After the series victory at Oklahoma, coach Ritch Price expressed his relief that his team still controlled its own postseason destiny.

The Jayhawks no longer have that luxury.

This weekend, the weather and Kansas State teamed up to sweep Kansas (22-28, 8-15 Big 12 Conference) for the first time this conference season. K-State took game one in Manhattan on Friday and again in Lawrence on Saturday. When Sunday’s chance at redemption was rained out, not only did the Jayhawks fall into the conference cellar, they also were forced to take a sweep based on technicality.

“I’ve been really proud of the fact that we haven’t been swept all year,” coach Price said on Saturday. “It’s the first time in the five years I’ve been here. We’ve played the top six teams in the league and have managed to avoid doing that. I certainly didn’t expect that to happen this weekend.”

Kansas plays host to Nebraska May 18-20 in the last Big 12 Conference series. The Jayhawks no longer completely determine their return to the tournament they won one year ago.

Oklahoma (28-19, 8-12) and Baylor (26-21, 8-13) sit in the final two tournament spots as of Sunday. Although Texas Tech (26-21, 7-13) has one less conference victory, the Red Raiders still hold the tie-breaker advantage over Kansas. Only the Sooners would give the Jayhawks an advantage in a tie-breaking situation.

All Kansas can do is wait as Tech and Oklahoma play each other and K-State and Baylor play. Nebraska takes on Baylor next weekend while Oklahoma State and Tech play. In the meantime, Chicago State will be in Lawrence to play a Jayhawk squad pulling hard for Nebraska and Oklahoma State.

Making the tournament would have been nearly in the bag, had the Jayhawks’ weekend gone in an opposite direction.

The one-run lead Kansas carried into the eighth on Friday was a sharp contrast to the show the in-state rivals put on Saturday afternoon for the hometown crowd and the nationwide Fox Sports Net viewers.

Sophomore lefty Nick Czyz (3-7) failed to finish the first inning for the first time this season. Czyz recorded only two outs before being lifted for junior Zach Ashwood. In less than an inning of work, Czyz surrendered four runs on two hits and two walks, throwing more balls than strikes in the outing.

The 4-0 lead K-State jumped out to in the 31-minute first frame before Kansas countered with a little first inning offense of its own.

“I was actually really pleased that we had just an awful first inning, I don’t know if it was the jitters of being on TV for some of the younger guys for the first time — obviously Nick really struggled,” Price said. “But to come right back and score two gave us a chance to get back in the baseball game.”

What started as a quick inning for Wildcat starter Trevor Hurley ended with the Jayhawks cutting their deficit in half. Junior left fielder John Allman got the two-out rally started with a single to left. Junior Erik Morrison did the same and sophomore catcher Buck Afenir scored them both with a double to the right field wall.

An error in the third allowed the K-State to stretch its lead to 5-2. Again, Kansas countered.

“This team battles,” Afenir said. “We’re not afraid of being down a few runs.”

Junior right fielder Brock Simpson beat out an infield hit and stole second to put him in position to score on a pair of Wildcat mishaps in the bottom of the fourth.

In the fifth, the Jayhawks looked to be reclaiming the momentum swing, chasing Hurley from the game. Senior center fielder Kyle Murphy doubled down the left field line to kick things off and scored by way of a Morrison RBI single, bringing Kansas within one.

“If you’re going to walk as many guys as we did, and hit guys to set the table — I was pleased with the fact that we were down one in the seventh with the chance to tie, because it seemed like we were in trouble every single inning,” Price said.

Sophomore closer Paul Smyth entered in the seventh and gave up a pair of runs in the eighth. A leadoff walk and the third Kansas error of the day put outfielders Byron Wiley and Derek Bunker on base.

Shortstop Eli Rumler followed with a sharp ground ball past the diving glove of junior second baseman Ryne Price to plate both and once again extend the lead 7-4.

The eighth was too much for Kansas to counter. Despite leaving 10 less runners on than K-State, Kansas collected just one base runner on one hit in the eighth and ninth innings combined.

“It’s tough to stay positive and stay confident all the time,” Afenir said. “Coach Price keeps us in it, we try to keep it as positive and stay as confident as we can—just look to the next day.”

Kansan sportswriter Alissa Bauer can be contacted at abauer@kansan.com.

— Edited by Katie Sullivan