Kansas University’s baseball team split a pair of games in the Jayhawk Spring Showcase on Sunday at Hoglund Ballpark.
After getting shut down by Michigan’s pitching Saturday, the Jayhawks pulled out a come-from-behind 6-5 victory over the Wolverines in their first game Sunday.
“That first game was a joy,” KU coach Bobby Randall said. “It was a real joy to come back and win it like that and have so many clutch things happen at the end of the game. To give up a lead and come right back and get it against a quality team, that was really fun.”
The Jayhawks (12-11) were held to three hits by Bobby Korecky on Saturday and collected just six safeties Sunday, but scored runs five of their six runs on plays other than hits.
KU scored on a fielder’s choice, a groundout, a passed ball, a wild pitch and a game-winning sacrifice fly by Doug Dreher.
Down 4-2 entering the eighth, Michigan rallied for a run and added two in the ninth. KU tied the game in its final at-bat, though, on a double by Jason Appuhn.
After John Nelson was hit by a pitch and Casey Spanish reached on a fielder’s choice, Dreher flied out to left on the first pitch, plating Appuhn.
“I was just trying to get a fly ball,” Dreher said. “I knew that’s all I had to do. My teammates ahead of me did the rest. I had the easy part.”
Randy Strann earned his first win of the season in relief for the Jayhawks, retiring the final two Michigan batters, then started the second game against Eastern Michigan.
“He’d just thrown, and I knew I was going to have to piece the second game together,” Randall said. “We didn’t really have anybody. It was just piecing it together. I knew we were going to hit one of those games this week.”
Strann was routed early, giving up six runs in two innings, but KU scored three runs in the first two innings on a sacrifice flies by Spanish and Nelson and a single by Matt Tribble.
Trailing 9-4 after seven innings, KU nearly earned it’s second straight come-from-behind win, scoring four runs in the seventh and eighth innings.
“I thought we were going to come back and win another one,” Randall said.
Casey Spanish singled to lead off the bottom of the seventh inning and scored on a wild pitch two batters later.
After Eric Thompson shut down the Eagles in the top of the eighth, KU pulled to within one run with two outs.
Tribble singled through the right side, Appuhn then with a single to right and Nelson followed with a home run to center field.
Eastern Michigan brought in reliever Ross Winiemko, though, who shut down the Jayhawks the rest of the game, striking out two in 11/3 innings.
“I thought we had way too many bad at-bats throughout the game,” Randall said. “Too many fly balls. Too many routine outs where we couldn’t create anything.”
Nelson finished 3-of-4 with four RBIs and two runs scored against the Eagles.
Pete Smart will start KU’s final game of the tournament today against Eastern Michigan. Play begins at 1 p.m. at Hoglund Ballpark.
