Texas visits the Jayhawks at Hoglund Park in Lawrence, to start another three game conference series. Both teams struggling with Texas at 19-18 and 6-6 in the Big 12. Kansas is 15-22 and 3-6 in the Big 12. Two of those conference wins, for Kansas, came last weekend at home, against first place OSU. So this is no pushover series for the Horns. At this point, no series will be. Texas has to at least win this series to keep any hope alive for a regional appearance. They really need a sweep, against the presently last place team, in the Big 12. Parker French, the senior right hander, at 2-2 with a 2.15 era starts for Texas on the mound. Kansas will counter with a junior lefty, Ben Krauth at 5-3 and 4.42. Texas needs some offense for French, look at his record and then his era. That kind of sums up the season. The game is being streamed on NCAA-Baseball-Texas-vs-Kansas. You may have to have a certain television carrier for this. The audio is texas.leanplayer.com. Lineups coming.
Lefty, Ben Krauth, starts on the hill for Kansas tonight. Ben Johnson, righty hitting left fielder, is back leading off again. Texas is going full circle now and going back to the lineup it started the season with. The video has come up for me and we are about to get underway.
Johnson steps in the box right handed, against the lefty Krauth. He walks, for a lead runner for Texas. Shaw bats lefty, with one on. He bunts and the sac goes 3-4, as Johnson moves to second. Hinojosa bats righty, with a man at second and one down. A fly ball to right is two away, as Johnson tags and goes to third. Cantu bats right handed with two gone and a man at third. He flies to center, to retire the side. Nothing across with the stranded runner and Kansas comes to bat.
French warms up and now is ready to work. Colby Wright, the second baseman, will lead off. The right handed hitter steps in and French is ready. A ground ball to second and the 4-3 is one down. The left fielder for the Jayhawks is Connor McKay, batting righty, with an out. He takes a fast ball on the outside corner, for a called strike three. Third baseman Matt McLauglin, bats righty, with two gone. He lines a single to left, for the first hit of the contest and a two out runner. Michael Tinsley, bats lefty, with one on and two down. The Kansas catcher will foul tip strike three into Cantu's mitt, to retire the side. One runner also for Kansas, he is stranded and nothing across, after one.
Krauth is back out for the second inning for the Jayhawks. Barrera leads off, from the right side. He lines a single to center, for the first hit for the Horns, and another lead runner. Marlow will hit lefty, with one on. He squares, but takes two strikes and the bunt is off. He shoots a fly ball to left and it's caught for one away. Baker, bats right handed as the DH, with one on and one down. He K's swinging on three pitches, for two away. Boswell is up lefty, with one on at first and two outs. A fly ball to the track in center, it's caught and that retires the side. Another stranded runner and nothing scored. Bottom of two at 0-0.
French come back to work the second. The first baseman is Blair Beck, batting right handed to lead off. A grounder to Hinojosa at short, the 6-3 is the first out. Joven Afenir, the center fielder, bats righty, with one gone. He flies one to left center, Gurwitz ranges over, to make the catch. Dakota Smith, plays right field, and bats righty. With two outs he grounds another ball to short and that ends the inning. Two played and no runs to report.
Krauth, will go to the hill and the third starts. Gurwitz, bats righty, in the nine hole, to lead off. A liner to right, is a single and the third straight lead runner. Johnson will bring back the top of the order, batting righty, with one on. No bunt for Johnson and K's swinging, on a change of pace, for one out. Shaw bats with one down and one on, lefty. He sends another liner to right field, for another single to put two on. Hinojosa up again righty, with runners at first and second and one away. A ground ball to third and the 5U-3 double play will end the frame. Texas keeps finding creative ways to not score. Bottom of three and still no runs scored.
French again out to pitch, in the Kansas half of the third. Steve Goldstein, the DH, leads off left handed. He walks and Kansas has a lead runner. The shortstop is nine hole hitter, Justin Protacio, batting lefty. He squares and fouls off the sac bunt attempt. A ground ball to short in the hole, the 6-4 force is one down. The top of the order is back in Colby Wright, batting righty, with one on and one out. He is hit by a pitch, but goes nowhere, as he leaned into the pitch, for a full count. A fly ball to Johnson in lefty is the second out. Connor McKay, bats righty, with one on and two down. The hard sinker goes beneath the swinging bat, for a K, to retire the side. Lead walk, but no damage and 0-0, after three played.
