⚾ Kansas to Host Missouri State Wednesday

LAWRENCE, Kan. – The Kansas Jayhawks host Missouri State for its final regular season home nonconference competition Wednesday, May 5 at 6 p.m.

The Jayhawks (24-21, 4-11 Big 12) played five nonconference games last week, and earned a 10-2 victory over North Dakota State in the weekend series.

In the Saturday victory over NDSU, Eli Davis pitched a season-high seven innings, while striking out eight in the 10-2 victory. Daniel Hegarty relieved Davis and pitched a scoreless eighth inning before Jonah Ulane tallied a two-strikeout, scoreless ninth. It moved Kansas to 22-0 when holding a lead after the seventh inning.

James Cosentino set the offensive tone at the plate against the Bison in the Saturday victory, hitting two homes runs and accounting for three RBI. It was the first two-home run game of his career. Skyler Messinger also logged multiple RBI in the contest, adding two on a 2-for-4 performance. Four other Jayhawks logged RBI in the victory.

Steve Washilewski is slated to start against the Missouri State Bears Wednesday. Washilewski has made 11 appearances with two starts this season, while recording 14 strikeouts in 27.0 innings pitched.

OPPONENT PREVIEW: NORTH DAKOTA STATE
Missouri State (15-15, 5-7 Valley) last played a four-game series at Southern Illinois, falling in all four games. Prior to the April 30 series opener, the Bears had not played since April 18.

As a team, Missouri State is hitting .258 with the trio of Jack Duffy, Cam Cratic and Blake Mozley each holding a .300-or-better average. Duffy is their team leader in batting average (.320) and hits (31), while Jaden Rolffs has team highs in RBI (24), home runs (9) and slugging percentage (.519). Three Bears have tallied six steals this season, with Cratic holding a 7-8 mark on the bases.

On the mound, MSU has a 4.94 ERA in 255.0 innings pitched. Logan Willey has a team-high 45.2 innings pitched, while Trey Ziegenbein is the team leader with 39 strikeouts without a start. Lefty Peyton Carson is slated to earn the start Wednesday.

GET ON BASE
Eight Jayhawks have a reached-base streak of 10-or-more games this season. James Cosentino had the second longest streak on the team with 19 games, while Tavian Josenberger has an active streak of 29 games. Dylan Ditzenberger achieved his 10th-straight game in the series finale against NDSU.

JOSENBERGER TIES CAREER MARK
Josenberger’s 24-game hitting streak is tied for the longest streak in program history with Jared Schweitzer, who first completed the task in 2005.
LONGEST KU HITTING STREAKS
1. Jared Schweitzer, 2005, 24 games
1. Tavian Josenberger, 2021, 24 games
3. Tony Thompson, 2008-09, 23 games
4. Robby Price, 2010, 22 games
5. Ryan Baty, 2003, 21 games

UP NEXT
Kansas returns to Big 12 play May 7-9 hosting Oklahoma State at Hoglund Ballpark. All three games are slated to be on the Big 12 Now on ESPN+.