For the second time in its weekend series with Kansas State in Manhattan, the Kansas baseball team found itself in extra innings on Sunday.
This time, however, it was the Wildcats who emerged victorious, 7-6 in 11 innings in the series rubber match, to take this year’s Sunflower Showdown two games to one. All three games were decided by one run.
The Wildcats (20-30, 5-19 Big 12) used a two-out fourth inning grand slam from Kyle Barfield to tie it early and Barfield later drove in a go-ahead run with an RBI-triple in the sixth.
Kansas (23-27, 6-14 Big 12) tied the game in the ninth with an RBI-double by redshirt sophomore right fielder Brendt Citta.
Both teams scored in their half of the 10th inning — KU on a leadoff home run from junior third baseman David Kyriacou — but after holding KU scorless in the top of the 11th, the Wildcats loaded the bases in the bottom of the 11th to set up a walk-off single from Hans Harker.
Despite losing the series, KU’s victory on Friday night clinched a spot in the upcoming Big 12 tournament, locking in the No. 8 seed a couple of games ahead of K-State, which finished ninth.
KU will close the regular season with a three-game series against Oklahoma May 17-19 at Hoglund Ballpark. K-State has no Big 12 games remaining.
Kansas 010 300 001 10 — 6 12 1
Kansas State 000 401 000 11 — 7 12 3
W – Brogan Heinen (1-0); L – Zack Leban (3-3)
