Kansas took advantage of sloppy Texas fielding and an off night by Longhorn ace Chance Ruffin to upset the #1 ranked team in the nation at Hoglund Field 5-4.
Kansas scored four runs in the third inning off Ruffin on three singles, an error and a bases loaded walk. KU starter Shaeffer Hall (2-1) made the lead stand up. Texas hit a two run homerun, a sac fly and a two out RBI double to nibble the lead down to 5-4 in the top of the seventh. Hall gave Kansas a solid outing, going seven innings of six hit, four run ball. He handed the lead off to the bullpen for the final two innings. Travis Blankenship and Brett Bochy combined for a scoreless 8th inning and Paul Smyth recorded his fourth save by protecting the one run lead in the 9th inning. This was a nice recovery for Smyth who had blown a save Wednesday night in Kansas' 9-8 loss at San Diego State.
For the Jayhawks Brian Heere, Jason Brunansky and Buck Afenir each had two hits. Preston Land went 1-4 with an RBI and some good field work at first base. Kansas collected nine hits in the game, all singles. Chance Ruffin was not sharp. Kansas hit half a dozen line drives down the foul line and Preston Land hit a fly ball that drifted just foul in the 8th inning. Ruffin went 7.2 innings for the loss.
Kansas improves to 11-7 on the year and 1-0 in conference play. Texas falls to 14-4 and 2-2. The two teams meet again Saturday and Sunday, 1PM first pitch for both games. A nice crowd of about 1,000 showed up for the game on an overcast and breezy afternoon.