KU baseball clips Dartmouth

By Bobby Nightengale     Mar 23, 2014

John Young
Kansas junior Connor McKay slides in for a run past Dartmouth catcher Adam Gauthier during Kansas' second game of a three game series against Dartmouth, Saturday at Hoglund Ballpark.

Kansas University’s baseball team struggled to score runs during its recent road trips. Home, sweet home has changed all of that.

For the second straight day, the Jayhawks pounded Dartmouth pitching, and junior Dakota Smith powered the middle of the order.

Smith drilled a grand slam in the sixth inning, his first home run of the season, to help lead the Jayhawks to an 11-7 victory over Dartmouth on Saturday afternoon at Hoglund Ballpark. Senior Tucker Tharp followed Smith’s grand slam with a solo home run, giving KU its first back-to-back home runs since March 8, 2009.

“I’ve been putting some good swings on the ball. Everybody has,” said Smith, who went 2-for-5 with a career-high five RBIs after going 3-for-5 with three RBIs on Friday. “I think this weekend, everybody is starting to get the base hits that they needed, so it’s a good thing.”

KU picked up 31 hits and scored 24 runs over the past two games. Trailing by one run in the sixth, Aaron Hernandez and Colby Wright both hit singles before junior Michael Suiter drilled a double to score Hernandez and tie the game. Two batters later, Smith smashed an elevated fastball over the right-center wall with a little help from strong winds.

“He’s the best fastball hitter on our team, so it was good to see him up and get a ball elevated and take advantage of the conditions,” KU coach Ritch Price said.

The Big Green (2-9) led 4-1 until the Jayhawks (16-7) scored three runs on four hits in the bottom of the third inning. Junior Blair Beck tied the game with a two-out, two-run single.

“It’s nice to see us getting two-out RBIs,” Price said. “That’s the biggest stat in the game. We were unbelievable the first four weeks (of the season) with that. It’s nice to see guys having quality at-bats with runners in scoring position.”

In the fourth, Beck made a diving catch on an attempted bunt after Dartmouth put its first two batters on base. Following a strikeout, the 5-foot-11 first baseman made a diving stop to his right on a sharply hit ground ball that would have scored a run if it had gone into the outfield.

“Beck’s been awesome,” Price said. “He’s been absolutely special.”

Suiter, who went 4-for-5, drove in junior Justin Protacio, who drew a leadoff walk, with a double in the seventh inning.

“If (Suiter) doesn’t hit, we’re not going to score,” Price said. “Your three-hole hitter has to be productive. He’s had two really good days in a row, and he’s got his average up over .350 now (.358). He makes our whole offense go.”

Suiter, who went 4-for-20 (.200) on the last two road trips, added: “I think it’s just being home, being relaxed a little bit. Just getting back in my comfort zone. I think that’s helped a lot with our bats.”

The Jayhawks will go for the three-game sweep in the series finale at 10 a.m. today.

Dartmouth 040 010 200 — 7 7 1

Kansas 103 006 10x — 11 12 3

W — Drew Morovick, 4-1. L — Beau Sulser, 1-2.

2B — Matt MacDowell, Dartmouth; Michael Suiter (2), KU. HR — Joe Purritano, Dartmouth; Dakota Smith, Tucker Tharp, KU.

KU highlights — Suiter, 4-for-5, 2 runs, 2 RBI; Smith, 2-for-4, 5 RBI; Blair Beck, 1-for-3, 2 RBI; Connor McKay, 1-for-2, 3 walks, 2 runs.

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