Big 12 Quick Hits 2/18

Kansas took the lead in the seventh on a two-run single from LF Tucker Tharp.
SS Kevin Kuntz led the Jayhawks with two hits. Kansas had six hits total.
Freshman LHP Wes Benjamin picked up the win in his first career start, going seven innings and allowing only one run on five hits. Benjamin walked one and struck out three.
Tanner Poppe picked up his first save of the season, allowing a hit and striking out a batter in the ninth.

Taylor Thomas and Jordan Jakubov combined for a four-hit shoutout. Thomas struck out five, allowing three hits and two walks over 8.1 innings.
LF Michael Suiter lead all Jayhawks with three hits, going 3-3. 3B Justin Protacio picked up both RBIs with a groundout in the sixth, and a single in the ninth.
SS Kevin Kuntz leads the Big 12 with seven hits through the first two days.

2B Ross Kivett collected the game-winning hit in the 11th with a two-run triple to right field, his second hit on the day.
RF Mike Kindel’s only hit of the day was a three-run home run in the seventh. CF Jared King, 1B Wade Hinkle, and Kivett led the hitting with two hit a piece.
Starter Matt Applegate allowed four runs over 7.1 innings of work. Closer Johnny Fasola allowed an unearned run in the ninth, but held on to throw 1.1 innings after a blown save.
Relieve Shane Conlon struck out three batters in 1.2 innings of work, picking up the win, while Jake Doller allowed only a hit, finishing the eighth for Applegate.

Pepperdine 10 Oklahoma 0

JUCO transfer Jonathan Gray’s career got off to a rough start. The sophomore only allowed a pair of hits and one run, but walked six batters in 2.2 innings of work.
The Sooners used four relievers, who allowed nine runs and 12 hits in 5.1 innings.
Oklahoma’s offense managed just five hits, two from LF Evan Mistich.

Cal Poly 11 Oklahoma State 3

Six of Cal Poly’s 11 runs were unearned, thanks to five Cowboy errors.
LHP Kyle Ottoson suffered the loss in his Oklahoma State debut after transferring from Arizona State during the offseason.
2B Robbie Rea led the Cowboys with three hits, while 3B Mark Ginther and DH Victor Romero each added a pair. Oklahoma State, as a team, collected ten hits after only managing two in the opening day loss.

Texas 4 Duke 0 (7 innings, Game 1)

Texas freshman 2B Brooks Marlow collected his first two home runs of his career. A solo shot in the fourth, and a two-run shot in the fifth, both off Team USA P Marcus Stroman. The last time a Longhorn his two home runs in a game was when Kevin Lusson accomplished the feat on May 23, 2010 against Missouri.
RHPs Nathan Thornhill and Corey Knebel combined for a three-hit shutout. Thornhill allowed all three hits, and struck out a pair of Blue Devils against one walk. Knebel picked up the save with two innings of perfect baseball.
With the current absence of 2B Jordan Etier, and the loss of SS Brandon Loy and 1B Tant Shepherd from last year’s squad, the infield defense for Texas is nowhere near as strong as it was in prior seasons. Loy and Shepherd were two of the best defenders at their positions in 2011.

Texas 5 Duke 3 (Game 2)

RF Mark Payton collected three hits on the night, including a two-run double in the second.
CF Tim Maitland put together only his second career multi-hit game, going 2-4 with two runs. The senior is starting in place of the injured Cohl Walla, who suffered a torn ACL in practice last week.
RHP Corey Knebel picked up his second save of the season in as many games, and his 21st career save in only 40 appearances. Knebel now has a career ERA of 1.07, with a .143 batting average against.
RHP Parker French made his Longhorn debut after redshirting in 2011. French threw three scoreless innings, working his way out of a bases loaded jam in the eighth.

A&M 1B Jacob House got the scoring kicked off with a two-run home run in the first. LF Brandon Wood added a solo shot in the bottom of the sixth.
RHP Michael Wacha struck out eight and walked three over 5.2 innings of work before Esteven Uriegas recorded the final out prior to suspension. Illinois-Chicago had only one hit off Wacha during his time on the mound.
Four Aggies collected multiple hits in the game. House, Wood, Mikey Reynolds, and Tyler Naquin all collected a pair of hits each, while Matt Juengel led the team with three.

For the second game in a row, 1B Jacob House hit a two-run, first inning home run. House compiled three hits, and added another three RBI to run his total to six in only two games.
Reigning Big 12 Player of the Year, Tyler Naquin, finished 3-3 with three runs scored. Naquin and House lead the Aggies with five hits each.
RHP Ross Stripling surrendered singles to the first batters of the game before setting down 15 consecutive batters over the first five innings. Stripling finished the game allowing two runs on six hits while striking out eight over seven innings in the win.
Freshman RHP Gandy Stubblefield made his Aggie debut, striking out a pair of Flames in the ninth inning.
After the second day of play, the Aggie pitching staff leads the Big 12 with a 1.00 staff ERA and an 11.0 K/9 ratio.

Texas Tech starter Shane Broyles picked up the win in his Red Raider debut. The righty transfer allowed five runs, four earned, on six hits with six strikeouts and no walks. He threw only 78 pitches in 7.1 innings of work.
CF Barrett Barnes hit his first home run of the year, a two-run shot off the left field pole. Barnes finished the day 2-5 with two runs, three RBI, a double, home run, and stolen base.
2B Jamodrick McGruder picked up his first three stolen bases of the year in the same inning. After a leadoff walk, McGruder stole his way to third before scoring on a successful double steal.
Texas Tech 1B Scott LeJeune picked up three hits, including a double, and added a stolen base.
Through their first two games, Red Raider pitchers have an 8.5 K/BB ratio, and a WHIP of .500.