No. 24 Kansas Baseball Routs Texas Tech, 15-6
April 19, 2009
LUBBOCK, Texas –
Sophomore Brian Heere went 3-for-4 with three RBIs, while Tony Thompson hit a pair of home runs as Kansas baseball avoided a three-game sweep with a 15-6 rout of Texas Tech Sunday at Dan Law Field.
The Jayhawks win their first conference game on the road this season, improving to 25-14 overall and 8-7 in the Big 12.
Kansas scored seven runs in the first inning off of Tech starter Miles Morgan, who did not record an out in the game. Tony Thompson and Jimmy Waters drove in runs with bases loaded walks, while Jason Brunansky delivered the big hit, a two-run double down the left field line. Brunansky finished the game 2-for-5 with a run and a pair of RBIs.
KU starting pitcher Lee Ridenhour didn’t have his best stuff, but got the job done. Ridenhour pitched six innings and allowed one run on eight hits with three walks and a strikeout.
After Kansas built a 10-1 lead in through five innings, the Jayhawks put the game away in the sixth, sending nine men to the plate and scoring four runs. Thompson led off the inning with a solo homer to center field, his second of the day and second two home run game of the season. The sophomore’s 12 home runs are the most by a Jayhawk since Erik Morrison hit 14 round-trippers in 2006.
The inning continued as Jimmy Waters singled and Preston Land walked. Both men came around to score on a double off the bat of David Narodowski. Heere then plated his second run of the game with a single to center.
Tech scored five runs in the seventh inning off of KU’s bullpen to avoid the 10-run rule, but ended well short as sophomore Brett Bochy finished the game by retiring the side in order in the ninth.
All nine hitters in the Jayhawk lineup had base hits, while Narodowski, Heere, Casey Lytle, Land and Brunansky all had multiple hits in KU’s 15-hit attack.
The Jayhawks will look to continue their momentum with a Tuesday evening game against Baker at 6 p.m.
