That includes A.J. Van Slyke, who started chatting with Mike Zagurski in the Kansas University dugout in the bottom of the sixth inning Friday — while Zagurski was throwing a no-hitter against Northern Colorado.

After the junior left-hander struck out John Ray and walked Craig Troxwell to open the seventh, UNC pinch-hitter Chad Clark blooped a single to left field.

“It’s kind of no-no rule for no-hitters, but I didn’t know he had it going,” Van Slyke said after the Jayhawks rolled, 11-1, at Hoglund Ballpark. “I wasn’t paying attention.”

Neither was the man of the hour.

Jared Soares/Journal-World Photo

“To be honest, I didn’t even really notice it until the fifth inning,” Zagurski said. “I don’t think it was that big of a deal.”

It was enough to merit loud applause from the Hoglund Ballpark fans after Clark’s single.

Zagurski (3-0) finished with a career-high 13 strikeouts — and that one hit allowed — in seven innings. He eclipsed his previous personal best of 11 strikeouts set a week ago against South Dakota State.

“I knew I had a handful,” Zagurski said. “That’s something I expect every time, maybe not to that big of an extreme. Every time I go out there I expect to have a quality start and a chance to win it.”

KU coach Ritch Price has noticed improvement from Zagurski.

“The first six hitters of the game, he had strike one on them,” Price said. “He needs to pitch with his fastball and he needs to be aggressive with his fastball. I think that’s the difference between now and a year ago, where a year ago he would elevate the ball out of the zone and get in trouble. Now, he’s pitching the ball down and with command.”

Added Van Slyke: “He went out there and just hit his spots. I don’t think he threw a ball in the first three innings. He was just mowing them down.”

Van Slyke made up for his dugout gaffe with a two-out grand slam to right field as part of five-run eighth inning. It was the first grand slam hit by KU since catcher Sean Richardson hit one against Texas last year.

Van Slyke, a right fielder, wasn’t sure he got enough of the ball for his first home run of the year. He did, barely.

“The wind kind of drifts out that way, so if you hit up in the air sometimes you have a chance,” Van Slyke said. “It just happened to go out. I asked the scoreboard guy and he said it went out by three inches.”

Junior Jared Schweitzer also belted a solo shot — his first of the year as well — in the fifth inning.

Friday marked the first time the Jayhawks (11-3) posted two home runs in a game this season.

“I had no idea,” Schweitzer said. “We do have power, but I don’t know if we’re a home-run-hitting team. I think we’re more of a gap-to-gap doubles type of team.”

UNC’s only run came after a solo home run by Ray in the ninth inning off Don Czyz.

KU’s only weakness Friday was defense, as shortstop Ritchie Price committed one fielding and one throwing error. The junior currently has seven errors this season. He had 13 all of last year.

“He’s better than that,” Ritch Price said. “He’s one of the best players in the country, and I need him to play like it too.”

Kansas will close out its series with Northern Colorado (0-7) with a doubleheader at noon today. Clint Schambach (2-1) and Sean Land (1-1) are slated to pitch for KU.