Kansas University’s baseball squad threw its freshmen at North Dakota State University – and it almost came back to bite the Jayhawks in an 8-5 victory Wednesday at Hoglund Ballpark.
Freshman starter Nick Czyz stifled the Bison for five innings, giving up no runs on one hit and striking out nine to pick up his first win of the season.
“He’s a high-profile guy for us, and you could see why he’s not pitching very much on the weekends – he still struggles with his command,” KU coach Ritch Price said. “He’s an important part of our future, but if we could get his command to improve, he’s got as good of stuff as anybody on our team.”
But at the start of the sixth, Price turned to the youth of his bullpen, and NDSU took advantage.
KU freshman lefty Ryan Anthony gave up three runs in the seventh, red-shirt freshman Carter Holt was tagged with one in the eighth, and senior Trey Randa was scored on once in the ninth.
“That’s a team you’ve got to – it’s kind of sad to say – kind of got to really get on them early and hold them down and pretty much pound them – don’t let up on them – and we didn’t bring enough energy and was just kind of lackadaisical,” sophomore third baseman Erik Morrison said.
Another freshman – Paul Smyth – closed the book on the Bison with two straight strikeouts to pick up the save.
Land celebrated his 19th birthday with a 2-for-3 outing .
Morrison was able to celebrate, too, as he broke out of an 0-for-10 slump when he hit his team-leading ninth home run in the fourth.