Jayhawks Host Baker, Saint Mary This Week

April 17, 2012

LEADING OFF: Kansas baseball will host a pair of NAIA foes this week to make up for games lost to the weather earlier in the season. The Jayhawks will face Baker University Tuesday at 6 p.m., and welcome Saint Mary to Hoglund Ballpark for a Wednesday tilt also at 6 p.m. Fans can attend both games free of charge.

FOLLOW THE JAYHAWKS: KU Athletics will stream both games free of charge via AT&T Jayhawk All-Access. Fans can also follow the action from Hoglund Ballpark on CBS College Sports’ GameTracker. A link to gametracker is available on kuathletics.com.

SERIES HISTORY: Kansas and Baker have met 74 times on the baseball diamond in a series that dates back to 1886. The Jayhawks hold a 64-9-1 record against the Wildcats all-time, but have not met them since 2010. KU holds a 6-5 all-time mark against Saint Mary in a series that began in 1899. The Jayhawks earned an 11-5 win over the Spires last season on April 19.

ABOUT THE JAYHAWKS: Kansas enters the midweek games with a record of 13-23 after knocking off No. 2 Texas A&M Sunday by a 5-3 score. The win was the first over a Top-25 opponent this season for the Jayhawks. KU is 5-5 at home this season.

KU’s offense averages 4.3 runs per game and is batting .249 as a team. Senior catcher James Stanfield leads the offense with a .304 batting average with three doubles and nine RBIs, while senior third baseman Zac Elgie has a team best 20 RBIs with a .271 batting average, nine doubles and three homers.

The Jayhawk pitching staff boasts a 4.51 team ERA and is holding opponents to a .273 batting average. Freshmen RHP Robert Kahana (Tuesday) and Drew Morovick (Wednesday) will both make starts this week for KU. Kahana is 2-1 with a 3.19 ERA in 17 appearances, including three starts, while Morovick is 2-1 with a 6.17 ERA in 11 games on the mound.

UP NEXT: Kansas will continue conference play on Friday when it travels to Austin, Texas to begin a three-game series with No. 23 Texas at 7 p.m. The Jayhawks and Longhorns will meet again on Saturday at 7 p.m., before wrapping up the series Sunday at 1 p.m. at Disch-Falk Field. All three games from the KU-Texas series will be televised on the Longhorn Network.