Friday, May 16, 2008
Kansas had its chances.
The Jayhawks delivered single after single and drew plenty of walks, but couldn't manage many timely hits and fell 5-0 to Kansas State. Wildcat starting pitcher Brad Hutt held the Jayhawks in check, throwing 6 1/3 scoreless innings to help Kansas State into a tie with Kansas for seventh place in the Big 12 Conference.
"This is the only time we've been shut out all season," Kansas coach Ritch Price said. "It's obviously a very disappointing performance offensively. That's what this team does best - we've got to swing the bats tomorrow."
If the Kansas (30-25, 9-16) hitters don't find their groove soon, the team could face a bitter end to an up-and-down season. With two games remaining, the Jayhawks are teetering on the edge of qualifying for the Big 12 Tournament. Kansas is 1 1/2 games ahead of ninth-place Oklahoma, meaning a Kansas sweep at the hands of Kansas State coupled with a Oklahoma surge could put the Jayhawks out of the postseason for the second consecutive season.
The Jayhawks' best chance at breaking through against the Wildcats (25-27, 9-16) came in the eighth inning. Kansas loaded the bases and forced Hutt from the game, but Kansas State reliever Thomas Rooke caught Kansas junior catcher Buck Afenir looking at a low strike three to end the inning. Kansas also flirted with an offensive burst when it put two runners on base with one out. But back-to-back Jayhawk strikeouts put the threat to rest.
"We didn't get timely hitting and we struggled pitching-wise," Kansas senior leftfielder John Allman said. "It's hard to win when you put those together."
Kansas junior starting pitcher Nick Czyz fought his way through five innings, allowing five runs and 13 total baserunners. He yielded the Wildcats' first run on a bases-loaded hit-by-pitch in the second inning, and coughed up two more runs in the third without allowing an extra-base hit. Kansas senior relief pitcher Hiarali Garcia worked four scoreless innings, but the Jayhawk bats couldn't scrape together any offense.
The series moves to Manhattan for Saturday and Sunday's games. Kansas State has won the last five Sunflower Showdown matchups.
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