Kansas Baseball Routs Chicago State in Nightcap
April 28, 2009
LAWRENCE, Kan. –
Junior David Narodowski recorded two hits and four RBIs, while junior Brett Bollman tossed six shutout innings as Kansas earned its second-straight doubleheader sweep with a 9-1 victory over Chicago State Tuesday evening at Hoglund Ballpark. KU won the first game of the doubleheader, 11-5.
The Jayhawks improve to 31-15 overall, winning their 11th-straight midweek game. The Cougars fall to 3-35. KU also improved to 23-3 at Hoglund Ballpark this season, marking its best season at home since the 1994 Jayhawks went 25-5 at the Hog.
After rallying for an 11-5 win in the first game, KU put the Cougars away early in the nightcap, scoring runs in six of their eight at bats and rode the pitching of Bollman.
Bollman, a junior who served as a middle reliever last season, improved to 5-0 by tossing six scoreless innings and struck out a career high eight. The 5-foot-10 righty allowed just four singles and did not issue a walk.
Narodowski gave his starting pitcher a second-inning lead with a two run single through the left side of the infield. It was one of five hits on the day for the Kansas short stop.
KU broke the game open in the third inning as Jimmy Waters doubled home a run and Narodowski collected his third RBI on a single up the middle which plated Waters.
Narodowski recorded his fourth run batted in on a sac fly following a Preston Land triple in the seventh.
Senior catcher Buck Afenir also added his sixth home run of the season – a solo shot in the fourth. Afenir’s 27 career round-trippers ties him for fifth all-time at KU with Matt Gundelfinger.
The Jayhawks’ 23 home victories are the most since 1994, and are the fourth-most in team history. The school record for wins at home is 26, set in 1993.
KU’s two wins Tuesday also give them 31 for the season, the team’s highest total since 2006. Since taking over at Kansas in 2003, head coach Ritch Price has won at least 30 games six times.
The Jayhawks will travel to No. 9 Oklahoma for a pivotal three-game series beginning Friday at 6:30 p.m. at L. Dale Mitchell Park. All three games from the Oklahoma series can be heard on KLWN (1320 AM).
