⚾️ Kansas Travels to Belmont for Weekend Series

Kansas (5-2) at Belmont (3-6)
When March 3-5
Where Nashville, Tenn. // E.S. Rose Park
Live Video None
Radio Jayhawk Sports Network
Live Stats Friday | Saturday | Sunday
Social Media @KUBaseball | @kubaseball | Facebook

 

Probable Starting Pitchers
Day Kansas Belmont
Fri. 4 p.m. CT RHP Collin Baumgartner (2-0, 0.90 ERA) LHP Andy Bean (0-2, 5.91 ERA)
Sat. 1 p.m. CT RHP Sam Ireland (1-1, 3.38 ERA) RHP Jordan Zuger (1-1, 8.64 ERA)
Sun. 11 a.m. CT RHP Hunter Cranton (1-0, 4.00 ERA) LHP Dominic Baratta (0-1, 5.63 ERA)

 

NASHVILLE, Tenn.  After winning its first two series of the season, Kansas baseball is set for a three-game series against Belmont beginning on Friday at 4 p.m. CT at E.S. Rose Park. The Jayhawks are 5-2 through their first seven games of the season, marking the best start since the 2018 season when KU also began 5-2.

Last weekend, Kansas won three out of four games against Oakland. KU outscored Oakland 40-10 in the four-game series, including a 26-run effort on Sunday in a 26-3 victory. The 26 runs were the most in a game since March 28, 1997 vs. Howard when Kansas also scored 26 runs. Kansas hit seven home runs in the game, which matched the program record for home runs in a single game.

Kansas began the series on Friday with graduate pitcher Collin Baumgartner and junior pitcher Thaniel Trumper tossing a two-hit shutout for a 7-0 win. Redshirt sophomore Jake English hit his first career home run in the victory, while senior Cole Elvis and redshirt junior Collier Cranford each having multi-hit performances.

Saturday was highlighted by more strong pitching and timely hitting in a 4-1 victory. Junior Sam Ireland started and threw five innings and sophomore Gavin Brasosky had a four-inning save for the second consecutive week. The Jayhawks jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first inning and then added an insurance run in the seventh.

WHAT HAS STOOD OUT

  • Defensively, Kansas has only committed two errors in 256 chances this season. The Jayhawks lead the Big 12 with a .992 fielding percentage, which ranks seventh in the nation. The program record for fielding percentage in a single season came in 2019 with a mark of .977.
  • Brasosky, a Tennessee transfer, has two four-inning saves this season. He has made three appearances and not allowed any runs and only two hits. He has thrown the most innings out of the bullpen after the first two weekends.
  • English hit his first three career home runs last weekend against Oakland. On Sunday, English had two home runs in the game along with career highs of four RBIs and five runs.

TWELVE RUNS

Kansas had a 12-run sixth inning in Sunday’s victory. That was the most runs scored in an inning since the 2004 season. KU scored 16 runs in the 6th inning at Kansas State on May 22, 2004. Sixteen runs are the most in an inning in program history.

The Jayhawks had a total of 17 plate appearances during their 12-run sixth inning. The scoring plays consisted of two, two-run home runs from Elvis and English, run-scoring doubles from redshirt sophomore Mike Koszewski and Cranford, RBI hits from sophomore Chase Jans and freshman Jackson Kline and two separate RBI singles from redshirt sophomore Michael Brooks. Freshman Kodey Shojinaga also had an RBI groundout in the inning and junior Janson Reeder scored on a wild pitch, giving Kansas 12 runs on 10 hits in the frame.

ELVIS IS IN THE BUILDING

Cole Elvis, a Cal transfer, has a .357 batting average (10-for-28) and six extra-base hits, including a team-best five doubles this season. The vocal leader of the team, Elvis has started every game for Kansas with five starts coming behind the plate and two at first base.

FRIDAYS ARE THE BAUM

Graduate pitcher and SIU-Edwardsville transfer Collin Baumgartner has started on Friday the first two weekends of the season. Baumgartner is 2-0 with a 0.90 ERA after two weeks. He did not allow a hit or a run last week against Oakland in five innings. He has struck out 11 hitters compared to only two walks and opponents are hitting only .091 against him.

GETTING ON BASE

Collier Cranford, an LSU transfer, has reached base safely in all seven games this season. Cranford is hitting .320 (8-for-25) with two doubles, a triple, one home run and five RBIs this year. He has started at shortstop in every game.

SERIES HISTORY

Kansas and Belmont have met five times in program history with Kansas holding a 4-1 all-time advantage. The first head-to-head matchup was in February 2006 with a 4-2 Kansas victory. The Jayhawks have won the last two games after taking two out of three from Belmont to begin the 2020 season.

Belmont is currently 3-6 with two wins against UT-Martin and a win on Tuesday against Middle Tennessee State.

DID YOU KNOW?

Each of the first four wins of the season for Kansas included multi-inning saves. Brasosky had two saves, Trumper had a save and junior Stone Hewlett recorded one. Four of those saves were four innings and the other was three innings.

FITZGERALD’S FIRST

Kansas won its first game of the season and the first of the Dan Fitzgerald era on Feb. 17 against Valparaiso. The combination of graduate pitcher Collin Baumgartner and Brasosky struck out 12 batters. The 5-1 victory against the Beacons improved Kansas to 20-7 in season openers since joining the Big 12 Conference before the 1997 season, including a 6-1 mark in the last seven seasons.

Following the game, Fitzgerald was presented with the lineup card and baseball from the final out. Fans can view the moment by clicking here.

BAGS ARE STAYING PACKED

Kansas is playing its first true road series this weekend in Nashville. The first two weekends of the season were neutral site matchups against Valparaiso and Oakland. The Jayhawks play 22 of their first 23 games away from Hoglund Ballpark.

HOW TO FOLLOW ALONG

Live audio will be available on the Jayhawk Sports Network on KUAthletics.com and the Kansas Jayhawks app. There will not be a video stream for the three games.

Live updates will also be provided on the team’s official Twitter page @KUBaseball.

UP NEXT

Kansas will host its home opener against Wichita State on Wednesday, March 8 at 3 p.m. CT. The game will be broadcast on Big 12 Now on ESPN+ and the Jayhawk Sports Network. Fans can purchase tickets to the game by contacting the Kansas ticket office at 785-864-3141 or by visiting the ticketing page here.