⚾ Kansas Takes Game Two Over St. Louis, 5-1
ST. LOUIS – The Kansas Jayhawks used a stellar pitching performance by starter Cole Larsen to beat the St. Louis Billikens, 5-1, in the second game of the series on Saturday evening at Billiken Sports Center.
Larsen earned the start for Kansas (4-5) and pitched seven innings, giving up one unearned run while striking out eight batters. He earned the win and moved to 1-1 on the season.
After a mostly silent offensive performance the night before, the Jayhawks came out swinging.
Anthony Tulimero led of the fourth inning with a single up the middle and was accompanied on base by Nolan Metcalf, who was hit by a pitch. Jack Wagner moved both runners into scoring position with a sacrifice bunt and Logan Williams stepped up to the plate.
Williams singled and drove in Tulimero, giving the Jayhawks a one-run lead. Blaine Ray then reached on a fielder’s choice that scored Metcalf and gave Kansas a 2-0 lead.
The Jayhawks struck again in the top of the fifth. A pair of back-to-back bunt singles by Tavian Josenberger and Dylan Ditzenberger put two runners on with no outs. Tulimero moved both runners on a sacrifice bunt before Metcalf stepped up to the plate and singled to left field to give Kansas a comfortable 4-0 lead.
Larsen sat down the Billikens for seven innings before finally running into trouble in the bottom of the eighth. A hit batter, a walk and a passed ball resulted in having runners on second and third with no outs.
After a single scored one of the runners, closer Jonah Ulane came in for Larsen.
Ulane shut down the Billikens in the bottom of the eighth, striking out the first three batters he faced while stranding two St. Louis runners.
Josenberger led off the top of the ninth with the first triple of his collegiate career and Tulimero brought him in with a sacrifice fly.
Wagner and Josenberger both recorded multi-hit games for Kansas. Wagner went 2-for-2 with a walk and a double, while Josenberger went 2-for-5 with two runs scored. Ulane earned his second save of the season, and finished with two innings pitched and four strikeouts.
UP NEXT
Kansas concludes the series with St. Louis Sunday at 1 p.m.
