Upcoming Event: Baseball at UTRGV on February 13, 2026 at 6:30 p.m. CT
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6:30 p.m. CT
Baseball
at UTRGV
Saturday, March 29
Lawrence, Kan.
2 p.m. CT
University of Kansas
22-6, 5-3
12
vs
11
Oklahoma State
12-12, 1-5
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
R
H
E
Oklahoma State
0
0
0
2
0
0
3
3
1
0
2
11
12
1
Kansas
0
0
1
3
0
4
1
0
0
0
3
12
10
0
Kansas Walks Off Oklahoma State 12-11 in Extras
3/29/2025 7:48:00 PM | Baseball
LAWRENCE, Kan. – Sawyer Smith hit a walk-off three-run home run in the bottom of the 11th inning to lift Kansas to a 12-11 thrilling victory on Saturday afternoon at Hoglund Ballpark in front of a crowd of 2,307 fans. The walk-off victory clinched a series win heading into the series finale on Sunday.
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In a game that Kansas led 8-2 after six innings and then trailed 11-9 in the middle of the 11th inning, Smith's heroics gave Kansas its fourth walk-off win of the season. Kansas improved to 22-6 overall this season and 5-3 in Big 12 play.
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Kannon Carr started and tossed five innings and allowed two runs on five hits in his third career Division I start. Alex Breckheimer earned the win after entering the game with the bases loaded in the ninth and pitching through the 11th. Five Jayhawks hit a home run in the game, including Jackson Hauge, Ian Francis, Derek Cerda, Brady Ballinger and then Smith to win it.
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HOW IT HAPPENED
• After Kansas built an 8-2 lead, Oklahoma State scored three runs in the seventh, three runs in the eighth and one run in the ninth to tie the game and send it to extras.
• Each team left a runner stranded on third in the 10th inning.
• In the 11th, Oklahoma State hit a two-out double and then Brock Thompson hit a go-ahead two-run homer to take an 11-9 lead.
• The bottom of the 11th began with a leadoff double from Mike Koszewski and a walk by Tommy Barth. Francis moved them up to second and third with a groundout and Smith coming to the plate next. On the first pitch of the at-bat, Smith turned on a fastball and punched it through the teeth of the wind over the right field wall to send the Kansas fans and dugout into a frenzy.
• Both teams had opportunities to score in the first two innings but each left runners stranded.
• Kansas was able to strike offensively in the third inning. Hauge led off the inning with a solo home run to give the Jayhawks a 1-0 lead.
• Oklahoma State (12-11, 1-5 Big 12) responded in the top of the fourth with two runs of their own. An RBI single by Beau Sylvester and a sacrifice fly from Thompson gave the Cowboys a 2-1 lead.
• The Jayhawks had an answer in the bottom of the fourth with three runs, all courtesy of the home run. Francis hit a two-run blast and two batters later Cerda hit a solo homer. That gave Kansas a 4-2 lead.
• KU was able to stretch out the lead in the sixth inning by adding four runs. Brady Counsell drew a bases-loaded walk for the first run of the inning. Barth followed with a two-run double and Francis brought in one more run on an RBI groundout. Kansas led 8-2 after six innings.
• The Cowboys would not go away quietly as Brayden Smith hit a three-run homer in the seventh inning to cut the score to 8-5.
• Ballinger got one of those runs back in the bottom of the seventh on a solo home run to left-center field to make it a 9-5 game.
• Oklahoma State was able to make it a one run game with another three-run homer in the eighth inning. Alex Conover's home run made it 9-8 in favor of Kansas.
• In the ninth, Oklahoma State tied the game at 9-9 on a wild pitch with two outs in the inning.
