Around the Big 12: Frogs Tie for First Place
Kade Eudy got out of the seventh inning with a bases-loaded strikeout, then recorded two scoreless innings to slam the door on Kansas. TCU became the first Big 12 squad to earn 10 league wins, beating the Jayhawks 4-3 on Saturday.
Kansas entered the series leading the Big 12, but the Jayhawks have lost twice in Fort Worth to drop from the top spot. Instead, TCU now sits tied with West Virginia for first place. The Mountaineers lead by percentage points, having had two games canceled against Oklahoma State.
The Jayhawks outhit the Frogs 8-4, but couldn’t come through when it mattered. Twice, Kansas left the bases loaded, stranding 10 runners in all. TCU managed just four hits, but took advantage of three walks from Kansas starter Kannon Carr. Carr took his first defeat of the season, allowing three earned runs in 4.2 innings. The teams play the final game of the series Sunday.
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Jordan Blasts Three in Bears’ Victory
Wesley Jordan homered three times and Baylor never let host Texas Tech into the game. The Bears scored six runs in the first inning and were never threatened, pounding the Red Raiders 18-4 on Saturday.
Every batter in the Bears’ starting lineup hit safely at least once. Jordan did most of the damage with six RBIs in a four-hit game. He came up in all three of the Bears’ first three turns at bat, and each time, found the bleachers. His third home run, a 3-run blast for his final RBIs of the day, put the Bears up 11-0 after 2 1/2 innings.
No mercy rule applies in conference games, which let the Bears keep pouring it on in the ninth. Baylor starter Carson Bailey had an easy time, striking out six in six innings to claim his third win. The teams split games one and two and will decide the series Sunday.
Carpenter’s Homer Gives Utes Series Win
Kaden Carpenter hit a three-run home run in the sixth inning, securing Utah’s lead in a 9-6 victory over BYU in Salt Lake City.
Utah took the lead for good on a sixth-inning RBI single from Cameron Gurney. After Jake Long grounded out to first and the Utes smartly did not run themselves out of the inning, Carpenter homered to right-center off Luke Sterner, giving his team a four-run cushion.
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Brady Joyner lasted just one inning for Utah, but the bullpen picked up the slack. Easton Jones and Dylan Gazaway each tossed three innings in relief, allowing just one run in that stretch. The Utes moved to 4-11 in league play by taking two of three from BYU, which did not get them out of last place.
King’s Four-Hit Day Lifts Sun Devils
Matt King started the Arizona State attack with a first-inning RBI double, the first of his four hits. The Sun Devils rode that to a three-run lead and held it, ultimately earning a 7-4 win at Cincinnati.
Arizona State starter Jack Martinez struck out 10 Bearcats in five innings, earning his fourth win. Cincinnati nearly got even in the fifth inning when Tommy O’Connor and Charlie Niehaus led off with back-to-back hits. But Martinez ended his day by punching out his final two hitters, preserving the lead at 5-4. Carlon Cole earned his first save with four scoreless innings.
ASU moved into a four-way tie behind TCU and West Virginia at 9-5 in the league. The teams close the series Sunday.
Guyette Lifts Wildcats Past Knights
James Guyette tossed 4.1 hitless innings in relief, as Kansas State won a 3-1 pitchers’ duel with Central Florida on Saturday.
UCF’s Russell Sandefer blanked the Wildcats through five innings, but the Knights’ bullpen couldn’t hold a 1-0 lead. Keegan O’Connor and AJ Evasco struck with back-to-back RBI hits, giving the Wildcats the lead for good.
Kansas State moved into the four-way logjam at 9-5 in the league. The teams close the series in Manhattan Sunday.
Kramkowski Shuts Down Cowboys
Owen Kramkowski tossed seven scoreless innings for Arizona on Saturday, as the Wildcats evened their series with visiting Oklahoma State with a 5-1 victory.
Maddox Mihalakis’ three-run home run in the bottom of the sixth was the first score of the game. Mario Pesca took his first loss for Oklahoma State, going seven innings and allowing four runs. Kollin Ritchie and Nolan Schubert combined for five of the Cowboys’ six hits, but the rest of the lineup produced just one for the game. The teams complete their series Sunday.
