Offenses explode in Game one against Oklahoma
Kansas outlasted Oklahoma 17-15 in the highest scoring conference game since 1998 for the Jayhawks.
By Shawn Shroyer (Contact)
Saturday, May 3rd, 2008
The stiff winds blowing out to left field Friday night at Hoglund Ballpark assured that there would be no shortage of runs scored between the Jayhawks and Sooners.
The two schools combined for three home runs, but Oklahoma came just feet short of extending the game with the fourth home run of the game. Kansas lead 17-15 in the top of the ninth with two out and one on for first baseman Aaron Baker. Baker sent a shot to deep left-center field – a shot that had been landing on the other side of the fence all night – but the wind let up just enough for junior center fielder Nick Faunce to camp out under it and record the final out of the game.
With the victory, Kansas (27-22, 6-13) took game one of its weekend series with Oklahoma (29-18, 6-12-1) and coach Ritch Price won his 200th game at Kansas. Price’s historic victory was certainly one of the most climactic of Price’s Kansas career. In combining for 32 runs the Jayhawks and Sooners traded leads four times. Oklahoma held leads of two, six, five and four runs and never trailed from the bottom of the fifth to the top of the eighth, but a six-run eighth inning for Kansas decided the game.
Both teams used a total of nine pitchers and every one of them gave up at least one run. Kansas junior left-hander Nick Czyz started the game, but exited after 4 1/3 innings, having allowed six runs on five hits and five walks. Right-hander Andrew Doyle started for Oklahoma and lasted four innings, allowing five runs on six hits and four walks. Neither pitcher figured in the decision.
Junior reliever Paul Smyth (4-4) got the victory, holding Oklahoma to one run in 1 2/3 innings, while right-hander Michael Rocha (3-3) got the loss, surrendering four runs in 1/3 of an inning.
Scoring Summary
Bottom 2: Kansas utilized two hits a walk and an error to score the first runs of the game and take an early, 2-0 lead.
Top 4: After three scoreless innings Czyz fell apart in the fourth. The Sooners sent all nine batters to the dish and plated four runs on a grand slam from left fielder Spencer Selby. Czyz surrendered four hits and two walks in the inning as Oklahoma pulled ahead, 4-2.
Bottom 4: Kansas retook the lead, 5-4, with a three-run inning, capitalizing on three hits, a walk, an error and a sacrifice fly.
Top 5: Czyz was pulled after walking the second batter of the inning, throwing a wild pitch and hitting the third batter of the inning. Sophomore right-hander Brett Bollman entered in relief of Czyz and, after recording the second out of the inning, he coughed up a single that loaded the bases and walked in Oklahoma’s first run of the inning. A fielding error by senior shortstop Erik Morrison allowed the Sooners to assume a 6-5 lead. Oklahoma tacked on five more runs in the inning as senior right-hander Hiarali Garcia had to enter the game to get Kansas out of the inning.
Bottom 5: The Jayhawks got back into the game with a two-run home run from freshman third baseman Tony Thompson that cut the deficit to 11-7. It was Thompson’s fourth home run of the season.
Top 6: A leadoff walk for the Sooners helped extend their lead to 12-7. Just after Baker led the inning off with a walk, catcher J.T. Wise doubled to left field, driving in Baker.
Bottom 7: Oklahoma right-hander Chase Anderson allowed Kansas’ first two batters to reach, setting up freshman designated hitter Jimmy Waters to blast his third home run of the season to center field. The three-run round tripper brought Kansas to within two runs, 12-10. Thompson followed with a singled and scored on a triple by senior center fielder Casey Larson to cut the deficit to one.
Top 8: With the bases loaded shortstop Matt Harughty cleared the bags with a shallow pop-up to right-center that he legged out for a double.
Bottom 8: Kansas sent nine batters to the plate for the first time in the game in the bottom of the eighth, undoing all of Oklahoma’s efforts in the top of the inning. With four hits, two walks and a hit by pitch, Kansas pulled ahead, 17-15. Junior catcher Buck Afenir singled to center field to drive in the 16th and 17th runs of the game.
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