⚾ Jayhawks Secure Series Victory At Belmont
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Kansas (2-1) earned the series victory after beating Belmont (1-2), 7-6, in the series finale at E.S. Rose Park. The Jayhawks used another strong performance from their bullpen to stop a late Belmont comeback attempt and secure victory over the Bruins.
Eli Davis earned the start for the Jayhawks and pitched five innings to earn his first victory of the season. Davis earned two strikeouts and outside of Belmont’s third inning held the Bruins scoreless.
The Jayhawks, who had amassed 10 hits in the first two games of the series, exploded for 14 hits against the Bruins. In the first inning, Kansas tallied four hits and five runs off Belmont starter Korey Bell.
After earning its first run of the game, KU had two runners on with one out and James Cosentino hit his second home run of the series to put the Jayhawks up 4-0. Skyler Messinger didn’t wait long and added to the Jayhawks’ run total, hitting a home run of his own.
After two scoreless innings for Belmont, the Bruins added five runs of their own in the third. Kansas responded in the fourth after Zach Hannah hit a triple and scored on a Anthony Tulimero double.
Benjamin Sems provided an insurance run that became the game-winning run with a solo home run in the seventh. Belmont added one run in the seventh, but the Kansas bullpen shut the door on the Bruins.
Blake Goldsberry entered in the eighth after Daniel Hegarty to setup closer Jonah Ulane. A double play helped the Kansas defense out of a threatening comeback attempt.
Ulane entered in the ninth and secured his first save of the season.
STAT OF THE GAME
14 Hits – After managing 10 hits in the first two games against Belmont, the Kansas bats exploded for 14 hits against the Bruins in game three.
HOW KANSAS SCORED
T1 – Casey Burnham led off with a single to the outfield and moved to second on a throwing error by the Belmont starter. Jack Wagner laced a single through the left side of the infield, plating Burnham from second. (KU 1, BU 0)
T1 – Benjamin Sems was hit by a pitch, moving Wagner to second. Nolan Metcalf laid down a sacrifice bunt to advance Sems and Wagner before James Cosentino tallied his second home run of the series. (KU 4, BU 0)
T1 – Needing only one pitch from the Belmont starter, Skyler Messinger smashed a home run over the left field wall. (KU 5, BU 0)
T4 – With one out, Zach Hanna laced a hard-hit ball down the right field line, earning the Jayhawks first triple of the season. Anthony Tulimero bounced a double down the left field line in the next at bat, scoring Hanna. (KU 6, BU 5)
T7 – Sems hit a solo home run to right field. (KU 7, BU 5).
MOMENT OF THE GAME
B8 – After Daniel Hegarty claimed his first strikeout of the game, Kansas made the change to Blake Goldsberry. Belmont earned a base runner after a single through the left side of the infield. One batter later with a full count, Goldsberry delivered a strikeout and Tulimero tossed out the runner attempting to steal second, ending the inning.
NOTES
- Skyler Messinger hit his first home run of the season in the first inning against Belmont. The home run was also Messinger’s first hit of the season.
- In the fourth inning, Zach Hanna earned his first career hit at Kansas and the Jayhawks’ first triple of the season.
- Jonah Ulane earned his first save of the season after pitching the ninth inning.
UP NEXT
Kansas travels to Charleston, South Carolina to play Charleston Southern at CSU Ballpark Feb. 20-23.
