Jayhawks Upend No. 9 Oklahoma, 5-4
May 1, 2009
NORMAN, Okla. –
Junior Robby Price and sophomore Casey Lytle hit first inning home runs, while KU’s bullpen pitched 3 1/3 innings of scoreless relief as Kansas earned a 5-4 triumph over No. 9 Oklahoma Friday evening at L. Dale Mitchell Park.
The Jayhawks, now winners of five straight and eight of nine, improve to 32-15 overall and 11-8. OU falls to 33-13 overall and 11-8 in conference play.
Kansas rode the first inning power and then some tough pitching to hang on for a Friday night victory.
In the top of the first, Price gave KU a 2-0 lead by slamming a 1-2 pitch over the right field wall following a lead-off walk to David Narodowski. The Jayhawks extended the lead after two outs, a Tony Thompson double and Lytle’s first career round-tripper.
The Jayhawks stretched the lead to 5-0 on a two-out RBI single by Preston Land, a ball that bounded up the middle with men on first and second in the third.
KU starting pitcher Shaeffer Hall picked up his fourth victory of the season, allowing four runs on eight hits over 5 2/3 innings. The junior lefty allowed lead-off hitters to reach in both the third and fourth, but minimized the damage, allowing just two runs in each frame.
After Hall departed with a 5-4 lead in the sixth, the Kansas bullpen took over. The relief pitching tandem of Brett Bollman, Travis Blankenship, Colton Murray and Paul Smyth held the Big 12’s top offense hitless over the final 3 1/3 innings.
Murray finished the seventh by striking out pinch hitter Ross Hubbard with the bases loaded.
Smyth picked up his seventh save of the season, retiring the side in order in the bottom of the ninth.
Thompson led the offensive effort with three hits and two runs scored.
The Jayhawks’ 5-4 win was the team’s first one-run win on the road since a 5-4 win at Iowa on April 7.
Kansas will look to take the its first conference series away from home when the teams meet in a doubleheader Saturday at noon. The second game of the twinbill can be heard on KLWN (1320 AM).