Krauth is still pitching for the Jayhawks, as the fourth commences. Cantu leads off, batting righty. A soft fly ball to right is one down. Barrera bats, from the right side, with one gone. He singled his first trip up. On a full count, he takes a curve that bends over, for a K. Marlow, up, from the lefty side, with two away. A fly ball to the track in lefty center, but caught will end the frame. Bottom of four, still no runs.
So French still knows what it is to receive no support, as his fourth inning of work starts. McLaughlin, will lead off right handed. A sharp grounder up the middle and French stabs it, for a 1-3 first out. Tinsley, the catcher, will bat righty, with one down. The count runs full and a liner to left, drops in fair, down the line. It's a one out double. Beck is up, from the right side, with one on and one down. A high pop up, Marlow goes out and has it. Afenir, will bat lefty, with a man at second and two gone. He lines to left center and it drops, the run scores and the batter heads to second on the throw home. Kansas leads 1-0. Smith bats righty, with another man on second and two outs. He K's swinging to end the inning. Kansas breaks the ice and leads 1-0, after four.
Krauth is back for the fifth, still shutting out the Horns. Baker leads off for Texas, from the right side. He flies out to center and one down. Boswell comes up lefty, with one away. He grounds to second and the put out goes 4-3. Gurwitz bats righty, at the bottom of the order. A flair goes to center and it drops in left, for a hit. Johnson up righty, with one on and two down. Gurwitz might go, anything to manufacture a run. The count is full, so Gurwitz will go now. He does and a walk puts two on. Pitching coach out to the hill and now returns to the third base dugout. Shaw will bat lefty, with two on and two outs. He struggles hitting against lefty pitchers, but needs a good at bat here, to tie it up. Another full count and again the runners will be in motion on the pitch. They go and Shaw is hit in the back to load the bases. Something got to give here, maybe. Hinojosa bats righty, with the bases loaded and two down. A liner deflects off the glove of the shortstop, for what is ruled a double, to left center. Two runs score. Texas leads 2-1. Cantu bats righty, with two still in scoring positon. He grounds to second and that ends the frame. Texas scores for the first time in over 14 innings to take the leads 2-1, halfway through the game.
French pitches with a 2-1 lead, in the fifth. Goldstein leads off, batting lefty. A liner to left, down the line, Johnson on the run makes a sliding catch. It's a web gem out one. Protacio will bat in the nine hole, also lefty, with one away. A chopper to short goes 6-3, on the Hinojosa throw. Two down, for the top of the order, Wright, as he bats righty. He pops out to Marlow at second, to retire the side in order. French holds the lead, it's 2-1 Horns, with five played.
Krauth is still around for the sixth, for Kansas. Barrera leads off, batting right handed. A ground ball to short in the hole, a backhanded stab and the throw completes a 6-3 out. Marlow bats lefty, with one away. He lines to the left fielder, for two outs. Baker will step in righty, with two gone. A pop to first is the third and final out of the frame. Texas also down in order, still 2-1 Horns, bottom of six.
French looks for another effective inning, in the Jayhawk sixth. McKay leads off, from the right side. A two hopper to first, it goes 3U, for out one. McLaughlin, bats righty, with one down. A liner down the right field line and it drops fair, for another double. Tinsley bats lefty, with one on and one down. A long drive to right is caught on the track, by Shaw, for two outs. The runner tags and goes to third. Beck bats righty, with the tying run at third and two gone. He K's swinging on the hard sinker, to retire the side. A double is wasted by Kansas, Texas leads 2-1, after six.
Krauth still on the bump, as the seventh starts. Boswell leads off, batting left handed. He K's swinging on the ball, at his shoe tops, for one away. Gurwitz bats righty, with one down. He can't check his swing on a high fast ball, and another K. Johnson bats, at the top of the order, with two away. A fly ball to shallow right is the third out. Texas down in order again, they lead 2-1, as they stretch in Lawrence.
French is done after throwing about a 100 pitches. The new Texas pitcher is lefty, Ty Culbreth. Afenir will be his first batter, from the left side. A comebacker, is knocked down by Culbreth, he recovers for the 1-3 out. Smith bats righty, with one down. The count runs full and a fast ball buzzes the inside corner, for a called K. Goldstein bats lefty, with two outs. A pop just foul down the line in left, and Johnson has it, as he slips down, to retire the side in orde. Culbreth is perfect in the seventh, Texas leads 2-1, with seven played.
