LAWRENCE - The Kansas Jayhawks (30-26, 8-16 Big 12) open the 2021 Phillips 66 Big 12 Championship with a single-elimination, game one against West Virginia Tuesday at 6 p.m. at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark in Oklahoma City.
Kansas concluded the regular season with four games last week, beating Missouri Tuesday in Columbia before playing a three-game series against No. 5 Texas Tech. Skyler Messinger tallied five RBI in the 9-8 victory over the Tigers May 18, while Ryan Vanderhei earned his first victory in a Jayhawk uniform after pitching two scoreless innings of relief. Jonah Ulane pitched 1.1 innings and earned his 10 save of the season.
Against the Red Raiders, Kansas opened the series with a 7-4 victory before falling in the final two games. Cole Larsen earned the start, pitching five innings with two strikeouts and three earned runs. Nathan Barry relieved Larsen and allowed only one earned run in two innings pitched for his second win of the season. Ryan Cyr and Ulane each pitched a scoreless inning of relief, improving Kansas to 26-0 when holding a lead after seven innings.
Messinger and Dylan Ditzenberger each tallied two RBI in the victory with Ditzenberger, Tavian Josenberger and Blaine Ray each recording two hits. KU used a five-run seventh inning to overcome the TTU offense.
Larsen is slated to make the start against West Virginia. He has pitched in five innings in all 13 starts this year. Larsen is the team leader with 83 strikeouts in 91.1 innings pitched.
OPPONENT PREVIEW: WEST VIRGINIA
West Virginia (23-25, 8-16 Big 12) last played a three-game series at No. 2 Texas, beating the Longhorns 5-4 in the opening game of the series. WVU dropped the final two games 14-3 and 12-1, respectively.
West Virginia holds a team .251 average with Austin Davis leading the way at the plate (.317). Davis is the team leader in hits (51), average (.317) and runs (25). Matt McCormick has a team-high 14 doubles and is second on the team with seven home runs. WVU has tallied 399 strikeouts to 198 walks.
Carlson Reed is slated to make the start against the Jayhawks. He has a 5.64 ERA in 13 appearances with five starts. Reed holds a 4-4 record with 33 strikeouts to 17 walks.