Kansas fell to Baylor in its series finale by a score of 9-7 on Sunday afternoon at Hoglund Ballpark. Right-handed pitcher Manning West started the game for the Jayhawks and posted a final line of 4IP, 2H, 2ER, 6BB, 7K and 89 pitches (47 strikes).
“I thought early, Manning did a nice job of, [he] threw some really good cutters and some really good changeups,” Kansas head coach Dan Fitzgerlad said after the game. “His stuff moves so late, you know seven punchouts over four [innings], the problem is six walks to go with it.”
Kansas struck first when Baylor’s starter, freshman LHP Carson Bailey, started to labor in the bottom of the third inning. A single from Ian Francis with one out was followed by another single from Derek Cerda.
Next, Brady Ballinger grounded out softly to advance them to second and third. Back-to-back walks were then issued by Bailey to Jackson Hauge and Dairel Osoria before Brady Counsell cleared the bases with a grand slam over the left center field wall.
“I think Jackson Hauge and Dariel had some good at-bats in front of me and then I just built off that,” Counsell said. “[Their pitcher] threw a couple good pitches but I got one to hit with two strikes and put a good swing on it.”
Baylor struck back in the top of the fourth. They collected their first hit when senior outfielder Ty Johnson hit a double off the center field wall. They got their first run the very next batter when senior catcher Cortlan Castle singled to left and scored sophomore infielder Travis Sanders, who walked earlier in the inning. The Bears got another run the very next batter when senior infielder Tyriq Kemp grounded out to second and scored Castle from third.
Baylor got two more in the top of the 5th when the Bears got to Jayhawks reliever Alex Breckheimer. Breckheimer got the first out before a double off the wall and a walk put runners on first and second. A wild pitch moved the Baylor runners over before Travis Sanders hit one over Cerda’s head in center for a double that scored both.
But Baylor wasn’t done that inning. They piled on with another RBI double, this time plating two off the bat of Tyriq Kemp before sophomore infielder Jack Little brought Kemp home on a single, extending the Baylor lead to 7-5 after five innings.
Kansas pulled back even over the next two innings. The bottom frame of the fifth started when Derek Cerda deposited the first pitch over the right-center field wall and Tommy Barth walked before a Michael Brooks double scored him in the bottom of the sixth.
The seventh went by silently before Baylor lit up the scoreboard once more in the eighth. The Bears began the eighth frame with four consecutive singles, leading to two more runs and giving them a 9-7 lead.
Kansas went silently in the eighth and Baylor brought in senior closer Gabe Craig for the ninth, who struck out all three Jayhawk batters.
Kansas now heads to Arizona for a game on Tuesday against the Arizona Wildcats before spending the weekend in Tempe taking on the Arizona State Sun Devils. Tuesday’s game is set for an 8 p.m first pitch. It will be streamed live on ESPN+ and can be heard on the Jayhawk Sports Network.
