Jayhawks drop midweek tilt to Shockers
LAWRENCE, Kan. – Cool temperatures and cold bats plagued the Kansas baseball team Tuesday night at Hoglund Ballpark in a 9-1 loss to in-state rival Wichita State.
Kansas (15-13) strung together solid at bats through the first four innings including a solo home run by junior catcher Jaxx Groshans (11), but it was the Shockers’ (17-12) starting hurler Tommy Barnhouse (2-2) who was the difference maker.
Barnhouse shut down the Kansas offense for seven innings allowing just four hits and one run in the outing.
KU sophomore starting pitcher Steve Washilewski (2-1) got tagged for the loss after he surrendered four runs off five hits in five innings of work. Washilewski cruised through the first eight outs of the game until the Shockers rallied for three runs with two outs in the top of the third.
Groshans finished the day with two of the Jayhawks’ five hits while redshirt freshman Anthony DeSantis notched his first-career hit to add to the total.
NOTABLES
- Redshirt-freshman Anthony DeSantis slapped his first career hit to center field in the bottom of the ninth inning.
- Junior catcher Jaxx Groshans crushed his 11th home run of the season and has hit a home run in back-to-back games three times this year.
- Groshans currently ranks second among catchers in the NCAA in home runs with 11, trailing only Kyle McCann of Georgia Tech (12).
QUOTES
Head coach Ritch Price
On how Wichita State’s Tommy Barnhouse held the Jayhawks’ bats stagnant:
“Early in the game, I thought we had some good at bats against him. We hit three balls right on the button, that stayed in the yard, that they caught right on the warning track or up against the fence. He (Barnhouse) found his rhythm and started to mix better and use his fastball away and then I think, once we got behind, we pretty much went dormant with the bats.”
On sophomore Steve Washilewski’s start:
“(He gave up those three runs) All with two outs. Then they got four-straight hits to put the three-spot up. He’s (Washilewski) done a really good job for us, that’s the first bad start he’s had all season and I can’t say enough good things about how good he’s been. He was outstanding at Missouri State (March 27) last week, he pitched six or seven shutout innings against them, I think. He’s been really good. Obviously, today his command wasn’t as good and he wasn’t able to mix when he got behind in the count and they were on time with his fastball but we tell our players, two-out RBIs are the biggest stat in baseball and it was evident today.”
On junior Jaxx Groshans’ performance:
“He had two really good at bats, I mean, he got two strikes and then lined the ball to left his first time up. That ball was crushed to left-center field and it’s nice to see him doing a better job of staying in the middle of the diamond and not get so pull-happy. The ball he hit the other day against Missouri State (March 27) was crushed and he had a double to right-center on the weekend so it’s nice to see him doing a better job of staying out in the middle. He’s swinging the bat just as good as anyone in the country.”
UP NEXT
The Jayhawks will travel to Lubbock to play 17th-ranked Texas Tech April 5-7 at Rip Griffin Park.
