The plane carrying the Kansas University baseball squad touched down at 2 a.m. Monday after the Jayhawks finished a nine-game road trip.

KU may face the fatigue factor in its home opener at 3 p.m. today against South Dakota State.

“I don’t know about them, but I’m tired,” KU coach Ritch Price said. “But I hope those guys being 18, 19, 20 years old … I’m sure they’re back to 100 percent.”

The Jayhawks did not practice Monday, and Tuesday they had a short workout. Price has afforded his team rest this week partly to recharge its batteries but also because of the progress he saw last week against Hawaii-Hilo and No. 6 Stanford.

Price said playing in the ideal conditions of Hawaii was crucial to getting a jump start to the year; KU’s warm-weather counterparts started practicing in early January.

“I feel very, very good about the trip. I’ve taken eight teams (to Hawaii) and never won every game of the series,” Price said about his squad going 6-0 against the Vulcans. “You can’t play the game inside. We got better every day in Hawaii.”

The Jayhawks (6-3) made their way from paradise to Palo Alto, Calif., to face Stanford for three games. Although KU was swept, Price said it was the most competitive his team ever had played against the Cardinal.

Price said during the nine-game stretch, three players — catcher Sean Richardson (.400 batting average, 11 hits), outfielder Matt Baty (.400 BA, leads team with 16 hits, 10 RBIs and three stolen bases) and shortstop Ritchie Price (.395, batting average, team-high nine runs) — “played like all-Big 12 players.”

Today’s opponent, South Dakota State, has several names on the coaching staff familiar to the KU baseball family. Rookie coach Reggie Christiansen is a former Ritch Price assistant who, at 27, is the youngest coach in Division I-A.

The Jackrabbits are the youngest team in Division I-A and will play their first game at the top collegiate level today.

South Dakota State’s staff features two former KU pitchers: Pat Holmes (outfield coach) and Chris Smart (pitching coach).

“I’m really proud of them,” Price said. “They’re great young men. They have a passion for the game of baseball. They all have outstanding futures ahead of them.”

Kansas-South Dakota State game notes (.pdf)

Junior Kodiak Quick (2-0), a Stanford transfer, will start on the mound today for Kansas. Sean Land (0-1) is slated to go at 3 p.m. Thursday, then Clint Schambach (1-1) and Mike Zagurski (1-0) will pitch in a 2 p.m. Friday doubleheader.

The series originally was scheduled to conclude Sunday, but possible inclement weather changed Friday’s single game to a doubleheader. Pending additional weather reports, the doubleheader could be played Thursday instead.