Allman, Czyz Come Up Big in 8-5 KU Victory Over K-State
April 21, 2006
LAWRENCE, Kan. –
Sophomore John Allman’s two-run seventh inning triple broke a 5-5 tie and senior Don Czyz closed out the game for his NCAA leading 14th save of the season to give the University of Kansas an 8-5 victory over Kansas State Friday night at Hoglund Ballpark. <?xml:namespace prefix=”o” ns=”urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office”?>
The victory in front of 2,020 fans – third most in Hoglund Ballpark history – improved the Jayhawks to 28-15 overall and 8-8 in the Big 12.
The seventh inning was extended after senior Jared Schweitzer reached on an error by KSU’s second baseman Brett Scott. Sophomore Erik Morrison then reached on a walk sending Allman to the plate. The St. Louis, Mo., native laced a triple down the right field line to plate Schweitzer and Morrison and give KU a two-run lead.
The Jayhawks sent Czyz out to the mound in the eighth inning to preserve the victory. The Overland Park, Kan., native responded by striking out three of the eight men he faced to pick up the save.
Freshman Paul Smyth (2-0) earned the victory in relief of KU’s starter pitcher Sean Land. After Land gave up three runs in the fifth inning, Smyth started the sixth frame and allowed two KSU runs.
Smyth struck out two batters in 2.0 innings of work while Land whiffed three Wildcats in 5.0 frames.
Kansas struck for two runs in the second inning. Schweitzer walked and Allman singled to put two on for senior Gus Milner. Milner sent a liner down the left field line to plate Schweitzer and Allman. Milner was thrown out trying to stretch his double into a triple.
After KU picked up an unearned run in the third inning, Preston Land knocked a two-out single to score Milner in the fourth.
Land walked Byron Wiley on four pitches to start the fifth inning. Wiley moved to second on a wild pitch and to third after Land struck out Brett Scott. Tyler Link then doubled to left-center scoring Wiley to give KSU its first run of the game. Link would score on a single by Brandon Farr.
Jared Goedert extended the inning when he reached on a throwing error by Schweitzer. Rice Barrett then beat out an infield single to give KSU its third run of the frame.
The Wildcats loaded the bases against Smyth in the sixth inning. K-State managed to punch across two runs in the frame off a single and fielder’s choice to take a 5-4 lead.
KU tied the game at five in the sixth inning. Allman laced a double down the right field line to lead off the frame and advanced to third on a fly out. Preston Land drove Allman home with a single.
After Allman’s two run triple in the seventh inning, KU added another run in the eighth.
Allman was 3-for-4 in the game with a single, double and triple. Allman, Milner and Land all drove in two runs while Schweitzer and Allman each scored twice.
The series will switch to Manhattan for the final two games. Saturday’s games will be held at Tointon Family Stadium with a start time of 2 p.m. KU senior Ricky Fairchild (4-4, 5.40 ERA) will face KSU senior Adam Cowart (5-3, 3.13 ERA).
Game Notes: Ritch Price is 7-3 against Kansas State and 5-1 against KSU at Hoglund Ballpark … John Allman is hitting .456 (26-for-57) in Big 12 play … KU is now 11-2 when Brock Simpson hits lead off … Matt Baty extended his hitting streak to a season-long eight games … John Allman and Jared Schweitzer upped their hitting streaks to six games while Ritchie Price has now hit in five straight … KU won a game for the second time this season when being out-hit by its opponent (2-13) … KU has recorded three of the top five attendance records at Hoglund Ballpark this season, all KU victories.
