Kansas baseball has seen better days.
“We are cold. We’re in a team slump,” coach Bobby Randall said after the Jayhawks’ 6-0 loss to Wichita State on Wednesday night before 975 fans at Hoglund Ballpark.
The Jayhawks (14-19) have dropped eight straight games heading into a weekend series at Texas A&M (21-12).
“We are all tired of losing. There’s only one way to turn it around and that’s to produce to perform,” Randall said after KU’s batters struck out 11 times against two Shocker pitchers, mustering seven singles in 34 at bats.
“We are a little too reluctant to change some things that aren’t working. If it ain’t working, fix it. If it’s broke, fix it. Right now on offense we’ve got too many guys that are broke,” the coach said.
Wichita State senior Erich Bryan, who missed the past two seasons because of shoulder surgery, tied a career high with eight strikeouts in six innings and improved to 3-0.
Last weekend, a pair of University of Texas pitchers set career best strikeout marks in wins over the Jayhawks.
“Erich Bryan is good, but we can’t strike out 10 times a game,” Randall said. “You give him credit. If he strikes out four I feel all right. He strikes out 10, I don’t.”
Bryan is the Shockers’ feel-good story of the season.
“That’s three quality outings in a row,” WSU coach Gene Stephenson said of the senior from Wichita Heights High School. “For him, coming off shoulder surgery and two years of hard rehabilitation … we pull for him so much. He’s a great leader. Now he’s able to lead by example like he wants to.”
Bryan allowed five hits in six innings. His finest moment came when he struck out KU’s Jesse Gremminger with the bases loaded and two outs in the fifth inning, WSU leading, 2-0.
“Every time we had men on base, we struck out,” Randall said of the Jayhawks, who stranded 12 runners.
The Shockers (21-11) had their shutout saved in the ninth inning when center fielder Dustin Hawkins caught a line drive off the bat of Ryan Klocksien. KU ended the game with runners perched on first and second.
“Defensively both teams played well,” Stevenson said.
His Shockers, who returned from a nine-day trip to Hawaii at 11 a.m. Tuesday, have won five straight games and 11 of 14 overall.
“I thought we were more in sync today than in Hawaii,” said Stevenson. “I always worry about our play the day after coming back from a trip like that.”
Jason Appuhn and John Nelson each had two singles for KU. Brandon Green had two hits and two RBIs to lead WSU.
“There are some glitches especially in our hitting,” Nelson said. “We need to work on stuff at practice, get our confidence there and carry it into the games.”
Wichita State 6 – Kansas 0
DPKansas 2. LOBWichita State 8, Kansas 12. 2BErstad, Burgamy, Wright, Owen. SBWalter, Nelson. SHSmarsh.
PBOwen. HBPby Thompson (Owen, by Strann (Smarsh). T2:35. A975. |