- Joined
- May 8, 2002
- Posts
- 1,152,267
- Reaction score
- 59
LAWRENCE — Kansas baseball’s NCAA regional got off to the best start it could have this year, as the Jayhawks picked up a 6-3 win against Northeastern inside Hoglund Ballpark.
KU (43-16), the top seed in the regional, never trailed in this NCAA tournament matchup. Northeastern (38-21), the No. 4 seed in the four-team regional, threatened at times but was never able to overcome its various deficits. In the bottom of the eighth inning, leading 4-3, KU added two more runs for insurance and won by that three-run margin.
But the Jayhawks also saw junior Brady Ballinger return to action after he missed the Big 12 Conference tournament due to injury. He entered the game in the top of the seventh inning as a defensive substitution in left field. And the standout Kansas player also scored a run in the bottom of the eighth inning, too.
RELATED: Kansas baseball vs Northeastern final score: KU wins in NCAA regional
“Brady was better today than he was yesterday, and he, I think — time is definitely something that’s helping him right now,” KU coach Dan Fitzgerald said.
“If I knew he was going to hit an 110 mile an hour line drive to left I maybe would have pushed the envelope a little more. But I came to him in the middle innings and just said, ‘Can you go in and play high-level defense?’ And he was like, ‘Of course, I can.’ So, at that point — trying to buy him some time, but at this point in the season, obviously, every win is beyond critical. So, proud of him. He’s worked hard in a short amount of time to get back.”
Fitzgerald acknowledged that if the score was more comfortable for Kansas in the seventh inning, instead of being close at 4-3, Ballinger probably wouldn’t have played. A more considerable lead likely means they give Ballinger the day off entirely. But given the way the game was playing out, and Ballinger’s experience, Fitzgerald went to him and was glad to see everything work out.
With the win, Kansas moves on to a game Saturday at 5 p.m. (CT) against the winner of Arkansas, the No. 2 seed in the regional, and Missouri State, the No. 3 seed. Both are quality teams that have a chance to beat KU, so having Ballinger back and excelling is critical. His single in his only at-bat was the reason he got on base and eventually scored.
Ballinger, an All-Big 12 honorable mention talent, is one of the key pieces of this Kansas team. Although the Jayhawks were able to win the Big 12 tournament without him, they’re in a much better position to win the NCAA regional with him. The joy of the fans when he got in the game and got up to bat was obvious.
“I thought it was pretty cool that he was able to bounce back just as quick as he did, and come out there and compete and come through in a really big moment,” junior Dominic Voegele said. “I thought it was super cool.”
Jordan Guskey covers University of Kansas Athletics at The Topeka Capital-Journal. He was the 2022 National Sports Media Association’s sportswriter of the year for the state of Kansas. Contact him at [email protected] or on Twitter at @JordanGuskey.
This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: Brady Ballinger returns for Kansas baseball in NCAA regional victory
Continue reading...
KU (43-16), the top seed in the regional, never trailed in this NCAA tournament matchup. Northeastern (38-21), the No. 4 seed in the four-team regional, threatened at times but was never able to overcome its various deficits. In the bottom of the eighth inning, leading 4-3, KU added two more runs for insurance and won by that three-run margin.
But the Jayhawks also saw junior Brady Ballinger return to action after he missed the Big 12 Conference tournament due to injury. He entered the game in the top of the seventh inning as a defensive substitution in left field. And the standout Kansas player also scored a run in the bottom of the eighth inning, too.
RELATED: Kansas baseball vs Northeastern final score: KU wins in NCAA regional
“Brady was better today than he was yesterday, and he, I think — time is definitely something that’s helping him right now,” KU coach Dan Fitzgerald said.
“If I knew he was going to hit an 110 mile an hour line drive to left I maybe would have pushed the envelope a little more. But I came to him in the middle innings and just said, ‘Can you go in and play high-level defense?’ And he was like, ‘Of course, I can.’ So, at that point — trying to buy him some time, but at this point in the season, obviously, every win is beyond critical. So, proud of him. He’s worked hard in a short amount of time to get back.”
Fitzgerald acknowledged that if the score was more comfortable for Kansas in the seventh inning, instead of being close at 4-3, Ballinger probably wouldn’t have played. A more considerable lead likely means they give Ballinger the day off entirely. But given the way the game was playing out, and Ballinger’s experience, Fitzgerald went to him and was glad to see everything work out.
With the win, Kansas moves on to a game Saturday at 5 p.m. (CT) against the winner of Arkansas, the No. 2 seed in the regional, and Missouri State, the No. 3 seed. Both are quality teams that have a chance to beat KU, so having Ballinger back and excelling is critical. His single in his only at-bat was the reason he got on base and eventually scored.
Ballinger, an All-Big 12 honorable mention talent, is one of the key pieces of this Kansas team. Although the Jayhawks were able to win the Big 12 tournament without him, they’re in a much better position to win the NCAA regional with him. The joy of the fans when he got in the game and got up to bat was obvious.
“I thought it was pretty cool that he was able to bounce back just as quick as he did, and come out there and compete and come through in a really big moment,” junior Dominic Voegele said. “I thought it was super cool.”
You must be registered for see images attach
Jordan Guskey covers University of Kansas Athletics at The Topeka Capital-Journal. He was the 2022 National Sports Media Association’s sportswriter of the year for the state of Kansas. Contact him at [email protected] or on Twitter at @JordanGuskey.
This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: Brady Ballinger returns for Kansas baseball in NCAA regional victory
Continue reading...
