Kansas Baseball Outshines No. 9 Oklahoma, 9-5
May 2, 2009
NORMAN, Okla. –
Senior Buck Afenir went 2-for-4 with three RBIs, while sophomore T.J. Walz pitched six solid innings as the Kansas baseball team recorded its sixth-straight victory, 9-5 over No. 9 Oklahoma on a rainy Saturday at L. Dale Mitchell Park.
The Jayhawks earn their first series win on the road against a ranked team since 2006, and improve to 33-15 overall and 12-8 in the Big 12. OU falls to 33-14 overall and 11-9 in conference play.
After a lengthy rain delay, the Jayhawks jumped on the Sooners in the first inning rode their starting pitcher Walz to a conference victory.
Walz didn’t have his best stuff, but battled through six innings, holding the Big 12’s top offense to two runs on five hits with four walks and five strikesouts. The sophomore earned his sixth victory of the season, the most by a Jayhawk since Kodiak Quick won 10 games in 2006.
KU staked their starting pitcher to a lead in the top of the first. After David Narodowski and Brian Heere opened the game with singles and Afenir walked, Tony Thompson doubled home both runners with a shot down the left field line. It was Thompson’s team-leading 18th double, and 55th and 56th RBIs.
The Sooners came back with single runs in the third and fourth, the run in the fourth came on a solo home run by second baseman Matt Harughty.
Kansas put the game out of reach late. Following single runs in the sixth and seventh, the Jayhawks scored three times in the eighth to build a six-run lead. With the bases loaded and one out, Robby Price singled on a fly ball that Oklahoma left fielder Casey Johnson slipped on the wet outfield surface.
Two batters later, Afenir made the Sooners really pay with a two-run single up the middle.
KU’s top four hitters, Narodowski, Price, Heere and Afenir all had two hits, along with Preston Land, who recorded a pair of RBI doubles.
OU loaded the bases in the eighth, but for the second straight game, senior Paul Smyth slammed the door, recording the final two outs of the eighth and three men in the ninth for his eighth save of the season.
The Jayhawks win Saturday was their seventh straight over OU, dating back to 2007.
The game was originally scheduled to be played as part of a doubleheader at noon. However, heavy rain in the Norman area forced the teams to move play back to 4 p.m., and complete just one game.
KU will look for the series sweep Sunday in the finale at L. Dale Mitchell Park at 1 p.m. The game will be carried on KLWN (1320 AM).
