Just two days after being flummoxed by Wichita State ace Mike Pelfrey and Co. to the tune of just one run on five hits in a 5-1 loss, Kansas University’s baseball team now has an even bigger puzzle to solve.
Enter No. 12 Baylor (22-13 overall, 9-3 Big 12 Conference), which holds a 25-3 all-time series advantage over the Jayhawks (24-14, 3-6).
The three-game weekend series commences at 7 tonight at Hoglund Ballpark, where KU hurler Mike Zagurski will look to reverse the Jayhawks’ early conference-season fortunes that have them in ninth place.
But doing so against the Bears will be no easy task.
“We’ve got to find a way to get over the hump,” KU coach Ritch Price said. “We just need to play well in all three phases of the game.”
That was something KU struggled with against WSU, particularly batting (five hits) and fielding (three errors).
Baylor is in second place in the Big 12 standings, but has the most conference victories of any team. The last time the Jayhawks defeated the Bears was a 4-3 victory in the series opener in 2003. Baylor is coming off of a nonconference loss, too, a 2-0 loss Tuesday night at UT-Arlington. It was only the second time this season that the Bears have been blanked.
To keep pace, KU must find its offensive muscle that was clicking before Wednesday’s trip to Wichita.
It all starts with junior outfielder Gus Milner, who has been clutch of late for the Jayhawks in big-game settings. He was named Big 12 Co-Player of the Week last week after clubbing three home runs and driving in 10 runs in huge victories over Oklahoma and Wichita State.
If KU’s offense is to get back on track this weekend, it will have to be done against some quality starting pitching. All three Baylor starters scheduled for the series have earned-run averages hovering below 4, while only KU’s Sunday starter, Kodiak Quick, can boast such a mark.
KU faced all three of this weekend’s Baylor starters last season. Price said he was most impressed by the team’s combined ERA, which is under 3.
The series will continue Saturday with a 6 p.m. first pitch and conclude with a 1 p.m. game Sunday.
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KU-Baylor game notes