Hard to believe Krauth is still going in the eighth, but he is, with his 4.42 era. Shaw leads off, lefty. He K's on a pitch up and in, for one down. Hinojosa bats righty, with one gone. His little liner to left is caught on a dive, by the lefty fielder, two away. Cantu bats righty, with two outs. He K's swinging on a heater, to end the frame. Texas clings to a 2-1 lead, after being retired in order again, bottom of eight comes now.
Culbreth tries to keep the lead, in the Kansas eighth. Protacio leads off, as the nine hole hitter, batting lefty. A ground ball is up the middle and into center, for a hit. Skip is out and he wants a righty. Pitching change.
That righty is freshman Connor Mayes, for Texas. Wright bats righty, with one on, at the top of the order. No bunt and he lines to Marlow and the throw back to first is just late. McKay bats righty, with one on and one down. He lines a drive that gets over Gurwitz in center, for a double. McLaughlin, bats righty, with runners at second and third, with one down. He is put on, to load the base and set up a double play. Skip is out and he wants a lefty now. Pitching change.
Kirby Bellow will be in now, the lefty enters, with a big jam facing him. The catcher, Tinsley will bat lefty, with the bases loaded and one away. A ground ball to second and it's too weakly hit for the double play. It's a 4-6 force, for two outs. Tied 2-2. Beck bats righty, with runners on the corners and two down. A ground ball to third goes 5-3, to end the inning. Kansas ties it at 2-2, after eight.
Krauth,a struggling pitcher with a high era, goes for the complete game in the ninth. Barrera leads off, batting right handed. A squibber to the right of the mound and the pitcher gloves it, the 1-3 is one away. Marlow bats lefty, with one down. The count is full and he walks, for a runner, after eleven staight outs. Stell pinch hits for Baker, batting righty, with one on and one down. He K's swinging on a pitch in the dirt, for two outs. Boswell bats lefty, with one on and two away. He waves at a pitch well out of the zone, for the ninth K of the game for Texas. Side down. So again if Texas is to win, it's going to have to be in extra innings, where they haven't done well. Tied 2-2, to the bottom of the ninth.
Bellow stays in for the ninth. Afenir leads off, batting lefty. A hopper back to Bellow goes 1-3, for the first out. Smith bats right handed, with one away. A full count and a pitch way outside, puts the winning run on. Goldstein bats lefty, with one on and one down. A pinch runner is in for Smith, is Joe Moroney. A K swinging is the second out. Protacio, the nine hole hitter, bats lefty, with one on and two gone. A pick off throw has the runner caught off, but the throw is wide and the runner goes to second, it's a steal, as he was going. A ground ball to third and instead of a long tough throw, Boswell waits for the runner to come to him from second. He applies the tag, and the 5U, ends the inning. It's those dreaded extra innings again, tied at 2-2.
Krauth is finally done, the new Kansas pitcher is Stephen Villines, a right hander, with another era over 4.00. Gurwitz leads off, batting righty. A grounder to third goes 5-3, for one down. Johnson brings the top of the order, batting righty. He K's swinging again, for two gone. Shaw bats lefty, with two outs. A ground ball to second will end the frame. So what's new, Texas can't score and Kansas with another chance to win it, tied at 2-2, bottom of ten.
Bellow sticks around for the tenth. Wright leads off, at the top of the Jayhawk order. The count runs full and he K's swinging, for one down. McKay bats righty, with one out. A ground ball to Marlow, as he charges and throws, for the 4-3 second out. McLauglin up righty, with two away. He flies to Gurwitz in center, to retire the side in order. How many will we play this time? So far ten innings, tied at 2-2.
Villilines pitches the eleventh, for KU. Hinojosa leads off, batting right handed. A grounder goes through the hole, on the right side, for a lead single. Cantu bats righty, with one down. He squares and lays down the 1-3 sac bunt, as Hinojosa goes to second. Barrera bats righty, with one the lead run at second and one down. Pitching coach out and he leaves him in. Barrera back in the box, from the right side. He swings at a fast ball over his head, it just goes on and on, for a K and two down. Marlow bats lefty, with the lead run at second and two outs. He also K's swinging, to retire the side. Another runner stranded in scoring position, so tied 2-2, bottom of the eleventh.
Bellow works on in the eleventh, as Texas pitchers continue to have to be used too much. Tinsley bat lefty, leading off. He walks on four pitches to put the winning run on. Skip out and with a hook. Another pitching change.
