FORT WORTH – Kansas avoided the series sweep with a 3-1 victory over TCU on Sunday afternoon at Lupton Stadium. The Jayhawks took advantage of a couple errors in the ninth to score two times. Johnny Rizer’s eighth home run of the season was the lone tally for the Horned Frogs.
A lead-off walk followed by a bloop single put the first two Jayhawks on in the ninth. A couple errors in the inning with runners on second allowed the go-ahead runs to score. In the bottom of the inning, Kansas worked around a two-out single to secure the victory.
Brandon Williamson (3-4) was the tough-luck loser as he put together a career-day on the mound. The junior allowed just two runs (one earned) on six hits of eight innings of work. He walked three and struck out a career-high 11 batters.
Kansas opened the scoring in the second. A diving catch attempt with one out rolled to the warning track for a triple. Casey Burnham grounded into a fielder’s choice to give the Jayhawks a 1-0 lead.
TCU tied the game in the fourth on a two-out home run from Johnny Rizer.
The Kansas pitching staff used four bullpen arms to hold the Frogs in check for the remainder of the game. Over 4 2/3 innings of work, the quartet allowed just three base runners on a walk and two infield hits.
In the seventh, Kansas almost took a 2-1 lead with a two-out rally. A double kept the inning alive and Burnham tried to score on a base hit to center, but Rizer threw a strike to Zach Humphreys at the plate to cut down the run.
With the loss, TCU falls to 28-21 overall and 10-11 in Big 12 play. The Horned Frogs will close out their home schedule Tuesday night when they host Lamar. First pitch is set for 6:30 p.m.