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PITCHERS OF RECORD
Win: Alex Breckheimer (2-0)
Final line: 3.0 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 2 BB, 1 SO
Loss: Sean Youngerman (0-1)
Final line: 3.1 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 1 BB, 2 SO
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SOCIAL POST OF THE GAME
QUOTABLES & NOTABLES
"There's a ton to like and then there's some stuff to fix. We played great for a really good chunk of that game. We give up a three-spot in the seventh and a three-spot in the eighth. We gave a bunch of it up with two outs and they had some really, really clutch at-bats. They are a fantastic offensive team and have a bunch of left-handed bats. You could get one out to left today, I didn't think you could get one out to right until the very end. Incredibly resilient. I'm proud of how he fought. It is incredibly hard to blow a lead a couple times and come back and win and do it the way we just did. I'm incredibly proud of these guys. I love who they are as a team and I love how they compete." – Head Coach Dan Fitzgerald
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"We had second and third so the tying run was on second. [Youngerman] was throwing a lot of fastballs. I tried to get my swing off and just see what happens. I got it good, but I was hoping it went through the wind. It was awesome. So much excitement, joy, just being able to come back and win this game was huge." – Sawyer Smith
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• Kansas has four walk-off victories this season at Hoglund Ballpark (Feb. 27, March 6, March 9, March 29).
• Kansas has hit 59 home runs this season through the first 28 games. The program record for home runs is 75 in 2006 and 2023.
• Kansas has hit multiple home runs in the same inning in nine games this year.
• Hauge hit his team-high 12th home run of the season. He has reached base safely in each of the last 14 games.
• Cerda connected on his fifth home run of the season.
• Francis now has four home runs this year.
• Brooks has reached base safely in 17 consecutive games.Â
• Ballinger belted his ninth home run of the season.
• Smith hit his fifth home run of the season.
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UP NEXT
Kansas and Oklahoma State will play the series finale on Sunday afternoon at Hoglund Ballpark. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m. CT and will be broadcast on ESPN+.
ÂGallery: (3-28-2025) Baseball vs. Oklahoma State
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In a game that Kansas led 8-2 after six innings and then trailed 11-9 in the middle of the 11th inning, Smith's heroics gave Kansas its fourth walk-off win of the season. Kansas improved to 22-6 overall this season and 5-3 in Big 12 play.
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Kannon Carr started and tossed five innings and allowed two runs on five hits in his third career Division I start. Alex Breckheimer earned the win after entering the game with the bases loaded in the ninth and pitching through the 11th. Five Jayhawks hit a home run in the game, including Jackson Hauge, Ian Francis, Derek Cerda, Brady Ballinger and then Smith to win it.
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HOW IT HAPPENED
• After Kansas built an 8-2 lead, Oklahoma State scored three runs in the seventh, three runs in the eighth and one run in the ninth to tie the game and send it to extras.
• Each team left a runner stranded on third in the 10th inning.
• In the 11th, Oklahoma State hit a two-out double and then Brock Thompson hit a go-ahead two-run homer to take an 11-9 lead.
• The bottom of the 11th began with a leadoff double from Mike Koszewski and a walk by Tommy Barth. Francis moved them up to second and third with a groundout and Smith coming to the plate next. On the first pitch of the at-bat, Smith turned on a fastball and punched it through the teeth of the wind over the right field wall to send the Kansas fans and dugout into a frenzy.
• Both teams had opportunities to score in the first two innings but each left runners stranded.
• Kansas was able to strike offensively in the third inning. Hauge led off the inning with a solo home run to give the Jayhawks a 1-0 lead.
• Oklahoma State (12-11, 1-5 Big 12) responded in the top of the fourth with two runs of their own. An RBI single by Beau Sylvester and a sacrifice fly from Thompson gave the Cowboys a 2-1 lead.
• The Jayhawks had an answer in the bottom of the fourth with three runs, all courtesy of the home run. Francis hit a two-run blast and two batters later Cerda hit a solo homer. That gave Kansas a 4-2 lead.
• KU was able to stretch out the lead in the sixth inning by adding four runs. Brady Counsell drew a bases-loaded walk for the first run of the inning. Barth followed with a two-run double and Francis brought in one more run on an RBI groundout. Kansas led 8-2 after six innings.
• The Cowboys would not go away quietly as Brayden Smith hit a three-run homer in the seventh inning to cut the score to 8-5.
• Ballinger got one of those runs back in the bottom of the seventh on a solo home run to left-center field to make it a 9-5 game.
• Oklahoma State was able to make it a one run game with another three-run homer in the eighth inning. Alex Conover's home run made it 9-8 in favor of Kansas.
• In the ninth, Oklahoma State tied the game at 9-9 on a wild pitch with two outs in the inning.
