No. 5 Baylor baseball took down No. 8 Kansas 10-5 on Thursday evening at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark to stay in the winner’s bracket. The Bears (34-19) used a six-run third inning and fantastic start by Hayden Kettler to defeat the Jayhawks (27-29).
Like Wednesday morning vs. Oklahoma, BU grabbed a first-inning lead. Nick Loftin walked, Richard Cunningham singled, and after a productive out by Davis Wendzel moved both runners up, Andy Thomas hit a two-run single.
Kansas responded with a run in the second, but the Bears scored two more in the bottom of the second. Loftin was hit by a pitch, Cunningham doubled and an errant throw in from the outfielder scored Loftin. Shea Langeliers then scored Cunningham on a two-out single.
Then came a huge third inning for Baylor as Josh Bissonette, Loftin and Langeliers each hit two-run home runs.
KU rallied for four runs in the eighth but didn’t have enough to pull off a comeback.
Kettler (8-4) earned the win, giving up a run on three hits with no walks and five strikeouts in seven innings. KU starter Ryan Zeferjahn (8-5) took the loss, allowing six runs (five earned) on five hits and four walks with two strikeouts in two innings.
