⚾ Six-Run Inning Propels Kansas Over Indiana State

LAWRENCE, Kan. – Kansas (7-6) defeated Indiana State (6-6), 6-1, Friday afternoon at Hoglund Ballpark in the opening game of KU’s first home series of the season.

After being down 1-0 going into the bottom of the fifth inning, the Jayhawks went on a two-out rally, scoring six runs against three Indiana State pitchers.

With James Cosentino up to bat, Indiana State’s Tristan Weaver tossed a wild pitch that brought in Zach Hanna and advanced Blaine Ray to second base.

Cosentino earned a walk and Kansas loaded the bases after Benjamin Sems was hit-by-pitch. Indiana State made a pitching change and brought in Austin Cross. Cross walked Nolan Metcalf to bring in another KU run making the score 2-1.

Freshman Anthony Tulimero singled to second base in the next at bat, plating Sems and Cosentino to make the score 4-1.

Following Tulimero, sophomore Jack Wagner was walked to load the bases yet again, and Indiana State made another pitching change. Indiana States’ Zach Frey gave up a single to junior Skyler Messinger, scoring Tulimero and Metcalf, and extending the Kansas lead to 6-1.

With a five-run advantage, Kansas starter Ryan Cyr continued his work on the mound, pitching into the seventh.

Nathan Barry relieved Cyr with two runners on and one out, and forced the next two Indiana State batters to fly out. Barry pitched the remainder of the game and tallied a strikeout for the final out.

Cyr earned his first win of the season after facing 26 Indiana State batters, while allowing only one run. Tulimero and Messinger each tallied two RBI.

STAT OF THE GAME

Six Runs – Kansas tallied all six runs in the fifth inning, finishing with the second most runs scored in an inning this season. Kansas tallied seven runs in the sixth inning against Ball State Feb. 29 at Fluor Field

MOMENT OF THE GAME

T6 – In the sixth inning, Nathan Barry entered with runners on first and second with only one out and forced Indiana State into a pop fly and a fly out to get Kansas out of the inning.

HOW KANSAS SCORED

B6 – Kansas earned its first runner of the inning on a Zach Hannah single up the middle with two outs. A single by Blaine Ray to left center advanced Hanna to third. Hanna scored on a wild pitch by the Indiana State batter. (KU 1, ISU 1)

B6 – The Jayhawks loaded the bases after a walk by James Cosentino and Benjamin Sems getting hit by a pitch. Indiana State made a pitching change and walked Nolan Metcalf in the next at bat (KU 2, ISU 1)

B6 – Anthony Tulimero placed a hard-hit ball up the middle that was stopped by the Indiana State second baseman that scored Sems and Cosentino (KU 4, ISU 1).

B6 – After a walk by Jack Wagner loaded the bases again, Skyler Messinger laced a single through the left side of the infield, scoring Tulimero and Metcalf. (KU 6, ISU 1)

NOTES

  • Ryan Cyr earns his first win of the year moving his record to 1-2 this season.
  • Kansas’ six runs in the bottom of the fifth marks the second most runs in a single inning this season. The most this season is seven runs, which came in the 6th inning against Ball State on Feb. 29.
  • Blaine Ray earned his first start of the season in center field.
  • Blaine Ray’s two hits this game made for a season high and tied his career high. The last time he had a two hit game was last season against Baylor on March 19.
  • Anthony Tulimero and Skyler Messinger both tied season high RBI, both with two.

UP NEXT

Kansas continues its series with Indiana State Saturday, March 7 at 2 p.m. at Hoglund Ballpark.