Kansas Secures Big 12 Championship Berth
The Kansas Jayhawks are headed to the Big 12 Tournament championship game for the first time since 2013, after a commanding 9‑2 victory over No. 19 Oklahoma State on Thursday night.
An early three‑run burst set the tone, as the Jayhawks built a 3‑0 lead in the first two innings, highlighted by an RBI double from Tyson LeBlanc that drove in two runs.
Oklahoma State narrowed the gap to 3‑2 in the eighth, but the home team answered with a six‑run bottom half that turned the game on its head.
LeBlanc’s Grand Slam and Record
LeBlanc delivered the decisive blow with a grand slam, his 21st home run of the season, matching the single‑season record set by Tony Thompson in 2009.
He finished 3‑for‑4 with five RBIs, the most ever by a Kansas player in a Big 12 Tournament game, underscoring his impact on the contest.
Starter Mason Cook earned the win after allowing just one run over 5.2 innings, striking out seven batters, while reliever Riane Ritter closed out the game with four strikeouts in the final two frames.
Looking Ahead
The Jayhawks will meet No. 9 West Virginia in the championship on Saturday at 6:30 p.m. CT, a matchup that will be streamed live on ESPN2.