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PAGE 8
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
TUESDAY, APRIL 21, 2015
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Jayhawks host in-state foe Shockers tonight
KYLAN WHITMER
@KRWhitmer
Kansas baseball will host Wichita State tonight for the second and final game of the teams' two-game series.
The layhawks (16-24) came out on top of an offensive battle 13-12 against the Shockers (14-25) in their first meeting at the beginning of April in Wichita.
In their first meeting, the Jayhawks wasted no time in taking a lead as they would go up 5-0 in the middle of the first inning. However, even with the hot start, the Jayhawks found themselves down by four runs with just three innings remaining. Kansas tied the game to force extra innings and prevailed in the 11th inning with a sacrifice bunt by senior outfielder Dakota Smith. There were a total of 30 hits combined from both teams.
Since their previous meeting, the Shockers have found themselves in a slump. The Shockers recovered from their loss to the Jayhawks by
winning a home series against Indiana State. The two wins Wichita State recorded in that series are joined by just one other win since playing Kansas. The Shockers have played 11 games and lost eight of them, including one against a Big 12 opponent, the Texas Longhorns.
Kansas is coming off of a weekend series with Texas that was packed full of action. Texas took the first game of the series in a heartbreaker which saw five extra innings of play The Jayhawks recovered by earning a 5-4 win in a walk-off fashion after senior outfielder Connor McKay hit a home run in the bottom of the ninth inning.
"Me and my teammates have stuck through a lot of tough stuff this year," McKay said. "We're really dialing through all of this adversity we're facing, and that [home run] meant a lot to me."
Unfortunately for the Jayhawks, the rubber match was all for the Longhorns as they left Hoglund Ballpark with a 16-7 win.
"We need to figure things out on our off day and bounce back Tuesday night against Wichita State, which is a huge game," said senior infielder Justin Protacio.
Kansas has gone 5-7 since playing Wichita State, and although the losing record might be unpleasing to the eye, there are positives as it includes a sweep of New Mexico and a series win against then No.9 Oklahoma State.
Tuesday's game against the Shockers will be the only midweek game for the Jayhawks as well as the last game of the 10-game homestand before returning to conference play.
"It's an in-state rivalry, and we've won the last five games and our focus is trying to make it six," Protacio said.
Protacio and his teammates will look to get the sixth win in a row against the Shockers at Hoglund Ballpark with the first pitch scheduled for 6 p.m.
Edited by Valerie Haag
BEN BROODSKY/KANSAN
Junior third basemen Tommy Mirabelli prepares to throw the ball during a game against Missouri State on April 15.
BEN BRODSKY/KANSAN
Junior designated hitter Steve Goldstein runs to first base during a game against Missouri State on April 15, Kansas will play Wichita State tonight at 6 p.m. at Hogland Ballpark in Lawrence.
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