Three one-run games, three pressure situations, three shutdown performances from senior closer Paul Smyth — talk about a confidence boost.

Smyth, who has seen some early struggles this season with three blown saves, showed the ice water that runs through his veins when he silenced the potent bats of the No. 1 Texas Longhorns.

Just two days before, what Smyth said was one of the best moments of his Jayhawk career, struggled in a mid-week save opportunity against San Diego State. He gave up a couple runs and earned the loss in one and a third innings of work. Coach Ritch Price said Smyth’s ability to rebound as well as he did is a testament to the character of the closer.

“Especially when you look at that he’s blown three saves earlier in the season,” Price said, “for him to come back out and hold on to three one-run victories I think speaks volumes about him. I was real proud of how tough he showed he was this weekend.”

Smyth talked earlier in the season about having a short memory after coming off two blown saves in the first weekend. Apparently, that holds true with the good moments too.

“I remember select things, I don’t really remember specific pitches,” Smyth said. “I don’t even remember the first two hitters from today, just the last batter.”

Lee Ridenhour, freshman pitcher, who set the stage for the Jayhawk victory by going six and two-thirds innings with three earned runs in his first weekend start, said that the entire bullpen would take away a confidence boost from the Jayhawks’ sweep.

“It will just give us a boost for everyone,” Ridenhour said. “Blank (junior reliever Travis Blankenship) comes in and gets the lefty-on-lefty, Colton (Murray) comes in and just throws that nasty slider, and it’s just altogether, just a huge team effort.”

Smyth couldn’t have returned to form in a more influential situation for the Jayhawks, who for the first time in the school’s history swept Texas, a perennial baseball powerhouse.

“Every year they’re going to end up in the top three or four in the conference, if not number one,” Smyth said. “So to fend off the losses that people predict against Texas and to come away with three wins, it sets you up to finish top-five in conference.”

— — Edited by Realle Roth