⚾ Kansas Clinches Series Win Against No. 3 TCU

Box Score Season Statistics Conference Statistics Highlights

LAWRENCE, Kan. – Kansas secured its first series win against a top five ranked opponent since 2010 as the Jayhawks defeated No. 3 TCU 8-4 on Saturday afternoon at Hoglund Ballpark. The victory came one day after the Jayhawks beat the Horned Frogs 3-1 on Friday night.

The series win is the first Big 12 Conference opening series win since the 2014 season. Coach Dan Fitzgerald’s team has now won six straight games and has started 6-0 at home for the second straight season. Overall, Kansas moved to 9-4 on the season and 2-0 in Big 12 play, while TCU fell to 13-2 on the season.

“It means everything (to get a top five series win),” second baseman Collier Cranford said. “Nobody in this dugout or a part of this program is surprised. We’ve worked for this. Our preparation each and every day has prepared us for this moment. Everybody had a part in today. The pitchers were throwing their tails off and hitters are sticking to our approach and putting good swings on the baseball.”

The Jayhawks hit three home runs on Saturday and received five strong innings on the mound from true freshman pitcher Dominic Voegele, who earned his second consecutive win. Kansas pitching held a potent TCU offense, that entered the weekend undefeated, to four hits for a second-straight day.

HOW IT HAPPENED
• Kansas started the game offensively by scoring a run in the first inning. John Nett and Kodey Shojinaga opened the inning with singles. After a flyout moved Nett to third base, Jake English drove him in on a sac fly to give KU a 1-0 lead.
• Voegele navigated around baserunners in each of the first three innings, but in the fourth TCU broke through. A leadoff single set up Sam Myers for a two-run homer to give the Horned Frogs a 2-1 advantage.
• The Jayhawks responded in the fifth inning with two runs and three extra-base hits. Cranford hit a triple and Nett brought him home with a two-out triple of his own off the wall in center field. Then, Shojinaga hit a two-out double to the gap in left-center to score Nett and give Kansas a 3-2 lead.
• After a leadoff walk, Gavin Brasosky entered the game for Voegele in the sixth. On his first pitch, Brasosky took care of business and induced a double play. Two pitches later, he got out of the inning on a groundout to keep the score at 3-2.
• Kansas extended its lead right away in the bottom of the sixth. The Jayhawks hit back-to-back homers for the first time this season. Janson Reeder hit one over the batter’s eye in center field and Michael Brooks hit one out to left-center field. After a pitching change, Mike Koszewski delivered an RBI single to keep the scoring going. Kansas led 6-2 at the end of six innings.
• TCU got one run in the top of the seventh with a bases loaded walk to make the score 6-3.
• Shojinaga walked to lead off the bottom of the seventh. Lenny Ashby came up next and lined a two-run homer over the wall in right-center for his fifth home run of the season. KU led 8-3 at the end of the seventh.
• The Horned Frogs hit a solo home run in the eighth courtesy of Rydey Robinson to make the score 8-4.
• The game ended with Hunter Cranton on the mound for the second day in a row as he touched 100 mph and retired TCU in order to seal the win.

PITCHERS OF RECORD
Win: Dominic Voegele (2-0)
Final line: 5.0 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 3 BB, 5 SO
Loss: Kole Klecker (0-1)
Final line: 5.1 IP, 8 H, 5 R, 0 BB, 3 SO

PLAYER OF THE GAME
Kodey Shojinaga: Shojinaga finished the game 3-for-4 with two doubles, one walk, one RBI and one run scored. With the three hits, Shojinaga extended his hitting streak to six games.

SOCIAL POST OF THE GAME

QUOTABLES & NOTABLES
“It was a great day; great series win against a really good ball club. I thought it was much of the same recipe as yesterday with some timely hitting and a great start from Dom and then our bullpen was able to hold it. I thought there were a couple things today that were great where we didn’t execute something and the next guy up took care of it. Then, we were in the right place at the right time defensively. I’m just proud of the guys and proud of how they stuck to the plan and the process.” – Head Coach Dan Fitzgerald

“I think (getting the series win on Saturday) helps us a lot in a way of momentum and giving us a lot of confidence. It’s proof that we belong here and that we are one of the better teams in the Big 12. It’s a huge win for everybody and everybody has stepped up so far this weekend.” – Kodey Shojinaga

• Kansas won its first series against a top five ranked opponent since March 12-14, 2010 at #1 LSU. The series win against a top five ranked opponent is the first at home since sweeping #1 Texas from March 20-22, 2009.
• Kansas won its first conference opening series since 2014 at #10 Texas.
• Kansas has back-to-back wins against a top five opponent for the first time since sweeping #1 Texas from March 20-22, 2009.
• Kansas won its second series all-time against TCU, including its first in Lawrence. The other series win was in Fort Worth during the 2013 season.
• Kansas hit back-to-back home runs for the first time this season.
• Kansas extended its win streak to six games.
• Ashby hit his fifth home run of the season. He finished with two RBIs for his team-high fifth multi-RBI game of the season. Ashby also extended his hitting streak to eight games and his on-base streak to 13 games.
• Nett recorded his team-high sixth multi-hit game of the season. He has reached base safely in all 13 games.
• Brooks hit his second home run of the season.
• English has a 13-game on-base streak.
• Reeder blasted his first home run of the season.

UP NEXT
Kansas (9-4, 2-0 Big 12) will go for the series sweep on Sunday afternoon against No. 3 TCU at 12 p.m. CT at Hoglund Ballpark. The game will be streamed on Big 12 Now on ESPN+ and live audio will be available on the Jayhawk Sports Network. Fans can purchase tickets by contacting the Kansas ticket office at 785-864-3141 or by visiting the ticketing page here.

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