Jayhawk Miscues Costly in Loss at Texas, 12-2
Box Score Final Box (.pdf)
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AUSTIN, Texas – Twelve walks, three wild pitches and two passed balls doomed the Jayhawks as the Kansas baseball team dropped game three of the conference series to Texas, 12-2, Saturday afternoon at UFCU Disch-Falk Field.
Kansas (14-20, 3-8 Big 12) gave up a crooked number in four of the seven innings played – 10-run mercy rule was in effect – with Texas (16-20, 7-5 Big 12) plating the final run of the game in the bottom of the seventh inning after sophomore reliever Ryan Ralston issued a bases loaded RBI-walk.
Those crooked numbers included a three-spot in the first inning after KU starter, freshman righty Jackson Goddard (2-3), issued three walks and gave up two hits – both RBI-singles. Goddard exited the game after the first inning and head coach Ritch Price called to the senior righty Hayden Edwards for the next two frames.
Edwards worked a one-two-three scoreless second, but got into trouble in the third. Edwards gave up a leadoff double then a walk and that is where things got interesting. Edwards and sophomore catcher Tanner Gragg found themselves out of sync as the duo combined for two wild pitches and two passed balls. Mix in an error by sophomore shortstop Matt McLaughlin on a routine double play ball and the Longhorns rung up another four runs to push their lead to six, 7-1.
The Jayhawks called to freshman Blake Goldsberry and sophomores Casey Douglas and Ryan Ralston to close out the game. The trio combined to pitch three and 1/3 innings, gave up five runs, issued seven walks and allowed three hits. Ralston came on in the bottom of the seventh and pitched just 1/3 of the inning after he walked four batters to give Texas its 12th and final run of the game as the mercy rule took place per the Big 12 manual – it states the 10-run rule is in effect on doubleheader days and in the final game of the series.
Offensively, Kansas out-hit Texas, eight to seven, with multi-hit efforts coming from senior second baseman Colby Wright and freshman left fielder Devin Foyle. Foyle blasted his third double of the series in the second inning before following up with a single in the sixth. Wright posted two singles and scored one of KU’s two runs on the day.
Foyle’s hits rounded his current hitting streak to five games and closed out a week where he batted an even .500 with four doubles and eight RBIs that included tying his career-mark five RBIs in the Friday win over Texas (April 15). In addition, junior catcher/outfielder Michael Tinsley blasted a single in Saturday’s game to extend his current hitting streak to 10 games and wrapped up his week with 10 hits and eight runs scored.
The Jayhawks are back on the diamond Tuesday, April 19, as they play host to in-state rival Wichita State at 6 p.m. Fans can watch the action live on the Jayhawk Television Network and on ESPN3, where available. There will also be a live audio broadcast on the Jayhawk Radio Network via KUAthletics.com/Radio. For more information on JTV please visit KUAthletics.com/JTV.
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