The Traveler

Issue date: 2/25/09 Section: Sports

Media Credit: Jonathan Gibson Kansas scored nine runs on just seven hits. Arkansas pitchers surrendered six walks, including three in the Jayhawks' four-run third inning.

A fourth inning rally was too much for the Arkansas Razorback baseball team to overcome Tuesday against the Kansas Jayhawks in front of 1,804 fans at Baum Stadium.

The four-run frame put Kansas (2-2) up with a lead the team wouldn't give up. The Razorbacks were able to out-hit the Jayhawks, but Kansas used six walks to produce big innings, pulling away with a 9-3 win.

"Give Kansas credit," Arkansas head coach Dave Van Horn said. "They took advantage of everything we gave them. Both the starters and the bullpen did a great job containing our offense."

Arkansas pitcher Brett Eibner started the inning by giving up a double and later allowed the runner to score on a single. Junior reliever Jeremy Heatley - who allowed three earned runs in two innings against Washington State - then took over the mound.

Heatley recorded the second out of the inning, but then he allowed a walk to load the bases. Another walk and a single later, and Kansas added two more runs to its lead. Heatley finished 0.1 innings with one earned run.

Junior Christian Kowalchuk entered the game with runners on first and second. In the next at bat, he threw a wild pitch to move the runners up a base. But he then retired the next batter, who lined out to third.

Eibner, who started the game, finished with three earned runs while striking out three in 2.1 innings. Eibner allowed his first earned run in his last five appearances.

Arkansas (3-1) had its opportunities to put runs on the board. The Razorbacks started a two-out rally in the third inning that left outfielder Chase Leavitt, second baseman Ben Tschepikow and Eibner on base. Freshman Zack Cox hit a grounder to second to end the inning.

"Our offense just hasn't been there," Van Horn said. "We haven't been able to put a lot of runs on the board."

A fourth-inning RBI single by freshman catcher James McCann drove in Andy Wilkins, putting the first run on the board for the Razorbacks.

Tschepikow added a second run with his second homerun of the season. The solo shot set a career high for the fifth-year player, who has five career homers. Tschepikow finished 2-for-5 with one run and one RBI.

Continued...

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