⚾ Kansas Completes Border Showdown Season Sweep
COLUMBIA, Mo. – The Kansas Jayhawks completed the season sweep of the Missouri Tigers with a 9-8 victory at Taylor Stadium Tuesday.
Kansas (29-24) held the lead through the majority of the game, but Missouri never backed down. With a 9-7 lead in the ninth, the Tigers tallied a run before Logan Williams caught a MU runner attempting to steal second for the final out of the game.
Steve Washilewski earned the start and pitched into the fourth before giving way to Ryan Vanderhei. Vanderhei earned the victory, pitching two-scoreless innings. Ulane earned his 10th save of the season after appearing in the eighth and pitching the ninth.
Skyler Messinger and Maui Ahuna both had four hits with Ahuna tallying two doubles and Messinger with a career-high five RBI.
Kansas started the game with a run in the first after Casey Burnham reached on a catcher’s interference and moved to third on a single by Ahuna. After Ahuna stole second, Burnham raced home to beat the throw.
Missouri (14-34) responded in the second with two runs to take the lead, but Kansas quickly captured the lead back.
Williams singled to center and advanced to second on a bunt single by Casey Burnham. Ahuna doubled to left center, scoring the pair.
Tavian Josenberger bunted back to the pitcher and reached safely on the play, which put runners on the corners. Messinger lifted a ball to deep center, allowing Ahuna to score for the third and final run of the inning.
Kansas again found away to get after the Missouri pitchers, putting up another three runs in the fourth.
With two outs, the Jayhawks had the bases loaded with all three runners reaching on walks. Messinger singled to the shortstop, allowing two runs to score. Brett Vosik then laced a single through the right side to score Josenberger from third.
Each team scored a run in the sixth to move the score to 8-5 before a scoreless seventh.
After Kansas was unable to plate a run with the bases loaded, the Tigers took advantage. With one runner on, Missouri hit a home run to left center to narrow the lead to one. MU then hit a double to left center before Jonah Ulane entered and closed the door.
Messinger again found a way to push across a run, hitting a single up the middle to score Burnham to give KU the two-run lead.
Missouri responded with a run of its own with two outs. The MU runner attempted to steal second in the next at bat and was tossed out by Williams for the final out of the game.
UP NEXT
Kansas travels to Lubbock, Texas to play a three-game series at Texas Tech May 20-22 to conclude the regular season.
