Stuck in an extended hitting slump, Kansas University catcher Sean Richardson decided to change his tune Wednesday against Baker.

“I was coming out to Sublime’s ‘Jailhouse’ first,” Richardson said, referring to the introduction music played during the time he walks to the batter’s box. “I don’t know. I just wasn’t hitting too well, so I figured that was the reason.”

Silly as the switch to a song by punk band Pennywise might have been, Richardson couldn’t argue with the results, going 2-for-3 with three RBIs in KU’s 16-6 victory at Hoglund Ballpark.

“It was bugging me the whole year,” Richardson said. “I think it was more a mental thing.”

KU coach Ritch Price also moved Richardson, who recently was named one of 37 finalists for the Johnny Bench Award given to the nation’s top catcher, to the five-hole in the batting order to revive his hitting.

Price said the team would need Richardson’s offense, especially with Big 12 Conference play starting next week.

“We need Sean Richardson to get it going for us to be a really good club,” Price said.

Richardson was one of many Jayhawk starters able to rest in the blowout victory. Price emptied his bench against the NAIA’s Wildcats, using 17 position players and six pitchers.

“It feels good to be able to play everybody,” Price said, “because everybody comes to practice and busts their tail for you. We only get so many opportunities to play our young guys.”

Kansas University's A.J. Van Slyke (32) is welcomed by teammates after he homered in the third inning. KU beat Baker, 16-6, Wednesday at Hoglund Ballpark.

In the beginning, it didn’t look as if Price might get the opportunity.

Baker led twice, taking a 1-0 lead in the second inning and a 4-2 advantage after four consecutive hits in the third.

But Kansas would respond. A.J. Van Slyke led off the third with a towering home run to left, and hits from Gus Milner, Jared Schweitzer and Ryne Price resulted in two more runs as the Jayhawks took a 5-4 lead.

From there, Baker became its own worst enemy. The Wildcats committed three errors in each of the fifth and sixth innings, helping the Jayhawks to nine runs in the two frames with eight of those tallies unearned.

“It’s kind of hard playing those guys,” KU shortstop Ritchie Price said, “because it’s a different kind of game.”

Kansas University second baseman Ryne Price makes an error against Baker. The Jayhawks easily recovered from the error, beating the Wildcats, 16-6, Wednesday at Hoglund Ballpark.

The Jayhawks also had to react to a different type of pitcher, with Baker starter Kyle Metzger’s fastball only hitting the low 70s on the radar gun.

“We’re better against plus-velocity guys,” Ritch Price said. “These kids in this dugout have been fastball hitters their whole lives. That’s a hard game to play for a hitter, when a guy’s throwing 72 or 74. The reality is that’s what changeup speed is in our league.”

After picking up his 700th overall coaching victory Sunday, Price received his 300th Division One coaching win against Baker.

“It just means you’ve been at it a long time,” Price said. “I really am excited about it. You kind of reflect on that a little bit, and I’ve had an opportunity to be associated with a lot of great young men and a lot of great assistant coaches in my career.”

Van Slyke added two hits and four RBIs for Kansas, and Milner contributed a pair of extra-base hits.

6Sports video: KU baseball routs Baker, 16-6

Kansas (17-8) will start a three-game home series against Western Illinois at 3 p.m. Friday at Hoglund Ballpark.