⚾️ KU Drops the Rubber Match 10-8 to West Virginia
LAWRENCE, Kan. — In the series finale on Sunday afternoon at Hoglund Ballpark, the West Virginia Mountaineers pulled out a 10-8 win against the Kansas Jayhawks. Redshirt senior Caleb Upshaw hit his team-high ninth home run of the season late in the game.
PITCHERS OF RECORD
Win: Zach Ottinger (2-1)
Final line: 2.1 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 2 BB, 2 SO
Save: Trey Braithwaite (6)
Final line: 0.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 SO
Loss: Ryan Vanderhei (5-4)
Final line: 5.2 IP, 9 H, 6 R, 5 ER, 4 BB, 7 SO
HOW IT HAPPENED
• West Virginia (26-16) got out to a 1-0 lead in the first inning for a second day in a row on a bases-loaded double play.
• The Mountaineers added another run on a fielding error in the second inning.
• Kansas scored its first run of the ballgame on an RBI single from redshirt senior Nolan Metcalf in the third inning.
• Trailing 2-1, KU scored three runs in the fourth inning to take a 4-2 lead. Redshirt freshman Jake English hit a RBI ground-rule double down the left field line before redshirt freshman Ryan Callahan blasted a two-run homer to right-center field.
• West Virginia responded immediately in the top of the fifth inning with back-to-back-to-back home runs by McGwire Holbrook, Nathan Blasick and Braden Barry. The last KU opponent that went back-to-back-to-back was No. 19 Oklahoma State on April 15, 2006.
• The Mountaineers pushed their lead to 6-4 on an Austin Davis RBI double in the sixth inning.
• Kansas was able to get the run back in the bottom of the sixth with an RBI groundout by Payton Allen to make the score 6-5.
• Two-run homers by West Virginia in the seventh and ninth innings pushed the score to 10-5.
• In the ninth inning, Upshaw hit a three-run homer to cut the deficit to 10-8. Kansas got the tying run to the plate in the ninth but was unable to pull any closer.
NUMBER OF THE GAME
102: Both Callahan and Upshaw’s home runs registered an exit velocity of 102 miles per hour.
QUOTABLE
“Our guys have gone about their business in a really professional workman like manner. We come to the yard and work hard every day in practice. We competed every day this weekend. … We swung the bats big time and had a chance to win it, but unfortunately we did not pitch well enough to find a way to win the series.” – Head Coach Ritch Price
NOTES
• Kansas has now hit at least two home runs in 12 games this season. That is the most games with two home runs or more in a season since 2010 (12).
• Kansas has scored at least seven runs in five straight games.
• Josenberger extended his on-base streak to 20 games.
• Upshaw had his fifth straight multi-hit game and his 14th multi-hit effort of the season. His nine home runs lead the team.
• Callahan hit his first career home run.
• English had a career-high three hits.
UP NEXT
Kansas (18-26) will play at Omaha on Tuesday and Wednesday for a two-game midweek series. First pitch of both games is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. CT. The contests will be streamed on OMavs.com and live audio can be heard on the Jayhawk Sports Network.
