Round Rock, Texas ? Third baseman Ryan Klocksien’s two-run double highlighted a five-run fifth inning that carried Kansas to a 9-3 win over Southwest Texas State on Saturday in the Express Classic baseball tournament.
With the score knotted at 1, KU exploded in the fifth off Bobcats’ starter Manuel Olivera. After Klocksien’s two-run double, catcher Brent DelChiaro stroked an RBI single. Later, two more runs scored on a throwing error by relief pitcher Murray Holden.
In the sixth, shortstop John Nelson tripled off the right-centerfield wall and scored on a Casey Spanish single to highlight a three-run frame.
Klocksien, DelChiaro, first baseman Justin Davis and rightfielder Jesse Gremminger all had two RBIs for the Jayhawks who boosted their tourney record to 2-0. KU will play UNC-Charlotte at noon today for the tourney title.
Junior college transfer Justin Wilcher allowed six singles in six innings to pick up his first victory for Kansas. Wilcher is a 6-foot-2 left-hander from Denton, Texas.
Southwest Texas scored two runs in the eighth off reliever Eric Thompson, but Sam Gish came in to post the final five outs.
“We did some nice things for about eight innings today,” Kansas coach Bobby Randall said. “I thought we kept our composure throughout the game and battled all day long.”
Right-hander Jeff Wright, a Baldwin native and transfer from Allen County CC who red-shirted last season, will make his first start for the Jayhawks today against UNCC.
