Before Friday, Adam Rachlin wasn’t the first name that would pop into people’s heads when thinking of a hero for Kansas University’s baseball team.

After the sophomore outfielder, who had just 14 at-bats entering Friday’s game at Hoglund Ballpark, hit the walk-off three-run homer in a 9-7 victory over Michigan, though, that might change.

KU second baseman Ryan Baty leaps to snag a throw as Michigan's Jake Fox slides into second.

“I was just excited to get to hit in the game,” Rachlin said. “I was just looking forward to getting the opportunity to hit. I was just looking to hit the ball hard and let it go where it would, and that’s how it happened.”

The victory ended an eight-game losing streak for the Jayhawks (11-8). All eight of those losses came on the road, and five came in the opponent’s final inning.

“I guess it was our turn,” Kansas coach Bobby Randall said. “We’ve had a lot of those and it was about time for us to win one. It seems like everything’s going down to the ninth inning for us.”

Randall brought in Rachlin to pinch hit for Casey Spanish with two men on and two outs in the bottom of the ninth against Wolverines starter Bobby Korecky.

“You’ve got to give Adam credit for that,” Randall said. “Casey’s going to be a good hitter for us but he’s been struggling swinging the bat and I thought I’d bring Adam in there. That guy’s tough on righties and I thought Adam could do a good job for us right there.”

Rachlin drove the second pitch he saw from Korecky over the right-field wall, bringing home Ryan Klocksien and Ryan Baty. Korecky, who earned the win in Michigan’s 8-2 victory over Kansas last season, had thrown more than 150 pitches against the Jayhawks, but Michigan coach Chris Harrison didn’t pull him in the ninth.

“We had discussed it,” Harrison said of bringing in a reliever. “He’s such a competitor, though, and he’s been a guy who’s done it for us in the past and today they hit some pitches well. You’ve got to give them a lot of credit.”

Kansas took the lead in the eighth on an RBI single by Cole Armstrong, but nearly extended its losing streak by allowing three runs in the ninth inning.

Brandon Roberts drove home Mike Sokol with a groundout to tie the game at 5-5, and Nate Wright hit a two-run double to give the Wolverines (3-11) the lead.

Rachlin’s heroics and the team’s first home game in nearly two weeks wouldn’t allow the Jayhawks to drop their ninth in a row, though.

“I thought we fought hard and it was a good game for us,” Randall said. “It’s nice to have that last at-bat.”