Land's Homer Powers Kansas Past Missouri, 7-3
April 22, 2009
Final Stats | Quotes | Notes |
KANSAS CITY, Mo. –
Senior Preston Land’s three-run homer in the bottom of the sixth erased a two-run deficit and carried Kansas to a 7-3 win over Missouri in a non-conference baseball game played Wednesday night at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City.
The Jayhawks improve to 27-14 overall, winning their third straight, while the Tigers drop to 21-21.
Prior to Friday night’s game at Texas Tech, Land had been held homerless for the season, but Wednesday his third round-tripper in four games led the Jayhawks to a win.
KU trailed 3-1 heading into the bottom of the sixth due in part to an error on the first baseman, which led to a pair of Missouri runs in the fourth.
However, in the sixth, Brian Heere led off with a triple to center and scored on Jimmy Waters’ two-out single to left. With runners on the corners, Land drove the first pitch he saw off the top of the left field fence and into the stands for a three-run homer and a 5-3 Kansas lead.
That was all the Jayhawk bullpen needed. Led by Colton Murray, who picked up his second win of the season, KU’s pen held the Tigers scoreless over the final 3 2/3 innings. Murray worked 1 1/3 innings, allowing just one hit, while Travis Blankenship and Brett Bochy also stalled the Missouri attack.
Kansas added two runs in the eighth on a two-run single by shortstop David Narodowski, who finished the game with three hits.
KU broke out on top in the first inning on a Heere walk and an RBI double by Buck Afenir.
Missouri scored two runs in the fourth on a double, a walk, an error and a fielder’s choice that pulled Land off the bag at first and allowed Missouri’s Steve Gray to scamper home.
MU extended its lead to 3-1 on a two-out RBI single by Gray.
Kansas starting pitcher Brett Bollman went 5 1/3 innings, and allowed two earned runs on three hits with two walks and a strikeout.
The Jayhawks have won both meetings with Missouri at Kauffman Stadium, winning the 2008 game 3-0.
KU (27-14) will host Nebraska in a three-game Big 12 series beginning Friday at Hoglund Ballpark. First pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m. Friday evening.
