The Kansas baseball team was out-hit 14-4 and could not take quite enough advantage of a whopping 7 errors by Oklahoma in a 7-5 loss on Thursday at the Big 12 tournament.
After falling behind 7-4 in the 7th inning, KU put the tying run on base in the top of the ninth inning, but could not push more than one run across home plate in the final frame.
The loss, which featured KU holding a lead into the 7th inning, was KU's first of the tournament and sets up an elimination clash with 9th-seeded TCU at 9 a.m. on Friday.
The loser of that one is done and the winner will advance to a second consecutive elimination game at 12:30 p.m. Friday against the same Sooners squad Kansas faced on Thursday.
That makes it a double-header or bust kind of day for Kansas, which is still fighting not only for the Big 12 tournament title but to strengthen its resume for a chance to get into an NCAA regional.
Kansas starter Reese Dutton threw 5.1 innings on Thursday, allowing five runs, four of which were earned, while walking one and striking out six.
“Not very thrilled with the outcome today," Dutton said after falling to 7 -5 on the season. "But you just have to come tomorrow and show up ready to go. No matter who we bring in from the bullpen they’re going to fill it up. We fill up that strike zone and we got guys behind us who play defense. We have all the confidence in the world and that’s all that matters. Looking forward to how we bounce back and we got more games to play.”
Added designated hitter Lenny Ashby, who continues to swing a hot bat, particularly in the area of extra-base hits: “I know we have good hitters on the team. Our hitting coach (Tyler Hancock) and our head coach (Dan Fitzgerald) preach to us every day at practice to be on time. I know we can do a way better job. Our hitters didn’t show who we are today, and I know we can hit way better. I’m proud of my guys and we just have to keep competing.”
KU freshman Dom Voegele, who recently was named Big 12 Freshman of the Year, will likely be on the mound for the Jayhawks against TCU on Friday morning.
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