Kansas University’s Pete Smart earned a bit of revenge Sunday against Nebraska.
Smart, a senior pitcher from Omaha, Neb., held the No. 3-ranked Cornhuskers to three runs through seven innings and the Jayhawk offense did the rest in a stunning 12-3 victory at Hoglund Ballpark.
“To be honest, it was kind of a big deal,” Smart said of facing the Huskers. “They recruited me but I’ve never been a Husker fan. They beat me up pretty good last year so it was a little revenge.”
Smart struck out six batters and allowed six hits on the way to his second victory over a ranked opponent. He defeated then-No. 12 Oklahoma State, 6-4, on March 3.
KU (17-26 overall, 5-19 Big 12) staked Smart to a 6-0 lead, scoring three runs in both the first and second innings.
“I think we had a pretty good plan against their starting pitcher,” KU third baseman Ryan Klocksien said. “We came ready to play today.”
Jesse Gremminger, whose 17-game hitting streak ended in Saturday’s 5-2 loss to NU, opened the floodgates with an RBI on a fielder’s choice in the first, and Matt Van Alsburg drove in two Jayhawks with a two-out single.
In the second inning, Klocksien doubled home Jason Appuhn and later scored on an error by second baseman Josh Hesse. Gremminger, who reached on the error, stole home on the front end of a double steal for KU’s third run.
“Those six runs in those first two innings were big,” KU coach Bobby Randall said, “and the way the wind was blowing (in from right-center field), it wasn’t going to be an offensive day.”
Leading 7-1, Smart ran into a jam in the seventh inning by walking the bases loaded with one out but forced a fly ball to left fielder Matt Tribble and struck out Jed Morris to end the threat.
KU scored five runs in the bottom of the seventh to put the game out of reach.
Jeff Davis relieved Smart to begin the inning after Nebraska (34-9, 15-4) scored two runs in the seventh and shut out the Huskers for the final two innings
“Pete, the emotion of it, being from Nebraska, kind of got to him in the sixth and seventh,” Randall said. “He was thinking about winning the game rather than pitching the game and ran out of pitches and then Jeff Davis came in and did a marvelous job.”
Every KU starter had at least one hit. Klocksien finished 3-for-5 with an RBI and three runs scored, and Appuhn went 3-for-4 with an RBI and two runs.
KU’s win ended Nebraska’s nine-game winning streak, and was the Jayhawks’ first victory against a top-three team since defeating Wichita State in 1993.
“They fought their behind off today and they played their behind off,” Randall said. “I was proud of our team today. I think the perception is that we’re not necessarily a very good team and that’s the wrong perception.”
The Jayhawks will face Baker at 6 p.m. Tuesday at Hoglund Ballpark.
