⚾️ Jayhawks Fall to Michigan State 10-6

GREENVILLE, S.C. – After rallying from an early 6-0 deficit to tie the game, Kansas allowed three runs on three hits in the bottom of the seventh inning, which allowed Michigan State to defeat the Jayhawks 10-6 Saturday in the second game of the First Pitch Invitational at Fluor Field.

Kansas starter Sam Ireland was tagged for six runs on six hits in the first two innings, but settled in nicely and retired the side in order in each of the next two innings as the Jayhawks came back to tie the game. KU had just one hit in the first three frames before they got the bats going in the fourth.

Janson Reeder was hit by a pitch and Cole Elvis walked to open the inning before Sam Hunt singled to right center to load the bases for Collier Cranford. Cranford doubled to left center off the Green Monster, scoring Reeder and Elvis for KU’s first runs of the day. After a pitching change, Jackson Cobb hit a sacrifice fly to right, scoring Reeder to make it 6-3. Mike Koszewski followed that with an RBI single and Kodey Shojinaga hit his third home run of the year, a two-run shot, to tie the game at 6-all.

Ireland worked around two walks in the fifth and exited after five innings in a tie game, handing the ball off to Karter Muck. Muck retired the Spartans in order in the sixth before running into trouble in the seventh. MSU got a double and two singles in the inning and scored three runs to regain the lead, 9-6. Kansas got just one base runner in the final two frames, while MSU added an insurance run in the eighth to win 10-6.

Hunt went 3-for-4 with one run scored, while Shojinaga was 2-for-4 with his home run, two RBIs and a run scored. Cranford had two RBI on his double, while Cobb and Koszewski each had one RBI in the contest. Kansas finished with 10 hits in the game and stranded nine runners on base.

After a slow start, Ireland rebounded and struck out six with three walks, while allowing six runs on six hits. Muck (0-1) took the loss after allowing three runs on three hits in relief, before Stone Evers, JJ Tylicki and Hunter Cashero combined to record the final five outs for Kansas.

The loss dropped Kansas to 7-6 on the year. The Jayhawks will conclude the First Pitch Invitational with a rematch against Michigan State on Sunday beginning at 11 a.m. CT.