AUSTIN, Texas – On a hot Saturday afternoon, No. 24 Texas defeated Kansas 9-7 in the regular season finale at UFCU Disch-Falk Field. The win completed a sweep for the Longhorns.
Kansas trailed 8-1 after six innings, but the Jayhawks rallied to make it a one-run ballgame with four runs in the seventh and two runs in the eighth to cut it to 8-7. However, Texas picked up an insurance run in the bottom of the eighth to make it 9-7. Kansas had the tying run at the plate in the ninth but was unable to score.
Kansas finished the regular season with an overall record of 29-21 and 15-15 in Big 12 Conference play.
HOW IT HAPPENED
• Texas (35-20, 20-10 Big 12) scored an unearned run on an RBI groundout following a passed ball in the first inning to take a 1-0 lead.
• The Longhorns added another run in the bottom of the third on an RBI double by Peyton Powell.
• After Kansas was held hitless through the first three innings, the Jayhawks had four singles in the fourth inning. KU was able to score one run on an RBI single by Lenny Ashby. That made it a 2-1 game in favor of Texas.
• Texas responded right away as Kimble Schuessler led off the bottom of the fourth with a solo home run to make it a 3-1 game.
• The Longhorns opened up the game in the fifth inning with four runs, including a Casey Borba two-run homer. Texas led 7-1 at the end of five innings.
• Texas scored another run in the sixth inning on a sacrifice fly to make it 8-1.
• Down seven runs, Kansas continued to fight as the Jayhawks scored four runs in the seventh inning. Mike Koszewski hit a 2-run double to left-center field, Kodey Shojinaga hit a sacrifice fly and John Nett scored on a wild pitch. That cut the game to 8-5.
• Kansas kept battling and cut it to one run in the eighth inning after scoring a pair. Koszewski had an RBI groundout and Chase Diggins scored on a fielding error to make it an 8-7 game.
• In the bottom of the eighth, Texas picked up an insurance run with a sacrifice fly to make it 9-7.
• The Jayhawks got a leadoff walk to start the ninth and had the tying run at the plate three times but could not score.
PITCHERS OF RECORD
Win: Lebarron Johnson Jr. (3-4)
Final line: 6.0 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 1 BB, 7 SO
Loss: Evan Shaw (3-1)
Final line: 2.0 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 3 SO
Save: Gage Boehm (8)
Final line: 2.1 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 2 BB, 1 SO
SOCIAL POST OF THE GAME
Within a run!
Nett sends it past the first baseman and @ChaseJans scores.
TOP 8 | Texas 8, Kansas 7 pic.twitter.com/d9smYfK4vS
— Kansas Baseball (@KUBaseball) May 18, 2024
QUOTABLES & NOTABLES
“We have a ton of fight and have all year – we have the last two years. I’m not surprised at all. Down 8-1, I had no concerns that we were going to make it a game. When you don’t have your bullets in the bullpen, it’s hard to stop a good offense. Today we needed some guys to step up and we’re going to need those same guys to step up in the Big 12 Tournament if we’re going to make the run that we need to make.” – Head Coach Dan Fitzgerald
• Kansas finished the regular season with an overall record of 29-21 and 15-15 in Big 12 Conference play. The 15 conference wins tied a program record for the most in a season (2009, 2014).
• Shojinaga extended his hitting streak to eight games.
• Diggins has reached base safely in each of the last eight games.
UP NEXT
Kansas will head to the Phillips 66 Big 12 Championship in Arlington, Texas, at Globe Life Field to play Kansas State. First pitch on Tuesday, May 21 is scheduled for 9 a.m. CT.
