⚾ Kansas Set to Host UCF at Hoglund Ballpark This Weekend

UCF (13-5, 2-4 Big 12) vs. Kansas (11-8, 3-3 Big 12)
When	March 22-24
Where	Lawrence, Kan. // Hoglund Ballpark
Watch	Friday | Saturday | Sunday
Radio	Jayhawk Sports Network
Live Stats	Friday | Saturday | Sunday
Notes	Kansas | UCF | Big 12
Tickets	Buy Tickets
Social Media	@KUBaseball | @kubaseball | Facebook

*Kansas and UCF will play a doubleheader on Saturday due to forecasted inclement weather on Sunday. Game 1 will begin at 1 p.m. CT and there will be approximately 45 minutes between games.

LAWRENCE, Kan. – Kansas welcomes conference newcomer UCF to Lawrence for a three-game weekend series against the Golden Knights. This will be the second of five Big 12 weekends at Hoglund Ballpark this season.

Kansas (11-8, 3-3 Big 12) is coming off a 4-3 win against Missouri in 10 innings on Tuesday night at Kauffman Stadium, home of the Kansas City Royals. Kolby Dougan, Cooper Moore, Tegan Cain and Hunter Cranton combined to throw five scoreless innings of relief in the victory. The win helped Kansas improve to 5-1 in games against Missouri at Kauffman Stadium and 11-7 all-time playing at MLB ballparks.

Kansas ranks third in the Big 12 in doubles with 47 and in ERA at 4.12. John Nett and Kodey Shojinaga each have seven doubles this season, which is tied for the most on the team. On the pitching side, Kansas starters have posted a 3.19 ERA through 19 games this season.

UCF (13-5, 2-4 Big 12) is the second of the four new Big 12 schools that Kansas will face this season. The Golden Knights have won four of their last five games, including a series win against Oklahoma State last weekend. UCF also secured a ranked win at #4 Florida on March 6. Matt Prevesk leads the Golden Knights offensively with a .370 batting average and Ben Vespi has been the Friday starter, currently owning a 2-0 record with a 3.20 ERA.

TICKETS
Fans can purchase tickets by contacting the Kansas ticket office at 785-864-3141 or by visiting the ticketing page here. Students receive free admission all season by presenting their KU student ID at the ticket booth.

PROMOTIONS
Saturday will be First Responders Day at Hoglund Ballpark. First responders in attendance will receive a buy one, get one concessions voucher. Students will also have the opportunity to take batting practice on the field following the game.

Sunday is Trivia Day at the ballpark and Family Fun Day. There will be trivia questions on the video board during the game and families will have the opportunity to run the bases and play catch in the outfield after the game.

HOW TO FOLLOW ALONG
All three games this weekend will be broadcast on Big 12 Now on ESPN+. Fans can also listen to the game on the Jayhawk Sports Network on KUAthletics.com and the Kansas Jayhawks app.

Live statistics can be found here, while live updates will also be provided on the team’s official X page @KUBaseball.

STARTING ROTATION SUCCESS
Kansas is the only team with three pitchers ranked in the top 10 in ERA in the Big 12. The trio of Reese Dutton, Dominic Voegele and Patrick Steitz have started all five weekends and have combined for a 2.33 ERA, earning eight wins in their 15 starts.

Voegele is fifth in the league (2.08), while Steitz is sixth (2.31) and Dutton is seventh (2.57).

Voegele was drafted by the Arizona Diamondbacks in the 20th round of the 2023 MLB Draft this past summer. This season, Voegele has started on Saturday all five weekends and currently boasts an impressive 2.08 ERA as a true freshman. He has allowed two earned runs or less in each of his five starts. Voegele is also fourth in the Big 12 in opponent batting average (.191) and has the sixth-most innings pitched in the league (26.0).

Steitz transferred to Kansas from Central Arizona College where he spent the last two seasons. He was a NJCAA DI Third Team All-American in 2023.

DUTTON DOMINATING
Senior pitcher Reese Dutton has won four-straight starts and the last three have been quality starts. He is 4-1 with a 2.57 ERA this season.

Dutton, who transferred from USC Upstate for his final year of eligibility, is the first KU pitcher to have four wins in his first five starts since Jackson Goddard in 2018 and the first KU newcomer to do so since T.J. Walz in 2008. Both Goddard and Walz went on to be Top 15 round MLB draft picks, with Goddard going in the third round in 2018 to the Arizona Diamondbacks and Walz being selected in the 15th round of the 2008 draft by the Oakland Athletics.

Dutton is currently third in the Big 12 in wins (4) and innings pitched (28.0), fifth in opponent batting average (.196) and seventh in ERA (2.57).

NOTHING BUT NETT
Senior outfielder John Nett has reached base safely in all 19 games this season. He also has an eight-game hitting streak. Nett’s 19-game on-base streak is the longest to start the season by a KU player since Jaxx Groshans in 2019 (22 games).

After starting the season 3-for-17 (.176) with no extra-base hits, Nett is since 22-for-57 (.386) with seven extra-base hits.

The Division II transfer from St. Cloud State, has eight multi-hit games this season, which is tied for the most on the team. He has also reached base multiple times in five of the six conference games so far.

SERIES HISTORY
Kansas and UCF have played just twice in program history, with the Golden Knights holding a 2-0 series lead. The first matchup came on Feb. 12, 1994 in the Olive Garden Classic in Kissimmee, Florida, when UCF won 13-8. The other contest was on Feb. 20, 1998 in the Houston Invitational in Houston, Texas when UCF won 6-4.

UP NEXT
Kansas hosts Saint Louis on Tuesday, March 26 at 3 p.m. CT at Hoglund Ballpark for a midweek contest.