Big 12 play continues for Jayhawks at TCU

at TCU
 May 10-12
 6:30 p.m.; 2 p.m. & 1 p.m.
 Fort Worth, Texas
 Lupton Stadium (4,500)
 Game 1
 Game 2 – FSSW+
 Game 3 – FSSW+
 Game Notes (PDF)

LAWRENCE, Kan. – Having won six of their last eight conference games, the Kansas baseball team rides the momentum into Fort Worth, Texas for a three-game Big 12 showdown at TCU, May 10-12, inside Lupton Stadium.

The Jayhawks (27-22, 8-10 Big 12) are coming off a three-game sweep of Texas, while the Horned Frogs (26-20, 8-10 Big 12) enter the weekend having lost six of their last nine league contests.

Fans can watch Friday’s game on Horned Frog TV, while Saturday and Sunday will be broadcasted live on Fox Sports Southwest+. In addition, all three games can be heard on the Jayhawk Radio Network via KUAthletics.com/Radio and on the dial on KCTE.

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POT OF ‘GOLD’-SBERRY

Since giving up a run against Texas Tech (April 7), relief pitcher Blake Goldsberry has been lights out on the mound. The righty has only given up two runs in 14.1 innings of work, good for a 1.28 ERA.

LET’S PLAY TWO

The Jayhawks have played in six doubleheaders this season (USC Upstate, Texas Southern, Northern Illinois, Baylor, West Virginia, Jackson State). They are 3-3 in the first game of the day and 1-5 in the second game of the day. The six doubleheaders mark the most played in a season since Kansas played in six doubleheaders during the 2002 season (Milwaukee, Texas A&M, Texas, Missouri, Nebraska, Kansas State).

BRING OUT THE BROOMS

Kansas wrapped up the weekend with a three-game sweep of Texas. The sweep marks the first series sweep of a Big 12 opponent since the Jayhawks swept West Virginia (May 9-11) in 2014. It is also the first home sweep since March 9-11, 2018, when the Jayhawks swept then-No. 20 St. Johns. The series marks only the second time in Kansas history that the Jayhawks have swept the Longhorns, with the first time coming during the 2009 series.

FIRST TIME BIG 12 HONORS FOR THE ROOKIE

Freshman outfielder Casey Burnham was awarded Newcomer of the Week for his late-game heroics in the Jayhawks’ first game against the Longhorns (May 3). The freshman outfielder launched a walk-off, two-run home run in the bottom of the ninth inning to win the game for Kansas. In addition to being his first career four-bagger, Burnham has started to develop late in the season. The Nebraska native went 5-for-10 (.500) on the week (May 1-5) with a double, a triple, a home run, and two walks.

BIG 12 PITCHER OF THE WEEK

Ryan Cyr earned Big 12 Pitcher of the Week honors for his Maddux-style performance on Saturday afternoon when he pitched a complete game shutout in the second game of the series against Texas (May 4). That victory secured the series win for Kansas and led to an eventual sweep of Texas.HE’S ‘CYR’-IOUSRedshirt-junior starting pitcher Ryan Cyr recorded his third-straight game and fourth of the season in a shutout effort against Texas (May 4) to earn Kansas the series victory over the Longhorns. It took Cyr just 86 pitches to navigate his Maddux-like performance where he struck out six and allowed just four baserunners in the win – two hits and two walks.

CLOSING THE DOOR

After the three-game sweep of Texas (May 3-5), Kansas is now a perfect 23-0 when leading the game after eight innings and 22-1 when leading after seven.

SIX RUNS OR MORE

Kansas averages 5.5 runs per game in 47 contests played in 2019. That number is just shy of the Jayhawks’ magic number of six. When KU scores six or more runs in a contest, it holds a record of 20-2. Conversely, when Kansas scores five or fewer runs, it holds a mark of 7-20.

ONE-RUN GAMES

Kansas has played 16 contests that have been decided by one run – 30.6 percent of its games played (49). KU has earned a victory in six of the 16 decisions.

WALK IT OUT

Junior catcher Jaxx Groshans took six walks during the weekend series against Texas (May 3-5). Groshans now has a team-leading 39 free passes this season, which surpasses his season-total high of 20 set during the 2017 campaign.ALL ABOUT SUNDAYSOne of the mantra’s around the Kansas baseball program is that it is all about Sundays. That is the day where you can either sweep, win or salvage a series and that sentiment holds true this season as the Jayhawks have posted a 8-2 mark in 10 games played on Sunday, including a 5-1 record in Big 12 play. In those 10 contests, KU averages 7.8 runs per game compared to the 5.6 average by its opponents.

SEASONED VETERAN

Kansas head coach Ritch Price is the most tenured skipper in the Big 12 Conference as he has coached in 422 league games – 257 more than any other current coach.UP NEXTThe Jayhawks return home to play host to in-state rival Kansas State on Senior Weekend, May 17-19, at Hoglund Ballpark.