While lighting interrupted the Jayhawks this weekend, it wasn’t the only flash of power showcased at Hoglund Ballpark.

Kansas (7-3) returned to the form of former Jayhawk teams and crushed six home runs in route to a three-game sweep of Northwestern (2-9).

“I guess we finally got some good swings on the ball,” Tony Thompson said. “We got some guys busting out, hitting some balls really hard, so I was pretty happy with the way we swung this weekend.”

The sophomore third basemen contributed two long balls. He also continued his hitting streak dating back to last season, which stands at 19 games now.

In addition to the power surge, this weekend also featured an unusual comeback, a weather delay, and a noteworthy home run won with speed and a little luck.

Kansas 9,
Northwestern 8

Zac Elgie knew the hits would come, but it’s hard to imagine he could have dreamt that they’d come out of a better situation.

After his first career hit, a single to left field in the bottom of the seventh, the freshman first baseman came back to the plate in the bottom of the eighth. He stared down a four-run deficit, two outs and loaded bases.

He hit another single to left, cutting the lead to three runs and continued a rally that secured the Jayhawks their first comeback victory of the season.

“Like they say, when hits come, they come in bunches,” Elgie said of the rally. “When you’re in a hitting count, hopefully you put a good swing on the ball. And that inning we seemed to do that.”

Elgie might have just been a little excited afterward because in actuality, his single was the only hit of the inning. It was a strange comeback that saw runs scored on a walk, a throwing error and a wild pitch.

“Usually it (comebacks) starts with a couple of walks and then somebody makes a defensive mistake. Then you go bingo-bango once the floodgates open,” coach Ritch Price said. “But it ended up being a great come-from-behind win.”

Unfortunately the comeback was not able to reward Shaeffer Hall’s performance. The junior left-hander went seven innings and gave up five runs, but only one was earned.

“He deserved to get a win,” Price said. “Of all our guys today he pitched better than anybody we went out there today. We have to play defense behind him.”

Kansas 7,
Northwestern 3

In the back end of a double-header, the Jayhawks decided to take the drama out of the game early in a most unconventional way.

Junior Robby Price isn’t known for his exceptional power, which is why it’s fitting that he had to work for his first home run in the bottom of the second. His inside-the-park home run gave Kansas an early 2-0 lead and it never looked back.

“I died around third (base),” Price said laughing. “That was a little too far of a run for me.”

As with any inside-the-park home run, a little luck is necessary to make it all the way to home plate. The Wildcat left fielder made a diving stab at Price’s sinking ball, and came up just short as it careened towards the visitor bullpen wall. By the time the Wildcats recovered to make a throw to home, Price was already sliding in.

“I just couldn’t believe how far the ball kicked away,” coach Ritch Price said. “When he (Robby) got half way to third, I thought he had it.”

It appeared that the early two-run lead would be sufficient for sophomore starter T.J. Walz’s confidence. Topping out his fastball at 90 mph and combining it with his breaking ball, Walz impressed by striking out five in a row. He totaled six strikeouts through four and a third innings.

The wheels came off, though, during the fifth, which saw the Wildcats strike back with five consecutive singles to score two runs and keep the game within reach.

A couple of insurance runs in the seventh made the ending less compelling. But Ritch Price said he hoped Walz could maintain his best stuff throughout an entire game.

“He threw 31 pitches in the (fifth) inning so rather than go seven he goes five,” he said. “Those are the things that we’re still trying to get him over the hump with because he has too good of stuff to have as few wins as he has right now.”

Kansas 10,
Northwestern 1

As much as mother nature tried to prevent Kansas from completing the series sweep, the Jayhawks proved to be resilient against the weather.

After the rain and lightning caused the intended Saturday night game to be finished on a Sunday afternoon, the Jayhawks did everything but pack the Wildcats’ bags themselves.

Tony Thompson resumed his delayed at-bat in the bottom of the third with a shot into left-center field that scored two runs and opened the floodgates for the Jayhawk offense.

“Thompson lasered it up the gap,” coach Ritch Price said. “From that point, I don’t think there was any pressure on at all. Everybody was just relaxed and swung the bat.”

The Jayhawks scored five runs in those first two innings resumed from Saturday night. Along with the double, Thompson hit a home run, the second of back-to-back long balls.

Senior catcher Buck Afenir hit the first long ball. He said it’s never easy to contribute just after a postponement because of weather.

“It was pretty awkward,” he said. “On rainy days you don’t know when you’re going to play, so it’s up and down and you can’t really get into the mental mindset.”

Freshman pitcher Lee Ridenhour was able to take over after junior Cameron Selik started on Saturday. He pitched three effective innings without giving up any runs.

“Definitely just getting used to it,” Ridenhour said of his comfort level. “I know I struck out more guys today than I had all year.”

— — Edited by Sonya English