After three minutes, Kansas University baseball coach Ritch Price felt like he hadn’t said enough to reporters.

So he thanked them. And then apologized.

“Sorry,” the coach said, “that you had to watch that.”

Yes, it was that ugly for the Jayhawks. After taking two of three from No. 26 Texas Tech over the weekend and putting itself in contention for an NCAA berth, Kansas nearly let it all slip away by laying an egg against North Dakota State.

KU had to rally for a 5-4 victory Tuesday at Hoglund Ballpark.

“We’re lucky to be walking out of here with a win,” Kansas closer Don Czyz said. “It’s kind of an embarrassing way to go into this weekend.”

Embarrassing might be an understatement. North Dakota State entered having lost 24 of its last 25 games. The team had combined for just one home run all season – compared to Kansas’ 33.

In the end, the Jayhawks couldn’t even claim that they had made the plays necessary to win the game; in fact it was NDSU miscues that helped avert another Bison bummer.

Tied 4-all in the ninth, Kansas’ Ritchie Price reached after third baseman Sean Thom’s bobble and errant throw pulled Ryan Langlais off the bag. Catcher Gavin Hofer’s passed ball pushed Price to second.

Pitcher Mitch McNary ended it himself. After a poor bunt by Matt Baty, the right-hander had Price dead to rights at third.

Instead, the freshman wheeled and tossed it by Thom, falling to a squat and putting his glove over his head as Price easily scored the game-winner. It was the Bison’s sixth error of the night.

Entering the game with a .230 team batting average, the Bison outhit the Jayhawks, 7-4.

“They played good enough to win,” Ritch Price said. “They probably deserved the win.”

Kansas once again had to lean on its best player, as Czyz came out of the bullpen to save the Jayhawks in the ninth.

Inheriting two runners with none out, the closer struck out the No. 3-5 hitters to keep the score tied.

The senior also received a lift from the 812 fans who turned up the volume when it mattered most.

“It was big, because it felt like a morgue in the dugout,” Czyz said. “Just having some people behind us up there got a lot of guys going.”

The Jayhawks scored three in the first, though it was mostly the Bison pitching scoring for them.

Baty’s single was followed by walks to Justin Ellrich and Erik Morrison. John Allman and Preston Land were both plunked for RBIs, and Buck Afenir walked to force starting pitcher Ryan Williams out of the game.

The sophomore lasted just 2/3 of an inning, allowing three runs and four walks.

Shane Bushland came in relief and was nearly unhittable. Though he entered with an earned-run average of 12.00 and only nine innings pitched, the sophomore went seven strong, allowing just three hits and a single unearned run.

“The kid found himself tonight,” Price said. “He was very good. He was good enough to pitch in our conference.”

Meanwhile, North Dakota State began its unlikely comeback trailing 3-1 in the fifth.

Greg Plecki led off with a walk, and Charles Magedanz welcomed new pitcher Andy Marks with a single to center.

Matt Mossey followed with a bunt that Marks threw past the first baseman Land for a two-base error.

Jared Sullivan’s liner to right tied it, and Langlais gave the Bison the lead with a sacrifice fly to right.

“Our young guys have to keep making progress,” Price said, referring to his lineup consisting of mostly freshman and sophomores. “Right now, they’re not very good.”

Kansas tied it in the eighth, but not without more help from NDSU.

Allman reached first after a one-out grounder rolled up Magedanz’ arm at short. Land followed with a walk, and pinch runner Kyle Murphy’s base-running blunder resulted in the Jayhawks’ run.

The sophomore Allman stole third, and before the next pitch was thrown, Murphy got caught wandering on Bushland’s fake-to-third, throw-to-first move.

Murphy stayed in the rundown long enough, allowing Allman to slide under catcher Gavin Hofer a half-second before the tag.

Kansas will face North Dakota State again at 3 p.m. today at Hoglund Ballpark.