Texas Victory Averts KU's Series Sweep
May 8, 2005
LAWRENCE, Kan. – After scoring only three runs in the first two games of the series, the Longhorn offense exploded for 16 runs on 14 hits as No. 2 Texas defeated the University of Kansas Baseball team, 16-5, on Sunday at Hoglund Ballpark.
Texas avoids being swept for the first time this season as it dropped the first two games of the series to the Jayhawks by scores of 5-2 and 2-1. The loss drops KU’s overall record to 33-22 with an 8-12 mark in Big 12 play, while UT improves to 39-11 and 14-9 in big 12 play.
“I am obviously disappointed with the way we ended the weekend,” said Kansas head coach Ritch Price. “But our goal was to come in and win the series and we were able to do that. We will have to watch the scoreboard a little bit, but if we continue to win series, we sill control our own destiny.”
The conference series win is the second in a row for Kansas and puts the Jayhawks in at least eighth place in the Big 12 standings (depending on the outcome of Sunday’s other Big 12 games). The top eight teams in the conference standings at the end of the regular season qualify for the Big 12 Tournament, which will be held at Oklahoma City’s Bricktown Ballpark from May 25-29.
In Sunday’s contest, the Longhorns used the long ball to take an early 2-0 lead as they got a pair of solo home runs in the game’s first two innings. UT shortstop Seth Johnson started the scoring in the top of the first with a round-tripper to left field and was followed by teammate David Maroul, who also slammed a homer over the wall in left in the top of the second frame.
For the second time in the series freshman third baseman Erik Morrison delivered a key two-out hit for the Jayhawks. After Sean Richardson singled and Jared Schweitzer reached on a hit by pitch, the next two batters were retired to set the table for Morrison, who delivered a two-run single to left field to knot the game at 2-2.
In the top of the fifth inning, Texas recaptured the lead with a pair of runs as they scored on a fielder’s choice and scored a second run on a double steal.
Kansas responded with a pair of runs of their own in the home half of the fifth as senior designated hitter Andy School tied the game at 4-4 with a two-out, two-run double to left center field. Schweitzer collected a single in inning to improve his school-record hitting streak to 23 games.
Texas took control of the game in the top of the sixth inning as they plated six runs on five hits in the frame to open a 10-4 advantage.
The Longhorns plated six more runs in the late innings of the contest, while the Jayhawks could only manage one run in the bottom of the seventh.
The game was called after the eighth inning due to Big 12 travel day procedures.
Kansas baseball is back in action on Wednesday as it travels to Springfield, Mo., to try and avenge an early season loss to SMS.
