The Jayhawks role players’ performances have been lost in the midst of Kansas’ subpar season.

“I’ve tried to identify what the strengths of those players are and put them in the situations where they can succeed,” Kansas coach Ritch Price said. “In the five years I’ve been here, it’s been the most productive our bench has been.”

In its series with Texas Tech (23-17, 7-10) alone, Kansas (20-25, 6-12) had a handful of bench players step up in place of the team’s everyday starters.

On Sunday, junior Casey Larson got his first start at first base because health issues kept sophomore first baseman Preston Land from making the trip. Larson went 1-for-2 with an RBI in Kansas’ three-run sixth that helped salvage the series.

On Saturday, junior infielder Matt Berner was thrown into the starting lineup because junior shortstop Erik Morrison was ejected following Friday’s game and couldn’t play in game two. Berner went 1-for-3 with a double and scored Kansas’ only run of the game.

But performances such as these are nothing new for the Jayhawks.

Players like sophomore Nick Faunce and junior Eric Snowden haven’t played much this season, with only one start between them, but when Price has called their numbers, Snowden and Faunce have been invaluable.

“Nick Faunce is one of the best teammates and role players I’ve had in the five years I’ve been here. He knows what his roles are, he’s into the game the whole time and he’s not complaining about not getting to start,” Price said. “Eric barely played his first three years and now he’s been pinch hitting for us at crucial times.”

Faunce has predominantly been a pinch runner and defensive specialist for Kansas, but one of the highlights of his season came in the final game of the Missouri series.

After junior right fielder Brock Simpson failed to run out an infield pop-up in the first inning, Price replaced him with Faunce.

“It was good that it was that early in the game because I was still warm from the warm-ups and I still had my heart rate going,” Faunce said.

Faunce went 1-for-4 in the game and his single in the fifth drove in two of Kansas’ nine runs.

Snowden, on the other hand, has been Kansas’ top pinch hitter — a role that suits him just fine. He’s excelled, batting .370 this season with a home run and seven RBI.

“I like getting into the game in pressure situations. It’s a rush,” Snowden said.

In the first game of a double header with Northern Colorado, Snowden had a Roy Hobbs moment, hitting a game-winning home run in the sixth at Price’s request.

“Coach Price told me to get in the game and put one up in the air for him, and I just put a good swing on a ball and put it out,” Snowden said. “There’s no better feeling than to come into the game as a pinch hitter and get the job done.”

With fewer and fewer games left to qualify for the Big 12 Tournament, Kansas will depend on these role players to reach postseason play.

“They say your team’s really defined by your pinch hitters,” Faunce said. “If they’re successful, your team can have a better opportunity to win.”

Kansan sportswriter Shawn Shroyer can be contacted at sshroyer@kansan.com.

— Edited by Lisa Tilson