Late Rally Foils Kansas Baseball, 5-3

April 26, 2011

OMAHA, Neb. –

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Jordan Makovicka’s two-run single in the bottom of the eighth broke a three-all tie and lifted Creighton to a 5-3 come-from-behind win over Kansas Tuesday night at T.D. Ameritrade Stadium.

The Jayhawks fall to 20-21 overall, while the Bluejays improve to 28-10. Creighton sweeps the season series from KU after winning 4-3 in extra innings in Lawrence on Feb. 22.

KU led 3-2 after six innings, but Creighton rallied for a run in the seventh and two runs in the eighth for the win.

In the eighth, Alex Staehly recorded a one-out single and a pair of walks loaded the bases. After closer Colton Murray struck out Gerber for the second out, Makovicka delivered the deciding blow with a two-run single to center field.

Freshman relief pitcher Frank Duncan suffered the loss after allowing Staehly’s single in the eighth, which turned out to be the deciding run.

KU pitchers held Creighton hitters to just one hit in 13 previous at bats with men on base before Makovicka’s clutch hit.

The Jayhawks led 3-2 after five innings after a pair of clutch hits of their own. With KU trailing by one and two on with two outs in the inning, senior Jimmy Waters doubled home the tying run and first baseman Zac Elgie singled home the go-ahead run as the Jayhawks erased an early deficit.

However, KU could not add to their lead as Creighton’s bullpen held KU scoreless on one hit after the fifth inning.

The Creighton rally spoiled an excellent relief effort by Thomas Taylor. The Kansas sophomore pitched three innings of relief, allowing no runs on two hits with a pair of strike outs and stood to be the winning pitcher before the seventh.

The 5-3 loss marked just the second time in 21 games that KU has dropped a game when leading after six innings. The other time came on Feb. 22 when Creighton topped the Jayhawks in extra innings, 4-3.

KU will look to bounce back this weekend with a three-game series at Texas Tech, beginning Friday at 6:30 p.m.