Completed Event: Baseball at Oklahoma State on April 17, 2026 , Loss , 2, to, 13 , (8 inn.)
Final
Baseball
2
at Oklahoma State
(8 inn.)
13
Friday, April 24
Manhattan, Kan.
6 p.m. CT
University of Kansas
31-11, 15-4
18
at
6
Kansas State
26-16, 9-10
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | Runs R | Hits H | Errors E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kansas | 5 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 18 | 17 | 3 |
| Kansas State | 0 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 12 | 4 |
No. 16 Kansas Takes Series Opener at Kansas State with 18-6 Victory
4/24/2026 11:23:00 PM | Baseball
MANHATTAN, Kan. – No. 16 Kansas Baseball won the opening game of the Dillons Sunflower Showdown with an 18-6 run-rule victory on Friday night at Tointon Family Stadium. The Jayhawks have now won 15 of their last 16 games.
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Kansas improved to 31-11 overall this season and 15-4 in conference play. KU has at least 15 wins in conference play in three consecutive seasons for the first time in school history. Kansas sits in first place in the Big 12 standings with a 2.5 game lead.
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Offensively, Kansas matched its season high with 18 runs, with nine of them coming in the first two innings to build a 9-0 lead. Dariel Osoria had a monster game in which he went 4-for-4 and tied his career highs of six RBIs, four hits, four runs and two doubles to go along with a home run and a walk. Josh Dykhoff and Brady Ballinger also had three-hit performances. Cade Baldridge and Dykhoff each homered in the win.
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HOW IT HAPPENED
• Kansas sprinted out to a five-run lead in the top of the first inning. After a leadoff single, Baldridge turned on a pitch and sent it the opposite way to left field for a two-run homer. Following a fielding error that would have ended the inning, the Jayhawks capitalized with three more runs. With two outs, Osoria hit a two-run single and Dykhoff delivered an RBI double. That gave Kansas a 5-0 advantage early.
• The Jayhawks poured on four more runs in the second inning. Brady Ballinger had an RBI single and a second run came in on the same play on a throwing error. Then, Tyson Owens delivered an RBI single and Osoria came up with an RBI double. Kansas led 9-0 midway through the second.
• Kansas State (26-16, 9-10 Big 12) scored three runs in the bottom of the second on two RBI singles and a throwing error.
• KU added two more runs in the top of the third on a two-out, two-run double by Ballinger. That made it an 11-3 ballgame.
• The Wildcats got one of those runs back on a Dee Kennedy RBI double in the bottom of the third.
• The Jayhawks stretched their lead again in the fourth inning on a Dylan Schlotterback RBI double and a Jordan Bach RBI single. Kansas led 13-4 in the middle of the fourth.
• Kansas State scored two runs of its own in the fifth on a Shintaro Inoue two-run homer. Through five innings, KU had a 13-6 advantage.
• Osoria smashed a home run to lead off the sixth inning. The homer brought the Kansas lead back to 14-6.
• In the seventh inning, Kansas piled on four more runs to put the game in run rule territory. Osoria hit a two-run double and Dykhoff hit a mammoth two-run homer to seal the game in seven innings.
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PITCHERS OF RECORD
Win: Mason Cook (3-1)
Final line: 4.2 IP, 8 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 8 SO (career high)
Loss: James Guyette (5-2)
Final line: 2.0 IP, 8 H, 9 R, 5 ER, 2 BB, 5 SO
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SOCIAL POST OF THE GAME
QUOTABLES & NOTABLES
"We knew they'd fight back. It's a Big 12 series against a really good K-State team. Every weekend in our league is a grind. It was nice to jump out to the lead. We knew full well that they were going to throw back some punches at some point. I just liked that our guys responded every time they did. Every time they scored, we came back and scored the next inning, which is just how this game has to be played sometimes. Obviously, the offense carried us tonight. I thought (Mason Cook) did a fantastic job of settling it down in the middle and then Toby closing it out. Proud of the effort and proud of the win." – Head Coach Dan Fitzgerald
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"I was just really trying to go up there and put up some good swings. I was trying to get the pitch and put bat to ball." – Dariel Osoria
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It feels good, but our mindset is just go out there and compete. Obviously, everybody is going to look at it as a rivalry game, but we're just trying to go out there and do the best we can. Continue to play our best game." – Dariel Osoria
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• Kansas improved to 31-11 overall this season and 15-4 in Big 12 play. Fifteen of the 31 victories have come on the road.
• Kansas has at least 15 conference wins in three consecutive seasons for the first time in school history.
