Jayhawks Strand Eight in Loss to Stanford, 1-0

STANFORD, Calif. – Senior right hander Frank Duncan tossed eight effective innings, but the Kansas baseball team fell to Stanford, 1-0,  Sunday afternoon at Klein Field at Sunken Diamond.
 
The Jayhawks (12-3) stranded eight runners, including three in the first inning and one in the ninth, en route to being shutout for the first time this season. Duncan (2-1) went the distance on the mound for the Jayhawks, allowing just four hits and one earned run in the loss, while Stanford’s starter Cal Quantrill (2-2) pitched nine scoreless innings for the shutout victory, striking out seven KU batters in the process.
 
Quantrill kept the Kansas hitters off balance by mixing up all 126 pitches on the day, holding the Jayhawks to just four hits, their second-lowest hit total in any game so far this season (3 vs. BYU, Feb. 15).
 
However, Kansas had plenty of opportunities to score, especially in the first inning when the Jayhawks had bases loaded and two outs.
 
Junior shortstop Justin Protacio singled up the middle to start the game, and was followed with a walk by sophomore second baseman Tommy Mirabelli. Two quick outs and a walk to junior designated hitter Dakota Smith loaded the bases for junior third baseman Aaron Hernandez, who grounded out to end the frame.
 
The Jayhawks second opportunity came in the fifth inning when senior centerfielder Tucker Tharp led off with a single to centerfield. He advanced to second on a wild pitch and then to third on a ground out by junior first baseman Blair Beck. However, Quantrill muscled to strikeout Protacio on the next at bat to end the KU threat.
 
Kansas saw another chance in the seventh inning after Hernandez reached on a hit by pitch and advanced to third on a single by senior catcher Ka’iana Eldredge. Without succumbing to the pressure, Quantrill induced yet another ground-ball out to keep the Jayhawks off the board.
 
In the ninth, it looked as if KU was going to use a little of that late-inning magic from Friday night after Smith singled to left field to lead off the inning. Hernandez sacrificed him to second, and Smith advanced to third on a balk by Quantrill.
 
With two outs, Eldredge had the chance to be the hero. Down 0-2 in the count, Eldredge battled to fight off seven pitches, including one down the right field line, just foul, silencing the crowd. Three pitches later, Quantrill induced a routine ground ball to third, which ended the game and gave Stanford the series, 2-1.
 
On the day, the Jayhawk hitters stranded five runners at third, which turned out to be their Achilles heel all weekend as they leave Stanford having stranded 35 runners in the three-game set.
 
Kansas is back on the field Tuesday, March 11, for its home opener against Oral Roberts. First pitch is set for 3 p.m.
 
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