Kansas Baseball Drops Series Opener to No 12 Baylor
April 15, 2005
LAWRENCE, Kan. – Junior first baseman Jared Schweitzer extended his career-long hitting streak to 10 games but it was not enough as the University of Kansas baseball team was only able to pound out four hits on the night as it fell to No. 12 Baylor on Friday at Hoglund Ballpark.
The loss drops KU’s overall record to 24-16 this season and 3-7 in Big 12 play, while Baylor improves to 23-13 and 10-3 in league action.
“For us to beat them tonight we needed to play perfect and we had a couple of defensive lapses that allowed them to put crooked numbers on the scoreboard,” said Kansas head coach Ritch Price. “I was proud of how we keep fighting and were able to battle back.”
The Bears took an early lead in the game as centerfielder Kevin Sevigny connected on his third home run of the season off Kansas starter Mike Zagurski in the second inning.
In the top of the third, Baylor batted around and tagged four more runs on the scoreboard. The Bears collected six hits in the frame and took advantage of one Kansas error to press their lead to 5-0.
Zagurski (4-4) was hit hard in the contest, allowing seven runs on 13 hits in seven innings of work.
Baylor scored its sixth run of the ball game on a RBI double off the bat of catcher Zach Dillon in the top of the fifth inning, stretching the BU advantage to 6-0.
Kansas finally got on the scoreboard in the bottom of the fifth inning. Schweitzer led the inning off with a bunt single, his first of two hits in the contest, and came around to score later in the frame on a wild pitch from Baylor starter Trey Taylor. The Jayhawks scored their second run of the inning as designated hitter John Allman scored on Taylor’s second wild pitch of the frame.
Taylor (4-3) picked up his fourth win of the season for Baylor, scattering four runs and four hits in 5 2/3 innings of work.
In the bottom of the sixth inning, Kansas added two more runs to cut the Bears’ lead to 6-4. With a pair of runners on base and two outs in the inning, pinch hitter Travis Dunlap popped a pitch up to third base, which was dropped by BU third baseman Kevin Russo allowing both runners to come in to score.
The Bears were able to put the game away by tallying insurance runs in both the top of eighth and ninth innings to post the game’s final score of 8-4.
Kansas and Baylor will continue the series on Saturday with game two from Hoglund Ballpark. Sophomore Sean Land (3-3) will take the hill for KU and face off against Baylor right-handed pitcher Mark McCormick (4-2). First pitch is set for 6 p.m.
