LAWRENCE, Kan. – On a steamy Saturday afternoon at Hoglund Ballpark, No. 27 Texas beat Kansas by a score of 6-2. Kodey Shojinaga and Cole Elvis each had multi-hit games and Ethan Bradford pitched five scoreless innings of relief despite the result.

The Jayhawks loaded the bases in the ninth and had the tying run at the plate with one out, but two strikeouts ultimately ended the game. Texas started Lebarron Johnson Jr. on the mound and he had a career day, throwing a career-high 7.0 innings and recording a career-high 12 strikeouts.

For a second straight day, Texas took a 1-0 lead. After a single, hit by pitch and sacrifice bunt to start the second inning, Tanner Carlson hit a sacrifice fly to give the Longhorns an early advantage.

Texas (31-17, 11-9 Big 12) put together a five-run fourth inning to stretch out its lead. Dylan Campbell led off the frame with a solo home run. After KU got the next two outs, Texas had five-straight hits and scored four more runs. That made the score 6-0 in favor of the Longhorns.

Kansas was able to get one run back in the bottom of the fourth. With two outs, Kansas had three-consecutive singles from Kodey Shojinaga, Cole Elvis and the RBI single from Collier Cranford. Shojinaga scored from second on the single to cut the Texas lead to 6-1.

Neither team was able to score until the Jayhawks threatened in the bottom of the ninth. With the bases loaded, Jake English hit an RBI single to make the score 6-2. That was as close as KU was able to get.

Junior Hunter Cashero started for Kansas and allowed six runs on eight hits over four innings. He suffered his first loss of the season. Junior Ethan Bradford came in for Cashero and pitched five scoreless innings of relief. He struck out four and only walked one.

PITCHERS OF RECORD
Win: Lebarron Johnson (5-2)
Final line: 7.0 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 BB, 12 SO
Save: Andre Duplantier II (1)
Final line: 0.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 SO
Loss: Hunter Cashero (2-1)
Final line: 4.0 IP, 8 H, 6 R, 0 BB, 1 SO

QUOTABLE
“We always [fight]. We just need to do it earlier in the game. We always fight at the end. I thought Johnson was exceptional. He was the best starter we have seen this year.” – Head Coach Dan Fitzgerald

NOTES
• Shojinaga extended his hitting streak to 13 games. He finished 2-for-4 with two runs scored.
• Chase Jans has hit safely in 11 of the last 12 games.
• Bradford is the first Jayhawk to throw at least five scoreless innings of relief this season.
• Michael Brooks had his 17-game on-base streak snapped.

UP NEXT
Kansas (22-25, 7-13 Big 12) faces Texas in the rubber match on Sunday at Hoglund Ballpark. The game will be broadcast by Big 12 Now on ESPN+ and first pitch is set for 1 p.m. CT.