FORT WORTH, Texas – The Kansas Jayhawks’ bullpen shut down the eighth-ranked TCU Horned Frogs and secured a 2-1 victory in the final game of the series on Sunday afternoon at Lupton Stadium.
Kansas (22-18, 4-11 Big 12) used an outstanding pitching performance from a trio of Jayhawks and timely hits to win the close game over TCU (29-10, 12-3 Big 12).
Eli Davis started on the mound for Kansas and earned the victory to improve to 4-4 on the season. He pitched five innings, while allowing only one run with a career-high 10 strikeouts.
After the Horned Frogs struck for a run in the third inning, the Jayhawks immediately countered.
Skyler Messinger continued his tear at the plate, leading off the fourth inning with a double. Brett Vosik followed with a double down the left field line. Anthony Tulimero lined out to the TCU right fielder, but Messinger tagged and scored, evening it at one run apiece.
With two outs, Jack Wagner was hit by a pitch, which allowed James Cosentino to the plate. He singled through the left side to score Vosik and give Kansas the lead.
Davis ran into trouble in the fifth inning, but pitched his way out of a bases-loaded jam. Dylan Ditzenberger made a sliding catch in foul territory to end the inning and preserve the one-run lead.
Daniel Hegarty replaced Davis in the sixth inning, and pitched three scoreless innings of relief, setting up Jonah Ulane to close out the game.
Ulane pitched a scoreless ninth inning with two strikeouts and shut down the Horned Frogs offense, securing the victory and his sixth save of the season.
Kansas’ bullpen kept them in the game and the Jayhawks are now 20-0 when leading after the seventh inning.
Messinger and Cosentino led the Jayhawk offense. Messinger recorded his second-straight multi-hit game, going 2-for-3 with a double and a walk. Cosentino went 2-for-4 and drove in the go-ahead run.
The Jayhawks earned their first victory over a top-10 opponent since beating then-No. 5 Texas Tech April 8, 2018 17-3 in seven innings.
UP NEXT
Kansas returns to Hoglund Ballpark to host Sacramento State April 27-28.