⚾ Kansas Drops Game Two Of Indiana State Series
LAWRENCE, Kan. – Kansas (7-7) dropped the second game of the three-game series to Indiana State (7-6), 9-3, after ISU tallied five runs in the fifth inning at Hoglund Ballpark.
In the top of the second inning, Indiana State had the bases loaded with no outs and Jordan Schaffer up to bat. Kansas shortstop Benjamin Sems turned a double play to get Schaffer and Grant Magill out at first and second.
Indiana State’s Brandt Nowaskie scored off the play, but Sem’s momentum helped get the Jayhawks out of the inning. Everhett Hazelwood closed out the inning with a strikeout.
Skyler Messinger started off the bottom of the third with a double to left field. Two batters later, Messinger scored on a single by Blaine Ray to left field, narrowing the Indiana State lead to 2-1.
In the top of the fourth, the Sycamores continued to test the Jayhawk defense, scoring one run. Nolan Metcalf answered with a solo home run in the bottom half of the inning and again put the Jayhawks behind by only one run.
Indiana State held a 3-2 edge heading into the fifth and tallied five runs in the inning to take an 8-2 lead. Cole Larson made his second appearance of the week in relief and helped shut down the ISU offense.
The Jayhawks continued to pull from their bullpen for the remainder of the game with Daniel Hegarty, Stone Parker, Hunter Freese and Kahi Bisho all getting to the mound.
Indiana State earned its final run of the game in the eighth, and Kansas responded with a run of its own after Jack Wagner scored on a single by James Cosentino.
HOW KANSAS SCORED
B3 – Skyler Messinger led off the inning with a double and advanced to third on a groundout by Jackson Cobb. Blaine Ray hit a single to left field, scoring Messinger.
B4 – Nolan Metcalf hit his second home run of the season to left field.
B8 – Jack Wagner doubled to left center field with one out and scored on a single to right center by James Cosentino.
NOTES
- Nolan Metcalf hit his second home run of the season.
- Hunter Freese appeared in his first outing of the season and pitched an inning while recording a strikeout.
- Cole Larsen made his second appearance of the week, pitching in one and 2/3 innings while striking out one batter.
- Kahi Bisho’s one inning pitched is a tied for his season high, matching his one inning pitched at Charleston Southern on February 22, 2020.
UP NEXT
The series between the Jayhawks and the Sycamores concludes Sunday, March 8 at 1 p.m. in Hoglund Ballpark.
