Baseball

April 22, 2001

Kansas Downs NU, 12-3

Lawrence, Kan. -- Pete Smart allowed three runs on six hits in seven innings, as Kansas snapped third-ranked Nebraska’s nine-game winning streak with a 12-3 victory in front of 550 fans at Hoglund Ballpark Sunday afternoon.

Smart, a left-hander from Omaha, struck out six and walked five to improve to 8-2 on the season, as the Jayhawks (17-26 overall, 5-19 Big 12) ended a five-game losing streak and defeated Nebraska for the first time in nine tries since the 1997 season. With the loss, the Huskers, who had won 17 of their last 18 contests, fell to 34-9 overall and 15-4 in the conference.

“Today was a frustrating day and there will be days like that during the season,” Nebraska Coach Dave Van Horn said. “We hit the ball hard right at people and they were able to get hits through the hole or dropping in front of our outfielders.”

Kansas struck early, scoring three runs in each of the first two innings, including five of Husker starter Brian Rodaway, who lasted just 1.2 innings, allowing five runs on six hits, to fall to 2-1 on the year.

In the first, a one-out double to Jason Appuhn and a single by Ryan Klocksein put runners on first and third before Jesse Gremminger hit a slow roller down the third base line. Rodaway threw home, but Appuhn beat Jed Morris’ tag for KU’s first run. Matt Van Alsburg’s increased the margin to 3-0 with a two-run single to center.

“Our pitching was not as sharp as we have been,” Van Horn said. “We missed a lot of spots and they took advantage our our mistakes, especially early on.”

Appuhn and Klocksein each had three hits, as KU pounded out 16 hits off seven Husker pitchers in the win.

The Jayhawks pushed the margin to 6-0, scoring three runs - all with two outs - in the second. Appuhn singled, stole second and scored on Klocksein’s RBI double off the wall in left. R.D. Spiehs came into the game for Rodaway, and got a Gremminger to ground to NU second baseman Josh Hesse, but his throw was wide, allowing Klocksein to score from second and Gremminger to advance to second. Brent DelChairo walked, putting runners on first and second before Gremminger stole third and scored on a double steal with Delchairo.

The Huskers finally scored in the fourth, as Matt Hopper singled to left, advanced on an errant pickoff attempt by Smart and scored on Dan Johnson’s RBI double. NU continued to threaten as Jeff Blevins was hit by a pitch, putting runners on first and second, but Smart got out of the inning as Jed Morris and Hesse both flew out. In the sixth, NU, which left 12 runners on base, loaded the bases on three consecutive walks, but Smart pitched out of trouble, striking out Hesse and getting Jeff Leise to ground out to first.

The Huskers cut the lead to 7-3 on a two-run single by John Cole in the seventh, but could not get closer, as KU put the contest away with five runs in the bottom half of the frame.

Cole, Hopper and Johnson had two hits each for the Huskers in the losing effort.

The Huskers return to action on Tuesday evening, when the Huskers play host to Creighton at 6:30 p.m. The game will also be shown state-wide of netv2.

Source: University of Nebraska Sports Information