⚾️ K-State Edges Kansas 5-4 in Series Opener
LAWRENCE, Kan. – In the first of three games in the Dillons Sunflower Showdown, Kansas State defeated Kansas 5-4 at Hoglund Ballpark on Friday. Kansas dropped its first game at home this season despite multi-hit efforts from sophomore Chase Jans and freshman Kodey Shojinaga.
Kansas was able to get on the board early with a pair of runs in the first inning. With runners on first and second, junior Janson Reeder doubled down the left field line to score freshman Shojinaga. Next up, redshirt sophomore Jake English hit an RBI groundout to give Kansas a 2-0 lead.
K-State (22-14, 7-6 Big 12) came back in the third inning to take its first lead of the game. The first four Wildcats runners that came to the plate reached base in the fourth, which included an RBI triple and RBI single to tie the game at 2-2. Then, a couple batters later Nick Goodwin hit a two-run homer to put K-State ahead 4-2.
The Jayhawks put together a rally in the fifth to tie up the game. After a flyout to start the bottom of the fifth, Jans singled and Shojinaga hit a double down the left field line. Elvis was next in line and he sent a ball back up the middle for a two-run single and to even the game at 4-4.
In the sixth, KU had a chance to take the lead with runners on first and second but K-State was positioned perfectly on defense. Shojinaga hit a hard ground ball up the middle that was fielded cleanly and turned into an out at first.
The Wildcats retook the lead in the eighth inning. A hit by pitch started the inning, followed by a well-executed hit and run to set up runners on first and third one out. Roberto Pena then put down a bunt hit to score the runner from third and give K-State a 5-4 advantage.
Kansas was unable to get a baserunner on in the final three innings.
Graduate Collin Baumgartner started for Kansas on Friday afternoon. He was only able to go four innings while allowing four runs on six hits. Junior Thaniel Trumper followed Baumgartner on the mound and matched his career high with six strikeouts over 3.1 innings. Trumper did not allow a hit despite getting the loss after putting the go-ahead run on base with a hit by pitch.
PITCHERS OF RECORD
Win: Ty Ruhl (2-3)
Final line: 2.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 SO
Save: Tyson Neighbors (6)
Final line: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 SO
Loss: Thaniel Trumper (2-3)
Final line: 3.1 IP, 0 H, 1 R, 1 BB, 6 SO
QUOTABLE
“Obviously, we need to clean some things up. It was uncharacteristic of Baumgartner to have three walks in four innings, but Collin’s been as good as any Friday night guy in the country in terms of his consistency. Days like that happen and we have to be able to do something different as an offense. I thought we left some runs on the board. There’s a reason they call it a series and there’s a reason you play three games. We have a good guy going tomorrow and we’ll be ready to go.” – Kansas Head Coach Dan Fitzgerald
NOTES
• Kansas suffered its first loss at home this season, falling to 7-1 on the year at Hoglund Ballpark.
• Shojinaga pushed his hitting streak to 11 games. He went 2-for-5 with a double and two runs scored.
• Elvis extended his hitting streak to 10 games. He finished 1-for-3 with two RBIs and a run scored.
UP NEXT
Kansas (17-16, 5-5 Big 12) plays K-State in game two of the series on Saturday afternoon at Hoglund Ballpark. First pitch is set for 2 p.m. CT.
