It helps when one of your biggest fans is two spots behind you in the batting order.
Kansas University baseball freshman Matt Baty — the younger brother of junior first baseman Ryan Baty — gave the Jayhawks a big-time spark Tuesday, going 4-for-5 from the leadoff spot in KU’s 11-2 rout of Baker University at Hoglund Ballpark.
Tuesday’s victory snapped KU’s three-game slide and gave fans — and big brother — a glimpse of one of KU’s promising young players.
“I’ve never played with him growing up,” Ryan Baty said. “He’s impressed me a lot. I like the way he plays the game.”
With good reason. Little brother reached base all five times he came to the plate Tuesday. He stole three bases, scored three runs and bumped his batting average to .429 (15-of-35).
Big brother, meanwhile, went 1-for-3 with two RBIs, giving him 29 RBIs to
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complement his .395 batting average.
Two Batys in the lineup paid off Tuesday, and coach Ritch Price noticed.
“Matt Baty is going to be a really good player for us,” Price said. “I play him every opportunity I get. This weekend, you’re going to see him in the lineup for the first time against a quality opponent.”
Kansas committed three errors Tuesday — two in the third inning that led to Baker’s only two runs. But the Jayhawks scored in each of the first five innings, so the outcome wasn’t in doubt.
Matt Baty was in the center of the run-scoring frenzy, stealing a base and scoring a run in the first, driving in two with a single in the second and stealing another base in the fourth after reaching on an error.
Junior catcher Jake Kauzlarich went 2-for-3 with a two-run home run for Kansas (21-9). Junior Josh Duran (3-2) pitched two innings of relief, striking out six and earning the victory.
The Jayhawks return to Big 12 Conference action at home Friday against Oklahoma State, hoping to fare better than last weekend. The Jayhawks suffered a three-game sweep at Missouri to kick off Big 12 play, dropping KU of the Top 25 in the major polls.
Despite Baker’s NAIA status, Tuesday’s victory came with a load of importance for a team needing to taste victory.
“It was a tough weekend, but we’re going to bounce back,” Matt Baty said. “We’re not going to quit. Not for three losses.”
Kansas 11, Baker 2
Baker 002 000 000 — 2 5 2
Kansas 132 210 20X — 11 14 3
W– Josh Duran (3-2). L — Nate Jahn.
HR: Jake Kauzlarich (2), KU.
KU highlights: Matt Baty 4-for-5, 3 R, 3 SB (5); Kauzlarich 2-for-3, 2 R, 2 RBI; Kevin Wheeler 3-for-5, 2 RBI.