Kansas Baseball Drops 9-7 Decision to Texas Tech
April 22, 2005
LUBBOCK, Texas – Junior outfielder A.J. Van Slyke turn in a 2-for-4 performance at the plate with three RBI, but it could not lift the University of Kansas baseball team to a victory. The Jayhawks fell to Texas Tech, 9-7, on Friday at Dan Law Field in Lubbock, Texas.
The loss drops KU’s overall record this season to 24-20 and 3-10 in Big 12 play, while Texas Tech improves to 25-13 overall and 7-8 in league action.
The Jayhawks were able to take an early lead in the contest by plating three runs in the top of the first inning. Junior outfielder Matt Baty led the game off with a double down the right field line and scored two batters later as Van Slyke connected on a pitch for his eighth home run of the season. The long ball ties Van Slyke with fellow outfielder Gus Milner for the team lead in home runs this season. Junior first baseman Jared Schweitzer added an RBI single in the frame to increase his career-long hitting streak to 12 games.
Texas Tech plated its first run of the night in the second inning on a RBI single off the bat of junior Joey Callender.
After Tech took a 4-3 lead in the fourth frame, the Jayhawks responded with three runs in the top of the fifth to recapture the advantage. Baty plated a pair with a two-run double and came around to score later in the inning on a RBI single by Van Slyke.
Baty also turned in an impressive night at the plate, going 3-for-5 with two runs scored and two RBI.
In the top of the sixth, KU was able to load the bases with no outs. The Jayhawks were only able to push across one run when senior catcher Sean Richardson came home as pinch hitter John Allman grounded into a double play.
The Red Raiders plated a pair of runs in the home half of the sixth, cutting the Jayhawk lead to 7-6.
Kansas went to its bullpen in the seventh inning, using three pitchers in the frame. However the ‘Hawks were unable to keep Tech off the scoreboard as Red Raider first baseman Patrick Smart delivered a two-out RBI single to knot the game at 7-7.
Kansas starter Kodiak Quick tossed six innings in the contest and allowed six runs on 10 hits while walking three and striking out six.
In the bottom of the eighth inning, the Red Raiders plated the winning run on a RBI double by senior third baseman Carey Avantes off of KU reliever Don Czyz. Later in the inning, Avantes came around to score an insurance run to send the game to the final inning with Tech leading 9-7.
Czyz was hit with the loss dropping his record this season to 3-3, as the Jayhawks were unable to mound a final rally in the ninth.
Kansas and Texas Tech will resume the series with game two on Saturday with a 2 p.m. match-up at Dan Law Field. The Jayhawks will send freshman right-handed pitcher Tyson Corley (0-0) to the mound to make his first career start against Texas Tech right-hander Adam Lawford (2-4).
