Jayhawks defeat Baker 11-6
Batting, pitching key in Tuesday’s victory
The Jayhawks stormed to a 9-0 lead during the first six innings. Baker fought back with six runs in the last three innings, but it wasn’t enough.
By Tyler Passmore (Contact)
Wednesday, April 16th, 2008
The Jayhawk bats lit up the Hoglund Ballpark scoreboard Tuesday night against Baker and the Jayhawks did so with a team effort. The Jayhawks shut out the Wildcats in the top half of the first inning and set the stage for things to come. The Jayhawks would also set the tone in the bottom.
Photo by Jon Goering
Senior outfielder John Allman slides to get around a tag at home plate. The Hawks improved to 23-16 overall with the victory.
In the bottom of the first, senior right fielder Ryne Price hit a double to right field that scored freshman outfielder Brian Heere. The Hawks would continue to do damage with the next batter to the plate.
Senior shortstop Erik Morrison hit a sacrifice fly that scored senior left fielder John Allman.
The Jayhawks would end the inning with two runs. The Jayhawks had 21 different batters come to the plate and scattered 13 hits for 11 runs. Staying consistent, the Jayhawks would go on to score two in the third, four in the fourth and one in the fifth.
Ryne Price went 3-3 with two doubles and increased his batting average to an impressive .338.
“I thought last weekend was the worst I have swung all year.” Price said. “I felt good again today, so hopefully I can continue it through Missouri State and Nebraska this weekend.”
While the Jayhawks hit the ball well Tuesday night, they also got a solid pitching performance from a number of Jayhawks. The Jayhawks started the game with six shutout innings and never allowed the Wildcats to get into the game. Senior Hiarali Garcia started the game and threw three innings, allowing no runs and only two hits. Garcia earned his second win of the year and raised his record to 2-0 on the season.
The Jayhawks ran a number of pitchers out from the bullpen after that, with good innings from freshman Brett Bochy and junior Daniel Manos.
The Wildcats fought back against a 9-0 KU lead right before the seventh-inning stretch with timely hitting and costly errors. The leadoff batter, senior first baseman Aaron Westerhouse, led off with a single through the left side and would later score.
With two outs in the inning, senior Dusty Griffin delivered a single up the middle that would score two more runs. With three runs in the inning already, the Wildcats got three more runs off an error to left field and would put six runs on the board to finish the inning.
“In baseball, sometimes these things happen,” senior Matt Berner said. “Having the young guys in there, you just have to get through it. Thankfully everything worked out.”
The Jayhawks would add two more runs in the bottom of the eighth, which would end up being enough. The Jayhawks earned their fourth win in a row with the 11-6 victory.
—Edited by Russell Davies
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