Smith, McKay Lift Jayhawks in Finale Over TCU, 5-1

Junior right fielder Connor McKay connected for two home runs in game two of Saturday’s doubleheader.
Kansas 5, TCU 1
Hoglund Ballpark // Lawrence, Kan.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
TCU 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 5 0
KU 0 1 0 1 0 2 0 1 X 5 8 0

Box Score (.pdf)
Season Stats (.pdf)

Batting Leaders
TCU AB R H RBI BB HR
D. Odell 3 1 1 0 1 0
K. Cron 3 0 1 1 0 0
J. Fagnan 4 0 2 0 0 0
Kansas
C. McKay 4 2 2 2 0 2
D. Smith 4 0 2 3 0 0
C. Wright 4 2 2 0 0 0
Pitchers
TCU IP H R ER BB SO
A. Young (1-3) 5.2 7 4 4 1 3
T. Teakell 0.1 0 0 0 0 0
T. Alexander 2.0 1 1 1 1 4
Kansas
F. Duncan (4-1) 8.1 5 1 1 1 7
S. Villines (4) 0.2 0 0 0 0 2

LAWRENCE, Kan. –Junior right fielder Connor McKay and junior designated hitter Dakota Smith combined for four hits, five RBIs and two runs scored, pacing the Kansas baseball team to a 5-1 win over TCU in the night cap of Saturday’s doubleheader at Hoglund Ballpark.
 
In opposite fashion of Friday night’s display where TCU’s (22-13, 7-5 Big 12) No. 3 and No. 4 hitters drove in all the runs for the Horned Frogs, McKay and Smith, KU’s (22-15, 6-6 Big 12) four and five hitters, paced the offense with five RBIs, capped off by two home runs by McKay, his eighth and ninth of the season and third on the day, as he also homered in game one.
 
With his three home runs for three RBIs today, McKay increased his Big-12 leading RBI total to 38. That was also the first time a KU player hit two home runs in a game since May 11, 2013, when Alex DeLeon accomplished the same feat against in-state rival Kansas State.
 
Outside of Smith and McKay, sophomore second baseman Colby Wright was the only other Jayhawk with a multi-hit performance at the dish, batting 2-for-4 with two runs scored. The trio combined for six of KU’s eight hits on the night, giving plenty of offensive support for senior right-handed hurler Frank Duncan (4-1) who made his ninth start on the bump for Kansas.
 
After a dominating complete-game, 128-pitch performance a week ago, Duncan took the mound with the same swagger and allowed just one run off five hits in eight and one-third innings pitched. He struck out seven TCU batters and gave up just one walk in the victory. Freshman side-arm slinger Stephen Villines came on in relief in the ninth inning with runners on first and second and one out, and struck out the only two batters he faced for his fourth career save.
 
Kansas wasted no time jumping out to an early lead in the second inning when McKay hit his eighth home run of the season and second of the day. On a 1-2 count, McKay drove one on a line over the left field wall to put KU on top, 1-0.
 
TCU battled back in the third to tie the game up, 1-1. Third baseman Derek Odell drew the one out walk, before stealing second base. With two outs, designated hitter Kevin Cron lined one up the middle for the RBI-single, evening the score up at one apiece.
 
Wright sparked another KU rally in the bottom of the fourth as he roped a double down the right field line to lead things off. However, the scoring chances looked grim when took quick outs brought Smith to the plate. On the first pitch of the at bat, Smith ripped a single to left field to score Wright from second and give the Jayhawks the one-run advantage, 2-1.
 
Wright came through again in the sixth inning with a one-out single to centerfield to spark the two-run rally. Junior left fielder Michael Suiter followed suit with a single of his own, this one to left field, to bring up McKay. Already with two home runs on the day, McKay was primed for another, but went down swinging on three straight pitches.
 
Smith then walked his way to the plate with two outs and runners at first and second, looking to tack on a couple more runs for the Jayhawks. Smith timed the fastball perfectly and drove it down into the right field corner for the two-run triple, extending the Kansas lead to three runs, 4-1.
 
McKay then took charge in the eighth inning when he stroked his ninth bomb of the season over the wall in left center, another solo shot, to increase the Kansas lead to four runs, 5-1, and seal the victory for KU in the night cap.
 
The Jayhawks are back in action Tuesday, April 15, as they play host to Grand Canyon for a two-game midweek series. Both games are available for viewing on ESPN3.
 
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