Sunday’s game shouldn’t have been a surprise to anyone in Hoglund Ballpark. Down one run in the bottom of the ninth, Buck Afenir and Tony Thompson were due up with only one out and the bases loaded.

Afenir, a senior catcher, and Thompson, a sophomore third baseman, did what they’ve done all year for the Jayhawks: they produced.

Kansas (23-12, 7-5) walked off in victorious fashion Sunday, winning 4-3 in extra innings against No. 17 Oklahoma State, completing the Kansas’ first three-game sweep of the Cowboys (21-14, 4-8) since 1993.

Thompson and Afenir collected all four Jayhawk RBIs with Thompson’s second hit of the day bringing home the winning run after Afenir was hit by a pitch to tie the game. But both were quick to give recognition to the top of the order.

The 1-2-3 hitters of junior shortstop David Narodowski, junior second basemen Robby Price, and sophomore outfielder Brian Heere were on base five times in 12 plate appearances and scored three of the four runs.

“They’re amazingly skilled guys up there at the top,” Thompson said. “They’re all fast, they bunt, they can run, they can hit. They get on base and set the table for us.

Not only did Thompson and Afenir collect all the RBIs for Kansas, but they also had four of its nine hits. It’s been a tough stretch in the lineup for opposing pitchers, and not too many can say they’ve escaped without a scratch.

“The top of our lineup’s really tough, those first three guys do a really nice job of working counts, getting on base,” coach Ritch Price said. “We’re 35 games into it and Afenir and Thompson have had great great years.”

Not only was it fitting for Thompson and Buck to have the team on their shoulders, it was fitting for the game to end in dramatic form. Neither the Cowboys nor Jayhawks backed down in what were miserable playing conditions.

On again, off again drizzling rain wet the field and made balls take awkward rolls and bounces. The game was competitive, tough and close throughout with neither team taking more than a one-run lead.

“A lot of guys showed a lot of heart out there,” Afenir said. “Then Tony clutched up in the end. It showed a lot of heart. I was really proud to be a Jayhawk today.”

Unlike the Baylor game from a week ago when the weather and wind produce more home runs than there should have been, the rain and wind Sunday knocked down a lot of balls that were hit hard into the air.

Senior first baseman Preston Land almost made extra innings an afterthought when he crushed a ball to deep left field in the fourth inning, but the combination of rain and wind reduced the play to a simple fly out.

“It was a tough day to play, obviously, with the weather and the way the wind was blowing,” Price said. “I thought we hit three balls right on the button that stayed in the ballpark that I couldn’t believe. The ball Land hit, I don’t know how that thing didn’t get out of the park.”

Kansas now sits tied for fourth in the Big 12. The Jayhawks received votes in the national polls last week, but weren’t ranked.

And just as Thompson’s performance on Sunday should not have been a surprise, he thinks everyone watching this team shouldn’t be surprised when looking at the standings. Just like Thompson, the Jayhawks have been successful all season.

“I think we have an awesome team this year, and we can go out and compete with anyone out there and we’ve shown that,” he said. “I think we’re going to do it for the rest of the year too.”

— — Edited by Liz Schubauer