Kansas Drops Season Opener 7-4 at UTRGV

Friday, February 13

Edinburg, Texas

6:30 p.m. CT

University of Kansas

0-1

UTRGV

1-0

Kansas

UTRGV

Kansas Drops Season Opener 7-4 at UTRGV

2/13/2026 11:11:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score Box Score (PDF)Season Stats

EDINBURG, Texas – Kansas baseball began the 2026 season with a leadoff home run, but the Jayhawks would ultimately fall 7-4 to UTRGV on opening day at UTRGV Baseball Stadium. Jordan Bach, a graduate transfer from SIU-Carbondale, provided the early theatre with the homer and finished the night 4-for-5 with a double, home run, two RBIs and two runs scored in his Jayhawks debut.

Junior Dominic Voegele started the game and struck out eight, but he was lifted from the game after three innings and five earned runs. Mason Cook and Kannon Carr followed Voegele in relief. Cook allowed two runs in 1.1 innings, while Carr pitched 3.2 scoreless innings and recorded six strikeouts.

HOW IT HAPPENED
• Kansas (0-1) began the game in dramatic fashion. On the second pitch, Bach sent a ball to left field that cleared the fence to give the Jayhawks a 1-0 lead.
• Voegele followed that up in the bottom of the first inning by striking out the side.
• The Jayhawks added to their lead in the top of the second inning. With runners on first and third, Bach tapped a ball towards the third baseman and beat the throw for an RBI infield single. That made it a 2-0 Kansas advantage.
• UTRGV (1-0) went on to take the lead in the bottom of the second. After loading the bases, the Vaqueros scored four runs on three bases loaded walks and a hit by pitch. That gave UTRGV a 4-2 lead.
• The Vaqueros stretched their lead in the third on a solo homer by Thomas Williams.
• Kansas cut into the deficit with a two-out rally in the fourth. Bach hit a double and Brady Ballinger brought in Bach with an RBI double. Augusto Mungarrietta, a junior transfer from Northwest Florida State College, followed with an infield single that forced a throwing error to allow Ballinger to score. That made it a 5-4 ballgame.
• UTRGV was able to stretch its lead back to three runs in the bottom of the fifth. Armani Raygoza hit a solo homer to lead off the inning and Williams lined an RBI double down the left field line. At the end of five innings, UTRGV led 7-4.
• There would be no more scoring the rest of the way. Carr pitched the next three frames and kept UTRGV off the board, but UTRGV's Harrison Thayer tossed five scoreless innings and kept the Jayhawks hitters off balance for the latter part of the game.

PITCHERS OF RECORD
Win: Harrison Thayer (1-0)
Final line: 5.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 3 SO
Loss: Dominic Voegele (0-1)
Final line: 3.0 IP, 3 H, 5 R, 4 BB, 8 SO

SOCIAL POST OF THE GAME

START YOUR OPENING DAY BETTER THAN THIS ?? pic.twitter.com/VAHy7pARXm
— Kansas Baseball (@KUBaseball) February 14, 2026

QUOTABLES & NOTABLES
"It was a very competitive game with a great environment and great crowd. UTRGV is a really, really good program and has a really nice team. There is a lot of stuff that that we're going to learn from and a lot of stuff they're going to learn from. That is why you play in these environments early to challenge yourself and find the things that need to change. We certainly found some tonight. We'll get back to the hotel, watch the film and make adjustments for tomorrow." – Head Coach Dan Fitzgerald

• Kansas moved to 21-9 in season openers since joining the Big 12 Conference prior to the start of the 1997 season, including 2-2 under Fitzgerald.
• Kansas had seven players make their Jayhawks debut.
• Eight of the 10 hits for Kansas came in the first four innings of the game.
• The first three hitters in the lineup (Bach, Ballinger, Mungarrieta) provided eight of the 10 hits for Kansas.
• Bach hit his first home run of the season to leadoff the game and finished the night 4-for-5 with a double, home run, two RBIs and two runs scored.
• Carr tossed 3.2 scoreless innings of relief.

UP NEXT
Kansas and UTRGV will play the second game of the series on Saturday at UTRGV Baseball Stadium. First pitch is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. CT and the game will be broadcast on ESPN+.