• Kansas has won 15 of the last 16 games and 21 of its last 24 contests.
• Kansas is now 15-2 in its last 17 Big 12 games.
• Kansas pushed its record to 25-0 when leading after six innings this season.
• Kansas has a 25-6 record this season when hitting at least one home run in a game.
• Kansas matched its season high with 18 runs (March 15 at Texas Tech).
• The 18 runs scored by Kansas were the most on the road at Kansas State since May 22, 2004 (19 runs).
• Kansas had a season-high-tying nine extra base hits.
• Kansas has won each of the last five games against Kansas State and six of the last seven.
• Osoria matched his career high of six RBIs (May 3, 2025 vs. Cincinnati), four hits (third time), four runs (March 15, 2026 at Texas Tech) and two doubles (April 13, 2025 at TCU). He finished 4-for-4 with two doubles, a home run, six RBIs, four runs scored and a walk. He was a triple shy of the cycle. The home run was his sixth of the year.
• Baldridge hit his seventh home run of the season. He finished with two hits and leads the team with 19 multi-hit games this year.
• Cook recorded a new career-high eight strikeouts. He earned his third win of the season.
• Dykhoff launched his ninth homer of the year. He matched his season highs of three hits and three RBIs.
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UP NEXT
Kansas and Kansas State will play the second game of the series on Saturday afternoon. First pitch is now scheduled for 2 p.m. CT due to the potential of inclement weather developing in Manhattan. The game will be broadcast on ESPN+.
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Kansas improved to 31-11 overall this season and 15-4 in conference play. KU has at least 15 wins in conference play in three consecutive seasons for the first time in school history. Kansas sits in first place in the Big 12 standings with a 2.5 game lead.
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Offensively, Kansas matched its season high with 18 runs, with nine of them coming in the first two innings to build a 9-0 lead. Dariel Osoria had a monster game in which he went 4-for-4 and tied his career highs of six RBIs, four hits, four runs and two doubles to go along with a home run and a walk. Josh Dykhoff and Brady Ballinger also had three-hit performances. Cade Baldridge and Dykhoff each homered in the win.
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HOW IT HAPPENED
• Kansas sprinted out to a five-run lead in the top of the first inning. After a leadoff single, Baldridge turned on a pitch and sent it the opposite way to left field for a two-run homer. Following a fielding error that would have ended the inning, the Jayhawks capitalized with three more runs. With two outs, Osoria hit a two-run single and Dykhoff delivered an RBI double. That gave Kansas a 5-0 advantage early.
• The Jayhawks poured on four more runs in the second inning. Brady Ballinger had an RBI single and a second run came in on the same play on a throwing error. Then, Tyson Owens delivered an RBI single and Osoria came up with an RBI double. Kansas led 9-0 midway through the second.
• Kansas State (26-16, 9-10 Big 12) scored three runs in the bottom of the second on two RBI singles and a throwing error.
• KU added two more runs in the top of the third on a two-out, two-run double by Ballinger. That made it an 11-3 ballgame.
• The Wildcats got one of those runs back on a Dee Kennedy RBI double in the bottom of the third.
• The Jayhawks stretched their lead again in the fourth inning on a Dylan Schlotterback RBI double and a Jordan Bach RBI single. Kansas led 13-4 in the middle of the fourth.
• Kansas State scored two runs of its own in the fifth on a Shintaro Inoue two-run homer. Through five innings, KU had a 13-6 advantage.
• Osoria smashed a home run to lead off the sixth inning. The homer brought the Kansas lead back to 14-6.
• In the seventh inning, Kansas piled on four more runs to put the game in run rule territory. Osoria hit a two-run double and Dykhoff hit a mammoth two-run homer to seal the game in seven innings.
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PITCHERS OF RECORD
Win: Mason Cook (3-1)
Final line: 4.2 IP, 8 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 8 SO (career high)
Loss: James Guyette (5-2)
Final line: 2.0 IP, 8 H, 9 R, 5 ER, 2 BB, 5 SO
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SOCIAL POST OF THE GAME
ÂDariel now has 6 RBI tonight!
