Baylor
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Kansas
Baseball Drops Opener at Kansas, 6-2
4/1/2011 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
April 1, 2011
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LAWRENCE, Kan. - Kansas jumped out to an early four-run lead, and the Baylor offense was held in check by KU pitcher T.J. Walz as the Bears dropped the series opener, 6-2, on Friday night at Hoglund Ballpark.
With the loss, Baylor's (16-11, 3-4 Big 12) losing streak was extended to a season-long three games, while Kansas (11-14, 3-4 Big 12) snapped its season-long losing streak at four games.
Baylor starting pitcher Logan Verrett (3-2) took the loss after allowing three earned runs in 6.2 innings. He scattered 10 hits, walked two and struck out four in 6.2 innings, working into the seventh inning for the fifth time in his last six starts.
"This was not (Verrett's) best night, but he competed," head coach Steve Smith said. "After he gave up the second home run, I thought he pitched much better after that. He got in a rhythm and really started locating."
Walz (3-3) picked up by win and struck out a season-high 11 batters, the most by one pitcher against the Bears this season. He allowed two runs on three hits and walked three in 7.2 innings.
Kansas got on the board with a run in each of the first two innings. Jimmy Waters hit a solo homer with two outs in the first, and after James Stanfield led off the second with a triple, he came around to score on an error when Cal Towey and Steve DalPorto collided trying to make a catch in right field.
The Jayhawks padded their lead in the fourth when Brandon Macias reached on an infield single and Zac Elgie followed with a two-run homer, but Verrett settled in and held the Jayhawks scoreless over his 3.1 innings.
Waters led the Jayhawks at the plate, going 3-for-3, while Elgie went 2-for-4 and drove in three runs.
The Bears got their first baserunner of the game when Joey Hainsfurther led off the fifth with a double. One out later, Josh Ludy delivered a RBI double, and he came around to score after a pair of wild pitches to cut the Kansas lead to 4-2.
That's as close as Baylor would get, as Hainsfurther's single in the sixth was the only other hit the Bears could manage. Walz gave way to Colton Murray out of the bullpen after issuing back-to-back walks with two outs in the eighth. With the potential tying run at first base, pinch hitter Josh Turley hit a sharp grounder back up the middle, but Murray gloved it and threw to first to escape the threat.
Crayton Bare and Tyler Bremer each allowed one run in the eighth inning, and Murray struck out the side in the ninth to record his fifth save.
"We have just got to come out with the mindset that we just didn't lose three games," Hainsfurther said. "We are ready to play the next one, and that is what it is about. It's not about the past ones. It's about tomorrow, and I think the guys understand that, so we are going to come out competing."
Baylor and Kansas resume their series at 2 p.m. Saturday. The Bears will send sophomore lefty Josh Turley to the mound against KU sophomore right-hander Tanner Poppe.
