Oh, the top of that Kansas University baseball batting order “
John Nelson, Doug Dreher and Ryan Klocksien combined for nine hits in 14 at-bats on Friday night.
| TEXAS TECH | ab | r | h | bi | |
| Scott Holzhauer ss | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | |
| Shaun Larkin 2b | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | |
| Marco Cunningham cf | 4 | 1 | 3 | 2 | |
| Chaz Eiguren dh | 4 | 1 | 2 | 3 | |
| Jason Rainey lf | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
| Cory Sellars rf | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |
| Mark Austry 1b | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
| Trey Lunsford c | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
| Eric McLamore 3b | 5 | 2 | 1 | 0 | |
| Totals | 37 | 9 | 13 | 7 | |
| KANSAS | ab | r | h | bi | |
| John Nelson ss | 5 | 1 | 4 | 0 | |
| Doug Dreher cf | 5 | 1 | 2 | 1 | |
| Ryan Klocksien 3b | 4 | 2 | 3 | 1 | |
| Shane Wedd 1b | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
| Jesse Gremminger rf | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
| Kevin Wheeler dh | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Brent Del Chiaro c | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Brandon O’Neal ph | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Matt Oakes c | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Duane Thompson 2b | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Brandon Smith ph | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Casey Spanish 2b | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
| Brett Kappelmann lf | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Brian Hoefer lf | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Totals | 38 | 4 | 12 | 3 |
| Texas Tech | 220 | 002 | 021-9 | ||
| Kansas | 201 | 010 | 000-4 |
The remainder of the Jayhawks were a combined 3-for-24, however, as Texas Tech snapped a 4-4 tie in the sixth inning and cruised to a 9-4 Big 12 win at Hoglund Ballpark.
“We needed a couple of more guys to step up,” said third baseman Klocksien, who homered, singled twice and flied out to the center-field warning track for the final out. “It’s a crazy game, though. It could be just the opposite tomorrow.”
Nelson, the Jayhawks’ shortstop and leadoff hitter, had four hits — including a pair of ringing doubles off the left-field fence — and has eight hits in his last nine at-bats.
“I am seeing the ball better,” said Nelson, who has boosted his batting average over the .300 mark in the last week.
Echoed coach Bobby Randall: “John has really got things straightened out.”
Randall wished he could have said the same about Friday night’s starting pitcher, Pete Smart. The 6-foot-7 left-hander struggled early with his control — he walked four and hit two batters — and was finally hooked after surrendering two trolley-wire singles to start the sixth.
“I shouldn’t have sent Pete back out,” Randall said. “He fought his heart out for five innings, but he didn’t have his stuff tonight. Pete can pitch tons better than that, but I have confidence in him. I have too much confidence in him.”
Jeff Davis relieved and the score didn’t remain 4-4 for long. Marco Cunningham’s ground single plated a run and, minutes later, Davis balked in another run.
Texas Tech nursed that 6-4 lead until designated hitter Chaz Eiguren drilled a Davis change-up over the left-field fence with a runner on in the eighth.
Meanwhile, Kansas couldn’t solve Texas Tech southpaw reliever Blake McGinley. The Jayhawks scored four runs off starter J.J. Newman, then McGinley pitched a scoreless 4 1/3 to pick up his fourth victory without a loss.
“He threw a lot of off-speed stuff,” Klocksien said. “Coming in after the right-hander who threw hard, it was a good mixture for them.”
Neither Tech pitcher had any trouble with the lower end of the Kansas order. From No. 6 to No. 9, the Jayhawks managed just one hit — a ringing double down the left-field line by replacement second baseman Casey Spanish in the ninth.
Randall used three pinch-hitters in those lower slots and they, too, were unsuccessful.
“I was just trying to find somebody to get a good competitive at-bat,” Randall said. “We’ve got to get more out of the bottom of the lineup.”
Kansas slipped to 7-15 in the Big 12 and 21-22 overall. Texas Tech is 14-8 and 26-18.
Game Two of the series is scheduled for 2 p.m. today. The finale is slated for 1 p.m. on Sunday.
