Kansas Baseball Downs Tabor, 14-4
April 19, 2006
LAWRENCE, Kan. –
The University of Kansas (27-15) scored seven runs in the first two innings leading to a 14-4 victory over Tabor College (14-21), Wednesday night at Hoglund Ballpark. <?xml:namespace prefix=”o” ns=”urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office”?>
Freshman Nick Czyz recorded his second victory of the season, pitching 5.0 innings without allowing an earned run. The Overland Park, Kan., native allowed two unearned runs on four hits while striking out five batters.
Kansas jumped on Tabor’s starting pitcher Nick Villalovos with a double and two home runs in the first inning.
Sophomore Brock Simpson led off the frame with a double and scored on senior Jared Schweitzer’s sixth home run of the season. After senior Gus Milner walked, freshman Preston Land blasted a home run to left field. Land’s seventh home run ties Mark Moore (1989) for the most ever by a KU freshman.
After loading the bases on three straight walks in the second inning, KU scored on a wild pitch and two RBI ground outs to take an early 7-0 lead. KU added two more runs in the fourth inning on a Schweitzer sacrifice fly and Preston Land RBI single.
In the fifth inning, freshman Buck Afenir reaches on an error and scored on a Simpson triple. The throw to third base sailed into KU’s dugout allowing Simpson to trot home.
Junior college transfer Ross Kelling hit his first home run as a Jayhawk in the sixth inning, giving KU its 13th and 14th runs of the night.
Tabor scored two unearned runs in the fifth inning. Casey Hillman homered off freshman Ryan Anthony in the sixth and J.D. Poplin knocked an RBI single in the seventh.
Sophomore right-hander Matt Lane allowed one hit and no runs in the eighth and junior righty Ryotaro Hayakawa allowed one hit and no runs in the ninth.
Kansas will face Kansas State in a three-game Big 12 series beginning Friday, April 21 at 6 p.m. in Lawrence. Saturday and Sunday’s games will be played in Manhattan with start times of 2 p.m. and 1 p.m., respectively. Sunday’s game will be shown live on Fox Sports Net.
Game Notes: Tabor College – located in Hillsboro, Kan., competes in the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference (KCAC) of the NAIA … After hitting a home run, triple and single in his last three at-bats Tuesday against Missouri State, Brock Simpson doubled in his first at bat of Wednesday’s game … Preston Land’s seventh home run ties Mark Moore (1989) for the most home runs ever by a KU freshman … Kansas won both of its mid-week games by a combined score of 33-11 … KU is now 3-0 all-time against the Tabor Bluejays.
