KANSAS CITY, KAN. ? Tuesday night’s game was about what you’d expect from two teams with sticks to spare — a lot of runs, and a long night at the old ballpark.

Kansas University’s baseball team survived cold weather, shaky defense and booming New Mexico State bats to beat the Aggies, 12-11, at CommunityAmerica Ballpark, site of the Best of the Midwest Tournament.

Two teams with proven offense — NMSU had a .343 team batting average going into the game — and question marks elsewhere all but guaranteed a 20-plus-run slugfest. It was just a matter of holding on for the 31/2 hour ride.

“We said before the game that it was a race to 15,” KU’s A.J. Van Slyke said. “But I guess it was a race to 12. They’re a good-hitting team. We knew we had to score a lot of runs.”

And do so while surviving a chilly spring night, which caused stingers when swinging the bat and a diminished comfort level while playing in the field. KU committed five errors, was outhit 10-9 by New Mexico State and let the Aggies’ No. 9 hitter, Brandon Lance, drive in six runs — yet still hung on to win.

“Really, we had a chance to bury them early and we didn’t do that. We let them back in the game,” coach Ritch Price said. “The thing I’m most pleased with is that we continue to battle back when we’re behind. That’s something we hadn’t done early in my career at KU.”

The Jayhawks (26-20) saw a 3-0 lead become a 4-3 deficit and an 8-4 lead become an 11-8 deficit before finally stopping the NMSU onslaught. KU relief pitcher Scott Sharpe stopped the bleeding in the seventh, then closer Don Czyz pitched two hitless innings to finish it out.

“I’ve had some tough times the past week,” Czyz said. “A blown save and two losses and a lot of earned runs and hits … I hope I’m back on track. The way my stuff was tonight, I think I am.”

To counter, Kansas hung four on the scoreboard in the seventh to slip ahead for good, mostly cashing in on the Aggies’ sloppiness on the mound and in the field.

Kansas University's Gus Milner slides past New Mexico State's Brandon Lance. The Jayhawks won their Best of the Midwest Tournament game, 12-11, Tuesday night at CommunityAmerica Ballpark.

After loading the bases on two infield singles and a walk, Ritchie Price was drilled in the back to force in the first run, Van Slyke singled in the second run, and Gus Milner walked to force in the tying run. An error on a Sean Richardson grounder then scored Matt Baty, putting Kansas up, 12-11.

New Mexico State had just two errors to KU’s five, but walked 11 KU batters to give the Jayhawks a chance to win. They took advantage.

“It was a tough night to play, as cold as it was,” coach Price said. “I actually thought they would play poorly defensively, being from a warm-weather state. The players were telling our players that they cancel practice when it’s this cold at New Mexico State. As it was, we played poorly defensively.”

But on a survive-and-advance night like Tuesday, KU won’t dwell on shortcomings too much. A noon game with Sacramento State today at CommunityAmerica is a quick turnaround — and a big tune-up before a crucial series starting Friday at Kansas State.

“It was an offensive win,” Van Slyke said. “Somewhere down the road, we’ll get a pitching-defense win. That’s the game.”