ARLINGTON, Texas – In day three of the 2024 Phillips 66 Big 12 Championship, No. 8 Oklahoma defeated Kansas 7-5 at Globe Life Field.
Kansas (30-22) had a 3-1 lead and 4-2 advantage early in the game, but OU, the Big 12 regular season champions, battled back to take the lead. The Sooners went ahead 5-4 after four innings and added two more in the seventh to stretch it to 7-4. Kansas scored a run in the ninth and had the tying run on base but was unable to even up the game. The Jayhawks could not capitalize on opportunities as Oklahoma committed seven errors and Kansas left 13 runners on base.
Kansas starter Reese Dutton threw 5.1 innings and allowed five runs, four of which were earned, while walking one and striking out six. Ethan Lanthier and Cooper Moore came out of the bullpen for the Jayhawks. Moore threw 1.1 scoreless innings of relief.
HOW IT HAPPENED
• Oklahoma (36-18) took the lead in the first inning after scoring an unearned run on a sacrifice fly by Easton Carmichael to go up 1-0.
• Kansas responded in the top of the second by scoring three runs on three errors in the inning. A dropped fly ball and two misplayed ground balls allowed Lenny Ashby, Ty Wisdom and Mike Koszewski to score and give Kansas a 3-1 lead.
• The Sooners got one of those runs back in the bottom of the second on an RBI single from Scott Mulder. That made it a 3-2 game.
• The Jayhawks added that run back to their lead in the third inning on a two-out RBI single from Mike Koszewski to give Kansas a 4-2 lead.
• In the bottom of the fourth, Oklahoma took the lead by scoring three runs. Mulder hit another RBI single and Jaxon Willits hit a two-run homer to put Oklahoma ahead 5-4.
• OU extended its lead with two runs in the seventh on a Michael Snyder RBI single and a Jackson Nicklaus RBI triple. That pushed it to a 7-4 lead.
• Kansas had one last opportunity in the ninth inning. After a throwing error and a double by Ashby to start the inning, the Jayhawks had runners on second and third with no outs. Collier Cranford hit a sacrifice fly to make it a 7-5 game. The Jayhawks had the tying run on base and go-ahead run at the plate with two outs but could not score.
PITCHERS OF RECORD
Win: Carter Campbell (4-0)
Final line: 3.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 0 SO
Loss: Reese Dutton (7-5)
Final line: 5.1 IP, 9 H, 5 R, 4 ER, 1 BB, 6 SO
Save: Malachi Witherspoon (4)
Final line: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 SO
PLAYER OF THE GAME
Lenny Ashby: Ashby finished the game 2-for-3 with two doubles, two walks and a run scored. His two doubles were a season high. Ashby had half of the hits offensively for Kansas on Thursday afternoon.
SOCIAL POST OF THE GAME
QUOTABLES & NOTABLES
“Tough one today. I loved the compete that our guys had. Goofy lineup on the scoreboard – they certainly outhit us but gave us plenty of chances by kicking the ball around. I loved the way the guys fought. I had no concern about us making that a ballgame at the end. I loved the resolve and loved the compete and have zero questions about us coming out tomorrow and fighting.” – Head Coach Dan Fitzgerald
“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. Our pitching staff – I tell Reese every day he’s my main guy. Every Friday he’s the one guy I pick to pitch every Friday. I’m proud of my guys and we just have to keep competing.” – Lenny Ashby
“Not very thrilled with the outcome today 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.” – Reese Dutton
• Kodey Shojinaga extended his on-base streak to 10 games.
• Ashby’s two doubles were a season high.
• Chase Diggins has reached base safely in each of the last 10 games.
• Oklahoma had seven errors.
UP NEXT
Kansas will play TCU in an elimination game in the Phillips 66 Big 12 Championship on Friday morning at 9 a.m. CT. A win in that game would result in playing a second elimination game immediately after at 12:30 p.m. CT against Oklahoma.