— Kansas Baseball (@KUBaseball) April 25, 2026
A 2-run double by @DarielOsoria_23 extends the lead. pic.twitter.com/7Qd7PmXjzy
QUOTABLES & NOTABLES
"We knew they'd fight back. It's a Big 12 series against a really good K-State team. Every weekend in our league is a grind. It was nice to jump out to the lead. We knew full well that they were going to throw back some punches at some point. I just liked that our guys responded every time they did. Every time they scored, we came back and scored the next inning, which is just how this game has to be played sometimes. Obviously, the offense carried us tonight. I thought (Mason Cook) did a fantastic job of settling it down in the middle and then Toby closing it out. Proud of the effort and proud of the win." – Head Coach Dan Fitzgerald
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"I was just really trying to go up there and put up some good swings. I was trying to get the pitch and put bat to ball." – Dariel Osoria
Â
It feels good, but our mindset is just go out there and compete. Obviously, everybody is going to look at it as a rivalry game, but we're just trying to go out there and do the best we can. Continue to play our best game." – Dariel Osoria
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• Kansas improved to 31-11 overall this season and 15-4 in Big 12 play. Fifteen of the 31 victories have come on the road.
• Kansas has at least 15 conference wins in three consecutive seasons for the first time in school history.
• Kansas has won 15 of the last 16 games and 21 of its last 24 contests.
• Kansas is now 15-2 in its last 17 Big 12 games.
• Kansas pushed its record to 25-0 when leading after six innings this season.
• Kansas has a 25-6 record this season when hitting at least one home run in a game.
• Kansas matched its season high with 18 runs (March 15 at Texas Tech).
• The 18 runs scored by Kansas were the most on the road at Kansas State since May 22, 2004 (19 runs).
• Kansas had a season-high-tying nine extra base hits.
• Kansas has won each of the last five games against Kansas State and six of the last seven.
• Osoria matched his career high of six RBIs (May 3, 2025 vs. Cincinnati), four hits (third time), four runs (March 15, 2026 at Texas Tech) and two doubles (April 13, 2025 at TCU). He finished 4-for-4 with two doubles, a home run, six RBIs, four runs scored and a walk. He was a triple shy of the cycle. The home run was his sixth of the year.
• Baldridge hit his seventh home run of the season. He finished with two hits and leads the team with 19 multi-hit games this year.
• Cook recorded a new career-high eight strikeouts. He earned his third win of the season.
• Dykhoff launched his ninth homer of the year. He matched his season highs of three hits and three RBIs.
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UP NEXT
Kansas and Kansas State will play the second game of the series on Saturday afternoon. First pitch is now scheduled for 2 p.m. CT due to the potential of inclement weather developing in Manhattan. The game will be broadcast on ESPN+.
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Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Cook, Mason (3-1)
L: Guyette, James (5-2)
Batting:
2B: Ballinger, Brady 1 ; Osoria, Dariel 2 ; Schlotterback, Dylan 1 ; Baldridge, Cade 1 ; Dykhoff, Josh 1
HR: Osoria, Dariel 1 ; Baldridge, Cade 1 ; Dykhoff, Josh 1
RBI: Ballinger, Brady 3 ; Osoria, Dariel 6 ; Owens, Tyson 1 ; Schlotterback, Dylan 1 ; Baldridge, Cade 2 ; Dykhoff, Josh 3 ; Bach, Jordan 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Ballinger, Brady 2 ; Osoria, Dariel 4 ; LeBlanc, Tyson 1 ; Owens, Tyson 3 ; Schlotterback, Dylan 1 ; Baldridge, Cade 3 ; Dykhoff, Josh 1 ; Mungarrieta, Augusto 1 ; Bach, Jordan 2
HBP: Schlotterback, Dylan 1
Batting:
2B: Kennedy, Dee 1 ; Inoue, Shintaro 1 ; Gallagher, Grant 2
HR: Inoue, Shintaro 1
RBI: Kennedy, Dee 1 ; Madliak, Bear 1 ; Inoue, Shintaro 3
Base Running:
RUNS: Karl, Cadyn 1 ; Inoue, Shintaro 2 ; Gallagher, Grant 3
HBP: Evasco, AJ 1 ; English, Nick 1
Game Leaders
AB
4
R
4
H
4
RBI
6
AB
4
R
2
H
3
RBI
3
AB
5
R
1
H
3
RBI
3
AB
5
R
3
H
2
RBI
1
Players Mentioned
OF/C
/ Baseball
INF/OF
/ BaseballINF/OF
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball1B/RHP
/ BaseballINF
/ BaseballOF/C
/ Baseball
INF
/ BaseballBaseball Media Availability
Wednesday, April 22
Postgame Media Availability vs. #20 Nebraska
Tuesday, April 21
Baseball Highlights vs. #20 Nebraska
Tuesday, April 21
Hawk Talk with Dan Fitzgerald
Tuesday, April 21