CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – The Kansas Jayhawks fell to the Valparaiso Beacons 11-3 on Saturday afternoon at Whataburger Field in the second game of a three-game series. The Jayhawks, who plated all three of their runs in the ninth, will have a chance to win the series in Sunday’s finale.
PITCHERS OF RECORD
Win: Connor Lockwood (1-0)
Final line: 7.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 6 SO
Loss: Sam Ireland (0-1)
Final line: 5.2 IP, 4 H, 3 R, 2 BB, 6 SO
HOW IT HAPPENED
• Valparaiso started the fifth inning with back-to-back singles by Alex Thurston and Kade Reinertson. A sacrifice bunt moved them to second and third with one out. Kaleb Hannahs then hit a sacrifice fly to center field to give the Beacons a 1-0 lead.
• After Ireland retired the first two batters in the sixth, the Beacons scored four runs on a pair of home runs. Jake Skrine hit a solo home run to left field off Ireland. A single forced Ireland out of the game.
• Junior Thaniel Trumper came in to replace Ireland. Trumper allowed a walk before a three-run homer off the bat of Reinertson to make the score 5-0 in favor of Valparaiso.
• The Beacons went on to add six more runs in the eighth inning push the score to 11-0.
• Kansas scored three runs in the ninth inning. Two of the runs came on a throwing error that went out of play and the other on a bases-loaded walk drawn by freshman Kodey Shojinaga.
PLAYER OF THE GAME
Connor Lockwood: Valparaiso’s Lockwood tossed seven scoreless innings for the Beacons. He only allowed two hits and struck out six while not allowing a walk.
NUMBER OF THE GAME
7: Kansas used seven pitchers on Saturday afternoon. Five of those pitchers (Ireland, Trumper, Hunter Cashero, JJ Tylicki, Andrew Dennis) made their debut in a Kansas uniform.
NOTES
• Kansas was held to only five hits.
• Junior pitcher Andrew Dennis recorded three strikeouts in 1.1 innings pitched. He made his Jayhawks debut after transferring from Johnson County Community College.
• Shojinaga recorded his first career hit and drove in his first career RBI.
• Freshman Jackson Kline reached base in his first career plate appearance by drawing a walk.
• Redshirt junior Jake Baker hit his second career double in the ninth inning. His last double came on Feb. 20, 2020 at Charleston Southern.
UP NEXT
Kansas will play the rubber match against Valparaiso on Sunday at 12 p.m. CT. Redshirt junior pitcher Hunter Cranton is set to start on the mound for the Jayhawks.
