Jayhawks make comeback against Bears
Kansas defeats Missouri State 7-6
Coach Ritch Price calls tonight’s win “the weirdest game he has ever been a part of."
By Tyler Passmore (Contact)
Thursday, April 17th, 2008
The border showdown is something Kansas fans cannot get enough of. Wednesday night that rivalry was revived at Hoglund Ballpark. No, the Missouri Tigers were not in town, but the Missouri State Bears (22-12) indeed were.
The Jayhawk faithful showed up with the nice weather and cheap hotdog price, but the Jayhawks found themselves down early in the game. Much like the nice hot dog prices that ran out before the game got started, the Jayhawks found themselves down early.
With runners on third and second in the third inning, sophomore pitcher Shaeffer Hall would surrender two runs on a double by Missouri State’s Ben Carlson. Although two runs crossed the plate, Hall remained poised and got the next batter to end the inning. Down 2 runs early, the Jayhawks found themselves with a problem they were not used to: they could not hit.
The Jayhawks were blanked over the first four innings and only managed one hit. The Jayhawk bats that scored 11 runs and 13 hits the night before were now being silenced by the Bears. A wild pitch from freshman pitcher T.J. Walz would score another in the fourth for the Bears.
The wild pitch would turn out to be costly, as the next two batters would both have RBI singles that would bring the score to 5-0 in the top of the fifth. With the Bear lead surmounting, the Jayhawks finally made some noise in the bottom. After junior Nick Faunce singled, senior right fielder Casey Larson also singled, moving Allman to second. The next batter to the plate was senior catcher Ryne Price, who was hit by the pitch to load the bases.
With the bases loaded, senior left fielder John Allman came through in the clutch and unloaded a 2 RBI single.
“I try to approach every at-bat the same way,” Allman said. “You have to go up there with the same mindset and try to execute.”
The Jayhawks were not done and would capitalize on an error and a fielder’s choice to bring the game within one.
The momentum pendulum swung towards the Jayhawks’ side, as they held the Bears in the top of the sixth and then strike.
In the bottom of the sixth with runners on third and second, Larson came through again with a sacrifice fly that tied the score 5-5. Feeling threatened, the Bears gained the lead back from the Jayhawks. The first batter to the plate in the top of the 7th, Carlson sent a bomb over the right field wall that looked as if it might hit Oliver Hall.
Taking the lead by a run, shortstop Chris Playter would then single. Once on first, Playter advanced to second on a wild pitch and then stole third. The Bears loaded the bases after the next two batters walked and hit. With the bases loaded, the Jayhawks got the fly ball they needed to escape the inning down one.
The game became a see-saw and the Jayhawks and Faunce looked to put an end to it. After a freshman third baseman Tony Thompson single, Faunce hit a shot over the left field wall that put the Jayhawks up 7-6. The blast was the heroics the Jayhawks needed.
“I was just trying to slow the game down and stay on the ball, because it was bigtime and I needed a good swing,” Faunce said. “I tried to show bunt, hoping he would pipe one. I guess it worked out, he threw me a pitch high and tight and I put a good swing on it.”
With the game on the line, junior Paul Smyth took the mound with the hopes of closing the game out. Smyth retired the Bears in order in the ninth and the Jayhawks got a big win.
“That was one of the weirdest games I have ever been a part of,” Coach Ritch Price said.
The Jayhawks increased their winning streak and gained momentum for this weekend’s series against Nebraska. The game starts at 6 p.m. Friday in Lincoln, Neb.
— Edited by Madeline Hyden
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