Kansas University’s baseball team, which entered the weekend in the Big 12 Conference cellar, could have picked a better time to win its first league series of the season.

But the Jayhawks could not afford a series loss to Kansas State and still hope to qualify for a Big 12 tournament spot.

After a 6-4 victory Sunday in front of 1,172 fans at Hoglund Ballpark, the Jayhawks at least can cling to a postseason dream.

“That’s about as proud of my club I’ve been since I’ve been here,” said KU coach Ritch Price, whose 29-21 squad rebounded after getting shut out, 7-0, Friday in Manhattan to piece together two victories and claim their first series victory in Big 12 play this season.

“One thing about this club is, we don’t panic when we’re behind,” Price said of the Jayhawks, who trailed in all three games against KSU. “We know we’re one of the better-hitting teams in the conference, especially on a day with the wind blowing out, or like yesterday, when the ball was just flying.

“It almost plays into our favor, because that’s the style we play. We’re not a base-stealing, base-to-base team. We try to be physical with the bats and elevate the baseball.”

KU certainly did that Sunday when outfielders A.J. Van Slyke and Gus Milner and designated hitter Andy Scholl each connected for a timely home run.

Jayhawk starter Mike Zagurski was solid in seven-plus innings of work, and even though KU closer Don Czyz gave up a two-run homer in the ninth, KU showed character by closing the door on the Wildcats.

“We got a chance now,” said Zagurski, who improved to 5-4 after striking out seven and allowing just five hits. “We have Texas coming to town next weekend. They’re the No. 1 team in the country, on national television, what more do you want?”

Kansas University baseball coach Ritch Price, left, congratulates A.J. Van Slyke after the junior left fielder hit a home run in the third inning against Kansas State. The Jayhawks beat the Wildcats, 6-4, Sunday at Hoglund Ballpark for a series victory in the Sunflower Showdown.

It didn’t start well Sunday for Zagurski, as KU allowed an unearned run for the third straight game.

But the Jayhawks caught a lucky break in the third when Van Slyke powered a drifting ball to the wall in left center. K-State’s Terry Blunt, who gave KSU a 2-0 lead in the top half of the inning on a solo shot to dead center, tracked the ball down and leaped to grab it. Instead, the ball bounced off Blunt’s glove and over the wall, tying the game at 2.

“It was a Jose Canseco move,” Van Slyke said, referring to the former big-leaguer’s gaffe when a ball bounced off his head for a home run. “I knew I had hit it high enough, and the wind was blowing hard enough that it had a chance.”

Kansas University catcher Sean Richardson winds up to throw to third base on a pick-off attempt against Kansas State. The Jayhawks won, 6-4, Sunday at Hoglund Ballpark.

KU scored another pair of runs in the fourth when Scholl smacked a solo shot and Matt Baty singled up the middle to drive in Ryne Price. Milner broke his 11 at-bat hitless slump with a solo shot in the fifth, and KU plated its final run in the bottom of the eighth to lead, 6-2.

Zagurksi ran into trouble in the eighth. Czyz replaced him with a KSU runner on second, and after a wild pitch settled down to end the threat.

Things became even hairier in the ninth. Baty and Milner didn’t communicate on a pop up and collided, allowing Josh Dent to move to second before Barret Rice brought him around on a deep home run.

But Czyz retired the next three Wildcats to give KU the win and, more importantly, move the Jayhawks up a spot in the league standings.

6Sports video: Jayhawks rout Wildcats

“We certainly needed these two wins,” said KU’s Jared Schweitzer, who extended his career-best hitting streak to 18 games with a single to right in his first at bat.