⚾️ Jayhawks Fall in Home Opener to Missouri State

LAWRENCE, Kan. – Missouri State scored five runs in the first inning Wednesday afternoon en route to a 12-3 win over Kansas in the Jayhawks home opener at Hoglund Ballpark.

Kansas fell to 3-4 on the season with the loss, while Missouri State moved to 4-4 on the season.

The Bears opened the game with back-to-back home runs from Will Duff and Drake Baldwin to take an early 2-0 run. Later in the inning, Dakota Kotowski hit a three-run home run to make it 5-0.

Kotowski homered again in the fourth to make it 6-0. The Jayhawks got on the board in the fifth, when Maui Ahuna drove in Seth Sweet-Chick on a fielder’s choice for the first Kansas run at Hoglund Ballpark in 2022.

The score remained 6-1, until Missouri State added six more runs in the seventh, courtesy of three more home runs and an RBI double. The Jayhawks added one run in the seventh when Tavian Josenberger scored on a wild pitch. Jake English scored an inning later for Kansas on a passed ball for the team’s third run of the game.

Cooper McMurray went 1-for-1 with a walk for the Jayhawks, while right-hander Kolby Dougan tossed 1 1/3 scoreless innings and left-hander Grant Shepherd threw a scoreless ninth with a strikeout. Leadoff man Dylan Ditzenberger hit his second double of the season, as well. Starter Steven Andrews, who went three innings, took the loss to fall to 0-1 on the season.

The Jayhawks will now play their next 16 games on the road, beginning Friday in Minneapolis against Michigan State. Senior right-hander Cole Larsen will get the start for the Jayhawks.

Kansas doesn’t return for another home game until March 30 against in-state foe Wichita State.