolds Stadium.

The Jayhawks fall to 12-19 overall and 2-7 in Big 12 play, while the Cowboys improve to 17-14 overall and 4-5 in conference play.

KU’s offense scored just two runs on RBI groundouts off the bats of James Stanfield and Eldredge in the game, both times bringing the team within one run of the lead. However, KU could not overcome the early hole.

In the bottom of the first inning, OSU put two runs on the board when Robbie Rea doubled down the left field line with a man on and came around to score on Gabe Weidenaar’s RBI hit.

Kansas cut the deficit to 2-1 in the third when Eldredge and Tharp started the inning with base hits and Stanfield drove in the run with a productive out. Oklahoma State took a 3-1 lead in the sixth on an RBI groundout following a leadoff triple, however the Jayhawks fought back again, this time getting Eldredge to deliver the run with an out on the ground.

Thomas Taylor suffered his fourth loss of the season, but deserved a better fate. Taylor allowed four runs on seven hits over 6 1/3 innings with four walks and a season-best eight strikeouts.

Stanfield had KU’s only extra base hit of the game with a double in the sixth inning, however he was one of seven Jayhawks left on base.

The Jayhawks will look to bounce back on Tuesday when it hosts in-state rival Wichita State at Hoglund Ballpark at 6 p.m. The game will be televised by Metro Sports/Cox 22 statewide.