After Sunday’s 9-4 loss to Nebraska, Kansas University baseball coach Ritch Price said if his team could win five of its nine league series, the Jayhawks would advance to the Big 12 Conference tournament and the NCAA Tournament.

This weekend’s series against Nebraska was one that got away — KU won the first contest, but dropped the last two. The Jayhawks could have won Sunday, but their offense got going seven innings too late.

KU’s hitters were making good contact, but Nebraska’s defense made enough spectacular plays by diving for ground balls and line drives and turning double plays that Price said it was a major difference.

“I told our club after the game that I was pleased with the way we swung the bats in the first six innings, (but) their defense was absolutely incredible,” Price said.

Starter Kodiak Quick and reliever Don Czyz mostly kept Nebraska’s high-powered offense at bay for seven innings, but didn’t get enough run support.

KU trailed just 3-0 heading into the seventh, but the Jayhawks surrendered four runs in the inning. Nebraska loaded the bases after a pair of walks from Quick and a fielding error by Erik Morrison at third base.

Czyz relieved and hit Lawrence High graduate Curtis Ledbetter with a pitch to force in a run, then Czyz gave up a pair of hits, and Nebraska scored three more.

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It was the first time the Jayhawks had allowed four runs in an inning since March 6 against Mississippi State, but Price said he still was pleased with the pitchers’ performance.

Kansas University catcher Sean Richardson tags out Nebraska's Joe Simokaitis (2) at the plate. The Huskers beat the Jayhawks, 9-4, Sunday at Hoglund Ballpark.

“I was really pleased with Kodiak Quick and Donnie Czyz,” Price said. “We might have left him in an inning too long. To hold them to three runs into the seventh inning I thought was a really nice effort by those guys.”

KU tried to rally in the eighth when Morrison hit a two-run home run that scored John Allman and capped a three-run inning.

Before the eighth, only one KU runner had advanced past first base, and that was because of a Nebraska fielding error.

Gus Milner followed in the ninth with a solo home run, but that was all for KU.

Morrison said it was difficult to be happy about his home run when the team was losing.

6Sports video: Jayhawks fall to Cornhuskers in series finale

“It’s hard when everyone’s playing well and you’re starting to play well as a team and you’re still getting beat,” Morrison said.

But Price didn’t feel as downtrodden. He said he was pleased with how his team swung the bat against what he called one of the best pitching staffs in the Big 12.

He added that they needed to improve defensively after committing five errors during the series.

Kansas University pitcher Kodiak Quick, left, gets a visit on the mound from KU pitching coach Steve Abney in the sixth inning. Abney pulled Quick in favor of Don Czyz in the Jayhawks' 9-4 loss to Nebraska on Sunday at Hoglund Ballpark.

“We’re capable of playing better defensively,” Price said. “We’ve got to make every play when we’re playing someone as good as Nebraska, Texas, A&M, right on down the line.”

KU will travel Friday to College Station, Texas, for a three-game set against No. 15 Texas A&M. Price re-emphasized the importance of trying to win a conference series, especially against a powerhouse like the Aggies.

“If we swing the bats as good as we did this weekend,” Price said, “I think we’re capable of going there and winning two.”