Jayhawks Fall to Baylor in Extra Innings, 2-1
May 25, 2005
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OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. – Junior right-handed pitcher Kodiak Quick tied a career-high with eight strikeouts and held No. 13 Baylor to only one run through nine innings, but the Bears pushed across the game-winning run in the bottom of the tenth inning to down the Jayhawks, 2-1, on Wednesday in the opening round of the 2005 Big 12 Tournament at Bricktown Ballpark in Oklahoma City, Okla.
The loss drops KU’s overall record this season to 36-27 and their all-time record at the Big 12 Tournament to 0-3.
“I thought it was a great college baseball game,” said Kansas head coach Ritch Price. “Kodiak Quick was as good as he has been all year for us. We knew it was going to be a low scoring game when we walked in the ballpark. It turned out to be one of the best pitching match-ups we have seen this year.”
The Jayhawks took an early lead in the game as they pushed across a run in the top of the first inning. With two outs in the frame, junior outfielder A.J. Van Slyke grounded a ball that hit Baylor starting pitcher Mark McCormick in the hand. Van Slyke advanced to second when McCormick recovered and threw wildly to first base. In the next at bat, right fielder Gus Milner tallied his 45th RBI of the season on a sharp single to center field.
Baylor reliever Ryan LaMotta replaced McCormick on the hill for the Bears and kept the Jayhawks off the scoreboard for the next 8 1/3 innings.
In the bottom of the second inning, Baylor right fielder Seth Fortenberry was able to tie the game as he connected on his third home run of the season. For the game, Fortenberry finished 2-for-3 at the plate to pace the Bears’ offense.
Quick responded after the home run to retire 18 of the next 19 batters. For the game, the Belton, Mo., native tied a season high.
After neither team was able to push across the go-ahead run in nine innings, the game went the tenth inning with the score knotted at 1-1. In the KU half of the frame, the `Hawks were able to get a baserunner as junior centerfielder Matt Baty drew a two-out walk, but the treat was ended as Baty was erased as he tried unsuccessfully to steal second base in the next at bat.
In the bottom of the tenth, Quick took the mound but was replaced by junior Don Czyz after a pair of Bears got a pair of hits. After recording a strikeout for the first out of the inning, the Jayhawks intentional walked Fortenberry to load the bases for BU shortstop Paul Witt, who singled to left field to end the game.
Kansas will face No. 3 seed Texas on Thursday at 10 a.m. The game will be an elimination game as the Longhorns also lost on Wednesday, falling to Oklahoma State 10-4 in the tournament’s opening game. The Jayhawks will send senior lefty Mike Zagurski (8-4) to the mound as they attempt to win the first Big 12 Tournament game in school history.
