Longhorns Sweep Jayhawks, Head to Big 12 Championship

Texas Longhorns baseball (36-24, 20-10)  sent eight seniors off in style with a 9-to-7 win over the Kansas Jayhawks (31-23, 15-15) and sweeping the three-game series. Kimble Schuessler led Texas offensively, going 2-for-2 including  a home run, with two RBIs and two runs scored.  Peyton Powell, Max Belyeu and Casey Borba each added two RBIs. 

The Longhorns finish the Big 12 regular season in third place. They now turn their attention to the Championship tournament in Arlington. 

Texas took a 1-to-0 in the first inning on Belyeu’s fielder’s choice to score leadoff batter Jared Thomas. 

The Longhorns plated another run the in the third inning on Powell’s double, driving home Jalin Flores. 

Kansas scored their first run in the fourth inning on Lenny Ashby’s single.  Texas responded in the bottom of the frame on Schuessler’s solo home run to left field. 

Texas tore-open the game with an explosive four-run fifth inning on a double by Belyeu, a single by Schuessler, and a two-run homer by Borba. 

Powell’s sacrifice fly in the sixth inning gave Texas a 8-to-1 advantage. 

The Jayhawk woke up in the seventh inning on Mike Koszewski’s two-run double and Kodey Shojinaga’s sacrifice fly, and a wild pitch that plated a fourth run in the inning. 

Kansas came within one run in the eighth inning on a fielding error, allowing Chase Diggins to cross the plate. The Longhorns added an insurance run in the bottom of the inning Thomas’ sacrifice fly to score Will Gasparino. 

Lebarron Johnson, Jr. (3-4) earned the win for the Longhorns, allowing one run in five hits in six innings on the mound.  He struck out seven and walked one batter.  Heston Tole, David Shaw and Gage Boehm eked out the save, allowing a combine six runs on four hits. 

Kansas’ Evan Shaw (3-1) was assigned the loss, giving-up one run on one hit in two innings of work.  Five Jayhawk pitcher worked to close the game.