⚾️ Two-Game Series Against Texas Southern; Buck O’Neil Classic Set for this Week

Texas Southern (21-12, 7-5 SWAC) vs. Kansas (15-15, 5-4 Big 12)
When April 11-12
Where Tuesday: Kansas City, Kan. // Legends Field
Wednesday: Lawrence, Kan. // Hoglund Ballpark
Watch Tuesday | Wednesday
Radio 101.7 FM/1320 AM + Jayhawk Sports Network
Live Stats Tuesday | Wednesday
Game Notes Kansas | Texas Southern | Big 12
Tickets Purchase Tickets
Social Media @KUBaseball | @kubaseball | Facebook

 

Probable Starting Pitchers
Day Kansas Texas Southern
Tue. 6 p.m. CT RHP Karter Muck (0-1, 11.37 ERA) LHP Cade Fontenot (0-1, 8.53 ERA)
Wed. 3 p.m. CT TBA TBA


LAWRENCE, Kan. –
Winners of seven of their last eight games, the Kansas Jayhawks are set to play the Texas Southern Tigers on Tuesday and Wednesday this week. Tuesday’s game will be the second Buck O’Neil Classic at Legends Field in Kansas City at 6 p.m. CT. Wednesday’s contest will be at Hoglund Ballpark at 3 p.m. CT.

Fans can purchase tickets for the season by contacting the Kansas ticket office at 785-864-3141 or by visiting the ticketing page here.

Kansas (15-15, 5-4 Big 12) is coming off of back-to-back Big 12 series wins for the first time since 2017. The Jayhawks swept Baylor at home and followed that up by winning two out of three games against West Virginia in Morgantown this past weekend. The series win in Morgantown marked the first conference series win on the road since 2018 and only the second series win all-time at West Virginia, following 2015.

The Jayhawks are 5-4 through the first nine conference games this season. That is the best start in Big 12 play for Kansas since the 2014 conference season (5-4). The five victories are also more than the 2022 conference season total (4).

Kansas will return to Hoglund Ballpark on Wednesday where it boasts a 6-0 record at home this season. That is the best start at home since KU began the 2009 home campaign with a record of 14-0.

Senior Cole Elvis has been a leader on and off the field all season for Kansas. The Vacaville, California, native was named Big 12 Newcomer of the Week on Monday. Elvis slashed .353/.476/.882 (6-for-17) with three home runs, six RBIs, four runs and four walks in four games last week.

Elvis hit a home run in each of the three games at West Virginia, marking the first time in his career he has homered in three consecutive games. Elvis has also hit a home run in each of the last five conference games, making him the only player in the league to homer in five straight conference games this season. He is hitting .389/.463/.917 (14-for-36) with four doubles, five home runs, 14 RBIs, 11 runs and five walks in nine Big 12 games this season.

Freshman Kodey Shojinaga is also swinging a hot bat as of late with an eight-game hitting streak that has raised his batting average from .311 to .375. That .375 average leads the team and is the fourth highest in the Big 12. Meanwhile, Shojinaga has a .441 batting average in conference games this season.

Kansas and Texas Southern have met 17 times with KU holding a 16-1 advantage. Last season, Kansas played Texas Southern in the inaugural Buck O’Neil Classic and had a comeback 7-6 victory. Then, the following day the Jayhawks won 16-5 in seven innings to complete a two-game series sweep of the Tigers.

Texas Southern (21-12, 7-5 SWAC) has won three of its last four games with double-digit runs in each of those victories. Daalen Adderley has paced the Tigers offense this season with a .444 batting average that includes 52 hits on the season.

UNIFORMS
Kansas and Texas Southern will both be wearing uniforms styled after Negro League teams. Kansas will wear its uniforms designed after the Kansas City Monarchs, while Texas Southern will wear replica uniforms of the Homestead Grays. The entire Kansas baseball team will also have a No. 22 patch on their jerseys to honor O’Neil who wore No. 22.

PROMOTION
Replica jersey rally towels will be given to the first 500 fans who enter the gates of Legends Field.

CEREMONIAL FIRST PITCH
President of the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum, Bob Kendrick will throw out the ceremonial first pitch prior to the start of the game.

HOW TO FOLLOW ALONG
Tuesday and Wednesday’s games will be broadcast on Big 12 Now on ESPN+, with Brian Hanni (play-by-play) and Kevin Wheeler (analyst) on the call. Fans can also listen to the game on KLWN (101.7 FM/1320 AM) and the Jayhawk Sports Network on KUAthletics.com and the Kansas Jayhawks app, with Derek Johnson and Gus Baylow calling the action.

Live statistics can be found here, while live updates will also be provided on the team’s official Twitter page @KUBaseball.

UP NEXT
Kansas will host Kansas State this weekend in a three-game series at Hoglund Ballpark. First pitch of Friday night’s game is scheduled for 6 p.m. CT.