A night of high drama in Surprise, Arizona
The Jayhawks jumped out to a 6‑0 advantage in the early innings, capitalizing on a flurry of hits and aggressive base running. By the end of the seventh, the lead had stretched to 7‑1, putting Kansas in a commanding position.
Baylor refused to go quietly. The Bears rallied in the top of the ninth, stringing together a pair of runs that trimmed the deficit and ultimately tied the game at 7‑7, forcing the contest into extra innings.
In the bottom of the tenth, sophomore Savion Flowers stepped up and launched a solo home run that cleared the fence, delivering an 8‑7 victory and sparking a celebration among the Kansas bench.
Junior right‑hander Dominic Voegele turned in a solid outing, limiting Baylor to just one run over seven innings while the offense supplied four homers throughout the game, underscoring the team’s potent bat.
What’s next for the Jayhawks?
The win propels Kansas into the semifinals, where they will meet Oklahoma State — a squad that advanced by defeating UCF in its own quarterfinal. The Jayhawks had beaten the Cowboys twice in the regular season, but they know that defensive consistency and tighter pitching will be essential against a disciplined opponent.
Coach Dan Fitzgerald will be tasked with fine‑tuning the pitching staff and shoring up a defense that showed cracks in the later innings, while the lineup hopes to keep the momentum generated by Flowers’ heroics.