KANSAS CITY, Kan. - Junior Brian Blauser went 4-for-4 from the plate and scored two runs in Sacramento State’s 12-5 loss to Kansas at Community America Ballpark in the Best of the Midwest Tournament on Wednesday afternoon.The Hornets (18-24-1) tallied nine hits in the game, compared to 15 from Kansas (27-20).
Sacramento State took an initial 1-0 lead when junior Pat Keiper scored on a Jayhawk throwing error. Kansas quickly responded scoring five runs in the next three innings.
The Jayhawks were led at the plate by Ritchie Price, who went 3-for-4 with two RBIs while scoring four runs. Matt Baty, Gus Milner, John Allman and Erik Morrison all had multiple-hits for Kansas.
The Hornets added runs late in the game. In the sixth inning senior Brett Flowers doubled to right field scoring Blauser. For Flowers it was his second double in as many days. The Huntington Beach, Calif., native leads the team with a .322 batting average and 36 RBIs. He also has 10 doubles in 2005.
In the seventh inning, Keiper’s ground out RBI scored junior Everet Rincon, who doubled earlier in the inning.
In the ninth inning Flowers hit his team-high sixth home run of the season, a two-run shot to right field that also scored Blauser. Flowers finished the game 2-for-5 with three RBIs and one run. The second-year player from Santa Ana JC also leads the team with a .507 slugging percentage.
The Jayhawks scored seven runs in the final three innings of the game. Sean Land (4-4) recorded the win for Kansas after pitching five innings and allowing two runs (one earned) on six hits.
Junior left-hander Kyle Christensen (2-2) took the loss for the Hornets after pitching three innings and allowing five runs on four hits.
Sacramento State, 10-7 in the month April, will now travel to Cal Poly for a three-game weekend series starting on Friday. The Hornets return to Hornet Field on Tuesday, May 3 for a 2:30 p.m. game against Santa Clara.
