Vosik’s career day lifts Jayhawks over Blue Devils
PORT CHARLOTTE, Florida – Junior Brett Vosik batted a perfect 5-for-5 at the plate as the Kansas baseball team outlasted Central Connecticut State, 10-8, Tuesday morning at North Charlotte Park in the Snowbird Classic.
The Jayhawks (12-3) relied on Vosik’s statline to carry them through a back-and-fort battle with the Blue Devils (3-4). The left fielder hit four singles and a double, drove in a pair of runs, stole a base and touched home twice.
Perhaps the most important plate appearance of the game for Vosik came in the bottom of the sixth inning when he sparked a two-run rally with a RBI-single to regain the lead for KU. He started another rally in the eighth to tack on some insurance runs with a single that led to another two-spot in the frame.
Those four runs were pivotal and helped Kansas overcome a woeful fourth inning where it gave up its early lead and six Central Connecticut State runs.
KU used seven pitchers in relief of freshman starter Hunter Freese with rookie reliever Stone Parker (1-0) picking up his first collegiate win. Parker tossed one and 1/3 innings of shutout ball to stave off the Blue Devils bats.
Redshirt-sophomore Jonah Ulane then closed out the final one and 1/3 innings of the game for his Big 12-leading sixth save and added another three strikeouts to his resume.
In total, all nine starters in the Jayhawk lineup recorded at least one hit with freshman center fielder Casey Burnham (2-for-5), junior second baseman James Cosentino (2-for-4), junior designated hitter Jaxx Groshans (2-for-3) and Vosik boasting multi-hit efforts.
NOTABLES
- Kansas extended its winning streak to eight games – its longest since also winning eight in a row in 2017 (April 30 – May 13).
- The Jayhawks have not lost a game in the month of March with their last defeat coming on Feb. 23 in the night cap of a doubleheader with Texas Southern.
- Junior left fielder Brett Vosik enjoyed a perfect 5-for-5 effort at the dish – a first for a Jayhawk since then-junior left fielder Michael Suiter accomplished the same feat vs. Missouri State (April 23, 2014).
- Freshman reliever Stone Parker picked up his first collegiate win with one and 1/3 innings pitched out of the bullpen.
- Redshirt-sophomore Jonah Ulane picked up his Big 12-leading sixth save of the season and has now struck out 18 batters in nine and 2/3 innings pitched on the season.
QUOTES
Head coach Ritch Price
On Brett Vosik’s performance:
“I was really excited to see Brett have a big day. He got off to a slow start this season and he is one of the hardest working players I have ever coached. He is a first-class young man. That was a big day. In order for us to win a game like that when you give up a six-spot is that your impact guys have to contribute.”
On finding a way to win:
“One of the things you preach to your players is fighting through the adversity. That was one of our best offensive games of the season. Tomorrow we need to wake up and finish this great trip that we have had to Florida.”
UP NEXT
Kansas concludes the Snowbird Classic with a 8:30 a.m. (CT) tilt with Seton Hall on Wednesday, March 13.
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