No. 7 Kansas Drops Saturday’s Contest 5-2 to No. 15 West Virginia

Mason Cook pitched 5. 2 solid innings for Kansas. Cook gave up just one earned run and six hits while striking out three. In five of his previous six appearances, he gave up two earned runs or less. Riane Ritter lost the game after an unearned run was scored in the eighth inning.

Kansas has a 37-14 overall record and a 20-6 conference record this season. With four games remaining, the Jayhawks have a two-game lead in the Big 12 standings.

HOW IT HAPPENED.

• Paul Schoenfeld’s solo shot gave West Virginia (34-12, 18-8 Big 12) a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning.
• Kansas tied West Virginia with a solo shot by LeBlanc in the bottom of the first. That tied the score at 1-1.
• The Mountaineers moved ahead 2-1 when they scored an unearned run in the top of the second.
• The Jayhawks equalized the game in the fifth inning thanks to Dykhoff’s inside-the-park home run. That tied the score at 2-2.
• West Virginia grabbed the lead in the eighth inning due to an unearned run.
• Then, in the ninth, Gavin Kelly hit a two-run blast to increase the Mountaineers’ lead.
• Kansas was unable to score in the ninth, bringing the game to a close with a 5-2 score.

PITCHERS ON RECORD.

Win: Ian Korn (4-0)
Final line: 4. 0 innings, two hits, zero runs, zero walks, and three strikeouts.
Loss: Riane Ritter (5-2)
Final line: 2. 0 innings, 4 hits, 1 run, 0 earned runs, 0 walks, 3 strikeouts.

QUOTABLES & NOTABLES

Those are two excellent clubs. Two very disciplined teams that play completely different styles for sure, but there are many parallels in some of the basic components. I have tremendous regard for Steve [Sabins] and his crew, as well as the manner in which they conduct business. I liked their opening performance, and Korn did an excellent job stepping in. We lacked the chances to properly push them. Frankly, allowing 12 hits while stranding eight runners, we were fortunate to even be in the game. We were unable to generate any offense. Outside of a few teams in college baseball, you will win a lot of series but also lose one from time to time. It’s a fantastic opportunity for us to learn. We constantly discuss perseverance, and the old adage of if you are not persevering in baseball, wait 15 minutes. So, we’ve reached our 15 minutes. We need to recover, make a few changes, and come out and win tomorrow.

Run as quickly as possible with all of your remaining energy. I am a grown male. It’s difficult to move across all of those locations all the way around. – Josh Dykhoff

on his inside-the-park home run

I don’t believe it amounts to anything. I mean, we’re just missing. It’s baseball. It will happen. We prepare thoroughly. If you see our hitting practice, ground balls, and everything else, you’ll notice that our preparation is excellent. It’s all about getting out there and doing it right now. – Josh Dykhoff

• Kansas improved to 37-14 overall and 20-6 in league play.
• In the Kansas-West Virginia series, the road team has won ten of the last eleven games.
• Dykhoff had the first inside-the-park home run by a Jayhawk since Chase Jans did it at Belmont on March 5, 2023. It’s the first inside-the-park home run at Hoglund Ballpark since Devin Foyle hit one against Murray State on March 16, 2016. Gus Milner hit the inside-the-park home run, which was Kansas’ first in conference play since April 9, 2005, against Oklahoma.
• LeBlanc smacked his 17th home run of the year. His 17 home runs are now tied for fourth-most in a single season in KU history, with Russ Blaylock’s 17 in 1981.
• Cook has given up two earned runs or fewer in five of his previous six outings.

UP NEXT

Kansas and West Virginia will play the third and final game of the series on Sunday morning. The first pitch is set for 11 a. m. CT, and the game will be broadcast on ESPN+.