Kansas baseball secured a series win over Texas Tech with an 11-2 win over the Red Raiders in Hoglund Ballpark on Saturday. The Jayhawks bounced back from an early deficit to extend their winning streak to five games. Kansas, winners of nine of its last 10, is looking to push itself back into NCAA Tournament contention.
“The guys really love each other, they really love playing together, and they’re super competitive,” head coach Dan Fitzgerald said of the team’s recent play. “A lot of those things are a good formula.”
Freshman right-hander Dominic Voegele took the mound for the Jayhawks and turned in his seventh quality start of the season. Voegele tossed six innings of two-run ball, allowing three hits and three walks while striking out five. The freshman was composed after a long second inning, allowing just two baserunners for the remainder of his start.
“I think, you know, in the third, he really round his stuff,” Fitzgerald said. “His velo ticked up and then he was able to get us through six and did a fantastic job. Again, [he’s] really mature, a very, very mature freshman pitcher.”
Junior right-hander Kyle Robinson got the start for Texas Tech. Robinson allowed seven hits and eight runs in 4.2 innings of work.
It was a balanced effort offensively, with six different Jayhawks picking up RBI. Kansas was aggressive on the base paths, stealing three bases and taking extra bases on hits when given the opportunity.
“I love stealing bases, it’s just you have to steal them at such a high clip to have it impact your offense,” Fitzgerald said. “Our offense is all about taking what we’re given and sometime it’s wide open to steal a base.”
Kansas Junior outfielder Chase Jans led the way with four RBI, including a two-run home run in the eighth, his first of the season.
“He crushed the home run, so proud of that guy,” Fitzgerald said. “This hasn’t been the easiest year in the world for him, but that sucker hasn’t quit. He just keeps grinding through it.”
The Jayhawks also flashed the leather, with Jans making a pair of nice snags. Jans flew into the wall down the left-field line to bring in a foul ball and also made a diving grab. Redshirt junior outfielder Mike Koszewski made a diving catch of his own, helping out the Kansas arms who retired 14 flyball outs.
“I knew anything that way I was gonna have a chance, really any fly ball was gonna hang up for quite a while,” Jans said. “I didn’t see the wall, but yeah,” he said with a smile.
Texas Tech took an early lead following a scoreless first inning. Freshman first baseman Landon Stripling led off the second with a double. After a walk, freshman designated hitter Davis Rivers hit a two-RBI double down the left-field line. Voegele avoided major damage as the wind saved what could have been a three-run home run from junior right fielder Gavin Kash.
Redshirt senior shortstop Collier Cranford got the wheels rolling for Kansas in the second. Cranford reached on an infield single, stole second, and then advanced to third on an errant pickoff attempt. Senior designated hitter Lenny Ashby made it 2-1, bringing home Cranford with an RBI ground out.
Voegele rebounded in the third, retiring the Red Raiders in order and striking out two.
Kansas responded, taking the lead in the bottom frame. Senior outfielder John Nett put things in motion, walking and stealing second, his second swiped bag of the afternoon. Senior catcher Jake English lofted a single into no man’s land, then sophomore infielder Kodey Shojinaga chopped an infield single that the third baseman couldn’t get a full glove on, bringing home Nett to tie the game.
Junior first baseman Ben Hartl’s heroics against Texas Tech continued, clearing the bases with a two-RBI double to give the Jayhawks a 4-2 lead. Hartl went 4-for-5 against the Red Raiders on Friday, including a home run and the game-winning hit.
Voegele continued to settle in, striking out the first two in the top of the fourth before a major highlight-reel grab from Jans. Jans leaped into the wall on the left-field line, turning a would-be foul ball into an inning-ending catch.
“He’s been on SportsCenter 100 times already, and I can’t fathom that he’s not going to be on with that one,” Fitzgerald said. “That was one of the greatest catches I’ve ever seen in real time.”
After another 1-2-3 inning from Voegele, Kansas kickstarted a five-run two-out rally to extend its lead. Shojinaga singled, Hartl was struck by a pitch, and freshman infielder Ty Wisdom hit an RBI single to score Shojinaga.
Cranford loaded the bases with a walk, leading Texas Tech to replace Robinson with sophomore left-hander Zach Erdman. Fitzgerald countered the lefty-lefty matchup with junior outfielder Cooper Combs. Combs delivered, chopping a single up the middle to score two. Jans broke the game open, giving the Jayhawks a 9-2 lead with a two-RBI single of his own.
“It felt good to finally, on that single up the middle, it felt good, gave me some confidence,” Jans said. “And then actually putting the barrel on the ball, so it’s nice.”
Voegele got through six innings, clinching his seventh quality start of the season. Outside of the second inning, Voegele allowed just two baserunners. Kansas freshman right-hander Cooper Moore took the mound for the seventh.
Texas Tech sophomore catcher Dylan Maxcey was hit on the side of the helmet with Moore’s first pitch. Maxcey fell and stayed on the ground, being attended to by the medical staff and leaving in an ambulance. The game was delayed for about 20 minutes while Maxcey was down.
After play resumed, Moore tossed a scoreless seventh inning. Redshirt junior right-hander Jack Washburn took the hill for the Red Raiders in the bottom of the seventh, tossing a scoreless frame of his own and striking out two.
Kansas junior right-hander Tegan Cain and senior right-hander Kolby Dougan threw scoreless innings in the eighth and ninth respectively to secure the 11-2 win.
Kansas will look for the sweep and to extend its winning streak to six against Texas Tech on Sunday. First pitch is set for 1 p.m. and will be streamed on ESPN+.
