Kansas University baseball coach Ritch Price’s grin said it all.

After KU’s thrilling 4-3 victory Friday night over No. 21 Baylor at Hoglund Ballpark — a win that possibly shouldn’t have been, considering all that went against the Jayhawks — Price’s smile showed he was enjoying the long-awaited accomplishment.

“I think we’ve gotten over the hump,” Price said. “That was the final stage in turning this program around — I had to get our guys to play against the ball and not be intimidated by who’s in the other dugout.”

It was a significant feat, considering Kansas (32-16 overall, 7-9 Big 12 Conference) certainly had reason to be overwhelmed Friday. Baylor came in flaunting one of the nation’s top offenses, and Kansas pitcher Ryan Knippschild admitted he didn’t have his best stuff. Meanwhile, Baylor hurler Steven White was phenomenal, baffling the heart of KU’s powerful lineup with velocity and a wicked breaking pitch.

“Steven White was sick tonight,” Kansas outfielder Casey Spanish said. “I couldn’t tell if it was a slider or a fastball coming out of his hand.”

All that, and KU still found a way to win.

After falling behind 3-0 following a three-run Baylor sixth inning, Kansas answered with a two-run bloop single by senior Kevin Wheeler — one that ticked off the glove of Baylor second baseman Paul Witt — cutting the deficit to 3-2 in the bottom of the sixth.

Then, a wild pitch and a passed ball — both coming one batter after Zane Carlson relieved White — scored junior Ryan Baty in the eighth inning, and put Matt Tribble at third base as the go-ahead run.

The good luck set up Spanish’s timely heroics. The senior blooped a single to center field, putting Kansas up 4-3. The lead held thanks to a 1-2-3 ninth inning by closer Brandon Johnson, a Free State High graduate.

KU’s 16-game losing streak to Baylor is history. So, too, is eight years of futility in Big 12 play. The Jayhawks have won five of their last seven conference games, after stumbling to a 2-7 Big 12 record out of the gate. They play Baylor again at 2 p.m. today at Hoglund Ballpark.

“We’ve never taken a game off,” Spanish said. “We’ve never taken a pitch off. Coach has instilled that in us.”

Kansas University's Matt Baty throws the ball to first base while trying to turn a double play against Baylor. The Jayhawks knocked off the Bears, 4-3, Friday night at Hoglund Ballpark.

The Bears (28-17, 9-10) had five baserunners in the first three innings but none scored, thanks to three huge Kansas double plays. Knippschild eventually calmed down, and besides a shaky sixth inning, more than earned his eighth victory of the season.

But even Knippschild was outdone by his antagonist. White was the tough-luck loser, despite hitting corners with a 94-mph fastball and devastating slider that helped him strike out 11 Jayhawks. He fell to 5-3, but earned the praises of KU’s first-year coach.

“That’s the best-pitched game we’ve had against us all year,” Price said. “He flat dominated us.”

But, as Kansas proved Friday, even that’s not enough sometimes.

Kansas 4, Baylor 3

Baylor 000 003 000 — 3 7 1

Kansas 000 002 02x — 4 7 0

W–Ryan Knippschild (8-3). L–Steven White (5-3) S–Brandon Johnson (7).

KU highlights: Casey Spanish 1-for-4, game-winning RBI; Kevin Wheeler 1-for-4, 2 RBIs; Ryan Knippschild 8 IP, 3 ER, 3 K.