Kansas 9 - Texas Tech 1. A win this big deserves some front page action.
Kansas dominated Texas Tech today 9-1. The victory ensures the Jayhawks of their first conference series victory of the year and puts them into position to sweep the Raiders tomorrow afternoon. The win also puts Kansas into a virtual three way tie for 8th in the Big-12 with Kansas State (3-8) and Tech (4-10).
I could go on about events and different players who played well but at least for one day that approach really would be missing the point. Today the only story is Andres Esquibel.
Esquibel pitched 8 innings of one hit baseball. The last time KU held a conference opponent to one hit was in 1988. This was easily the best start by a Jayhawk pitcher this season, and the fact it came against a conference opponent, on a day when the wind was blowing out and college teams throughout the Midwest were surrendering runs by the dozen, makes it all the more impressive. FSN-Midwest and Southwest broadcast the game so much of the nation is in awe of our Andres this day.
I also feel I should offer an open apology here to Andres. You see, watching him mow down the Techsters, seeing the Hawks build a 9-0 early lead, it was too much for me and I broke one of baseball's most sacred unwritten rules. Two outs into the fifth I started to talk about Esquibel passing the halfway mark of the game without giving up a hit. The next batter, Kenworthy, laced a clean single to left breaking up the no-hitter and scoring the first Raider run. It was the only hit Tech got all day. I've learned my lesson. NEVER TALK ABOUT A NO-HITTER UNTIL THE END OF THE GAME. It was wrong of me. Andres, don't hate me.
Kansas will go for the sweep tomorrow. First pitch at 1PM. The parade honoring the basketball team starts downtown at 3PM. If you can't decide between the two, come on out for the first few innings of the game and mull things over at Hoglund. The unseasonable weather has depressed attendance so far but this should not be a problem tomorrow. The forecast calls for fifty degrees and sunny. Come on out and cheer on the surging Hawks.
KU improves to 21-16 (3-8), Tech falls below .500 at 17-18 (4-10).