Groshans’ slam lifts Kansas to victory over Saint Joseph’s

PORT CHARLOTTE, Florida – Fueled by a seventh-inning grand slam by junior catcher Jaxx Groshans, the Kansas baseball team earned a 7-5 decision against Saint Joseph’s Friday afternoon in the Snowbird Classic hosted at the Charlotte Sports Park.
 
The Jayhawks (9-3) trailed the Hawks (2-7) by one run before Groshans hit his seventh home run of the season to give Kansas its final lead of the game and junior righty starter Ryan Zeferjahn (3-0) the victory.
 
Zeferjahn tossed seven innings where he gave up three runs off six hits while striking out a season-high nine batters. He gave way to juniors Nathan Barry and Blake Goldsberry before redshirt-sophomore Jonah Ulane picked up his fifth save of the season with a scoreless ninth.
 
Groshans paced the offensive effort with a 3-for-4 performance at the dish with two singles, a grand slam and a personal-best five RBIs. Sophomore third baseman Skyler Messinger added two hits and two RBIs while senior center fielder Rudy Karre contributed a pair of knocks.
 
NOTABLES

• The grand slam by junior catcher Jaxx Groshans was the first for a KU hitter since Ty Denzer hit one at Samford April 24, 2015.
• Groshans’ five RBIs marked a career-high for the backstop and was the first five-RBI game for a Jayhawk since Brendt Citta drove in a quintet of runners against West Virginia May 5, 2018.
• Redshirt-sophomore closer Jonah Ulane has retired 12 of the last 13 batters he has faced spanning four appearances where he has also recorded eight strikeouts.
• Ulane’s five saves ranks atop the Big 12 Conference with the next closest coming in at three saves.

UP NEXT
Kansas continues the Snowbird Classic with a 4 p.m. (CT) tilt against Georgetown on Saturday, March 9 at the Charlotte Sports Park.

FOLLOW
/KansasBaseball
@KUbaseball
@KUbaseball

KUAthletics.com: The official online source for Kansas Athletics, Williams Education Fund contributions, tickets, merchandise, multimedia, photos and much, much more.