Steitz Returns, Kansas Blanks Texas A&M-Corpus Christi 8-0 on Sunday

Sunday, February 16

Corpus Christi, Texas

2 p.m. CT

University of Kansas

3-0

Texas A&M-Corpus Christi

0-3

Kansas

A&M-Corpus Christi

Steitz Returns, Kansas Blanks Texas A&M-Corpus Christi 8-0 on Sunday

2/16/2025 6:23:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score Box Score (PDF)Season Stats Highlights

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – Kansas won its third consecutive game to open the season and clinched a series win as the Jayhawks shutout Texas A&M-Corpus Christi 8-0 on Sunday afternoon at Whataburger Field. Patrick Steitz, Kannon Carr, Connor Maggi, Jake Cubbler and Gavin Brasosky combined for the shutout on the mound.

Steitz made his return after undergoing Tommy John surgery last April. Steitz, who was on a pitch count, threw two scoreless innings and had a strikeout. He was followed by Carr, a junior transfer from Jefferson College, who navigated the Islanders lineup with ease as he went four innings and did not allow a hit. Offensively, sophomore Brady Ballinger and junior Dariel Osoria each had two RBIs courtesy of extra-base hits.

HOW IT HAPPENED
• The first three innings of the game were scoreless as both teams struggled to get anything going offensively.
• Kansas (3-0) changed that in the top of the fourth. The Jayhawks drew three walks to start the frame. Osoria came up with the bases loaded and got the hit to get Kansas on the scoreboard. He drove a ball down the left field line to score a pair. Then, Chase Diggins had an RBI groundout and Brady Counsell hit a sacrifice fly to make it a 4-0 ballgame.
• The Jayhawks went on and added three more runs in the fifth inning. With two runners on, Ballinger hit a ball to center field that got behind the defender and resulted in a two-run standup triple. Ballinger came around to score a couple batters later on a fielding error. That made it a 7-0 Kansas lead.
• KU added one more run in the eighth inning on a sacrifice fly by Sawyer Smith.
• Texas A&M-Corpus Christi (0-3) had its best opportunity to score in the eighth inning with the bases loaded, but Cubbler was able to escape the jam without any runs crossing the plate.

PITCHERS OF RECORD
Win: Kannon Carr (1-0)
Final line: 4.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 2 SO
Loss: Gage Burdick (0-1)
Final line: 3.0 IP, 0 H, 3 R, 4 BB, 4 SO

PLAYERS OF THE GAME
Patrick Steitz: Steitz returned from Tommy John surgery only 10 months after his operation. He started the game on the mound and tossed two scoreless frames in his first action since last March.

Kannon Carr: Making his Division I debut, Carr tossed four scoreless and hitless innings to earn the win. Carr faced only one batter over the minimum and had a pair of strikeouts.

SOCIAL POST OF THE GAME

.@Patricksteitz35 with his first strikeout and a scoreless first inning.

END 1 | Kansas 0, TAMUCC 0 pic.twitter.com/skB5bVrAtQ
— Kansas Baseball (@KUBaseball) February 16, 2025

QUOTABLES & NOTABLES
"The story of the day was Patrick Steitz. If you have coached for more than a year, then you've had someone who's had Tommy John surgery. The way that Pat worked to get back is just incredible. I'm so proud of him and it's so fun when it's able to come together and you put together an outing like that. Then, I thought Kannon was fantastic and then Maggi, Cubbler and Gavin did a great job of closing it out. We had a good scouting report on their starter and it took until the fourth to really break through. I think it's a good lesson to our hitters that you can win a game without scoring in the first inning. You just have to stick to the plan. I thought they did a really good job. Obviously, a big double from Dariel and then some really good situational hitting. It's not always the hits. A couple sac flies in there and Diggy had a ground ball RBI which was really big. Great day and a great series win." – Head Coach Dan Fitzgerald

"It felt really good. I mean you get a little nerves with it being your first game back and after an injury like that, but I was excited. I felt prepared. I had a really fast rehab process, but I wanted to be a part this team and help out as much as I could. I put in a lot of hard work. I'm excited for this team and it's definitely fun to be back." – Patrick Steitz

"I felt great out there. I was happy to finally get on the mound for my first outing. It was good to be able to come in after Pat (Steitz). He put up two scoreless to start the game off and got the team going, got a good vibe going for the game today. The weather felt great outside. It was perfect day to play ball, so I was happy to get out there. The mindset going into it was really just fill up the zone. The wind is blowing in, the ball is not going to go anywhere today, so just fill it up and let the defense work." – Kannon Carr

• Kansas has started the season 3-0 for the first time since 2014 when the Jayhawks started 9-0.
• Kansas recorded its first shutout since May 4, 2024 at Kansas State (W, 4-0).
• Kansas pitching held Texas A&M-Corpus Christi to only three hits.
• Kansas improved to 9-4 all-time at Whataburger Field.
• Osoria and Ballinger both have multiple RBIs in two of three games this season.
• Carr earned his first win as a Jayhawk.

UP NEXT
Kansas will be going for the series sweep of Texas A&M-Corpus Christi in the fourth and final game of the series on Monday at 5 p.m. CT. There will not be a broadcast of the game, but live audio will be available on the Jayhawk Sports Network.