The Kansas baseball team picked up a huuuuuuge [Game 1 victory at Kansas State on Friday night,][1] riding the strong pitching of senior ace Ben Krauth to victory.
Junior catcher Michael Tinsley managed one hit in four official at-bats and helped the KU offense do just enough to bring home the victory.
The win improved KU to 6-12 in Big 12 play and dropped the Wildcats to 6-13, giving Kansas a half-game lead in the race for the final spot in the Big 12 tournament later this month.
KU now has five conference games remaining in the regular season and one match-up with Wichita State, giving Tinsley six more guaranteed games to finish at or above .400.
We won’t be there for all of Tinsley’s at-bats, but we will track his chase for .400 in this blog right here, as he attempts to become the first Jayhawk since Joe DeMarco in 1997 (.439) to finish a season above .400 and just the seventh Jayhawk to accomplish the feat since 1971.
Let’s take a look…
Updated Batting Average: .399
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**Name:** Michael Tinsley
**Year:** Junior
**Position:** Catcher
**Measurables:** 6-foot, 194 pounds
**Bats:** Left
**Throws:** Right
**Multi-hit games:** 25
**Most recent outing:** 1-for-4 in 4-1 road win at K-State on Friday, May 13.
**Details:** KU’s red-hot catcher stepped into the box five times in the victory over K-State and hit the ball hard three times but managed just one hit. As is expected when a player is swinging the bat as well as Tinsley has been, he was intentionally walked in the 7th inning, a move that helped produce a two-run 7th for the Jayhawks that padded their lead to 4-1. His lone hit came in the fifth when he singled through the right side on a 1-2 count to drive in Joe Moroney.
**Up next:** Game 2 of the Sunflower Showdown, 6:30 p.m. tonight at Kansas State.
[1]: http://www2.kusports.com/news/2016/may/14/kansas-baseball-claims-opener-ksu/