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PITCHERS OF RECORD
Win: Alex Breckheimer (2-0)
Final line: 3.0 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 2 BB, 1 SO
Loss: Sean Youngerman (0-1)
Final line: 3.1 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 1 BB, 2 SO
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SOCIAL POST OF THE GAME
ÂROCK CHALK WALK OFF!!!!!@sawyer_smith8 hits a 3-run home run in the 11th to give the Jayhawks their fourth walk-off win this season!#RockChalk pic.twitter.com/4PhUdT4890
— Kansas Baseball (@KUBaseball) March 29, 2025
QUOTABLES & NOTABLES
"There's a ton to like and then there's some stuff to fix. We played great for a really good chunk of that game. We give up a three-spot in the seventh and a three-spot in the eighth. We gave a bunch of it up with two outs and they had some really, really clutch at-bats. They are a fantastic offensive team and have a bunch of left-handed bats. You could get one out to left today, I didn't think you could get one out to right until the very end. Incredibly resilient. I'm proud of how he fought. It is incredibly hard to blow a lead a couple times and come back and win and do it the way we just did. I'm incredibly proud of these guys. I love who they are as a team and I love how they compete." – Head Coach Dan Fitzgerald
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"We had second and third so the tying run was on second. [Youngerman] was throwing a lot of fastballs. I tried to get my swing off and just see what happens. I got it good, but I was hoping it went through the wind. It was awesome. So much excitement, joy, just being able to come back and win this game was huge." – Sawyer Smith
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• Kansas has four walk-off victories this season at Hoglund Ballpark (Feb. 27, March 6, March 9, March 29).
• Kansas has hit 59 home runs this season through the first 28 games. The program record for home runs is 75 in 2006 and 2023.
• Kansas has hit multiple home runs in the same inning in nine games this year.
• Hauge hit his team-high 12th home run of the season. He has reached base safely in each of the last 14 games.
• Cerda connected on his fifth home run of the season.
• Francis now has four home runs this year.
• Brooks has reached base safely in 17 consecutive games.Â
• Ballinger belted his ninth home run of the season.
• Smith hit his fifth home run of the season.
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UP NEXT
Kansas and Oklahoma State will play the series finale on Sunday afternoon at Hoglund Ballpark. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m. CT and will be broadcast on ESPN+.
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Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Breckheimer, Alex (2-0)
L: Youngerman, Sean (0-1)
Batting:
2B: Conover, Alex 1 ; Sylvester, Beau 1
HR: Conover, Alex 1 ; Smith, Brayden 1 ; Thompson, Brock 1
RBI: Conover, Alex 3 ; Smith, Brayden 3 ; Sylvester, Beau 1 ; Thompson, Brock 3
SH: Smith, Brayden 1
SF: Thompson, Brock 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Conover, Alex 2 ; Smith, Brayden 1 ; LaSalle, Donovan 1 ; Ritchie, Kollin 1 ; Jones, Jayson 1 ; Sylvester, Beau 1 ; Thompson, Brock 2 ; Shull, Garrett 2
CS: Jones, Jayson 1
Batting:
2B: Koszewski, Mike 1 ; Barth, Tommy 1
HR: Cerda, Derek 1 ; Ballinger, Brady 1 ; Hauge, Jackson 1 ; Francis, Ian 1 ; Smith, Sawyer 1
RBI: Cerda, Derek 1 ; Ballinger, Brady 1 ; Hauge, Jackson 1 ; Counsell, Brady 1 ; Barth, Tommy 2 ; Francis, Ian 3 ; Smith, Sawyer 3
Base Running:
RUNS: Cerda, Derek 1 ; Ballinger, Brady 1 ; Hauge, Jackson 2 ; Osoria, Dariel 1 ; Brooks, Michael 1 ; Counsell, Brady 1 ; Koszewski, Mike 1 ; Barth, Tommy 2 ; Francis, Ian 1 ; Smith, Sawyer 1
SB: Counsell, Brady 1
HBP: Cerda, Derek 1 ; Osoria, Dariel 1 ; Smith, Sawyer 1
Game Leaders
AB
5
R
1
H
2
RBI
3
AB
5
R
1
H
1
RBI
1
AB
5
R
1
H
1
RBI
1
AB
3
R
2
H
1
RBI
1
Players Mentioned
INF
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OF
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RHP
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RHP
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/ Baseball
INF/OF
/ Baseball
C
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OF
/ BaseballINF
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