Jayhawk Offense Explodes in Win Over Baker, 19-2

Box Score Final Box (.pdf)

LAWRENCE, Kan. – The Jayhawks posted season-highs in hits and runs as the Kansas baseball team defeated the Baker Wildcats, 19-2, Wednesday night at Hoglund Ballpark.
 
Twelve different players recorded at least one hit for the Jayhawks (16-20) with eight boasting multi-hit efforts. Senior designated hitter Tommy Mirabelli (3-for-4) and freshman third baseman David Kyriacou (3-for-3) paved the way with three hits apiece, while freshman Ty Denzer drove in a game-high four RBIs off his first career home run – a grand slam.
 
“It was good to see some of the young guys swing the bats,” head coach Ritch Price said. “You have to take advantage of opportunities and those three guys did today.”
 
Denzer’s home run wasn’t the first for Kansas on the night as senior second baseman Colby Wright blasted a solo shot to lead off the fifth inning. That was the third time this season the Jayhawks have hit two or more home runs in a contest and have 12 dingers on the year.
 
The game was played as a resumption of a March 23 contest that was suspended in the bottom of the first inning. Kansas wasted no time and hung up a four-spot in the first frame and never looked back. The Jayhawks went on to score three more runs in the third, two in the fifth and sixth innings, respectively, and then rallied for eight runs in the seventh to round out the scoring on the day, 19-2.
 
Kansas sent five different pitchers to the mound to face the Wildcats (19-24) with sophomore righty Ryan Ralston (1-0) picking up his first win of the season. The hurler tossed four innings, allowing the game’s only hit for Baker, and gave up one of the two unearned runs that BU scored.
 
Sophomore Casey Douglas, freshman Chris Fearon, junior Jeremy Kravetz and freshman Ty Stahl combined to throw the final four innings without allowing a hit. The only blemish came in the seventh when Fearon gave up an unearned run after walking three batters.
 
“It was really important to give those guys innings on the mound,” Price said. “It was nice to see a bunch of young guys contribute out there who haven’t had a chance to do so this year. We call these teammate games – developmental games. When you lose games to weather, rather than not play, we think there is benefit to playing games like this for the young guys – they are important at bats and important innings for them.”
 
The combined one-hitter the five Kansas hurlers tossed was the first for the Jayhawks since a foursome of KU pitchers accomplished the same feat on May 1, 2013 against Baker.
 
Kansas is back in action Friday, April 22, as the Jayhawks hit the road for a three-game non-conference matchup at Samford. All three games can be heard on the Jayhawk Radio Network via KUAthletics.com/Radio.
 
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