The youngest members of the Kansas University baseball squad heeded to the words of coach Ritch Price in their final two games of KU’s series with Western Illinois on Sunday.

KU’s Nos. 7, 8 and 9 hitters combined for five RBIs in the doubleheader sweep at Hoglund Ballpark. KU won, 11-3 and 7-1.

Following the series opener on Friday, Price said the bottom of the lineup – that stranded a combined six runners – wasn’t producing enough for the team to be able to compete in the Big 12 Conference.

Brock Simpson, who bats seventh, took those words to heart – and to the plate. Simpson had a home run in each game and went a combined 5-for-8 on the day.

“Coach kind of got on me and kind of called me out and said, ‘You know what, you’re not having enough production from the bottom of the lineup and not getting any extra-base hits,'” the sophomore designated hitter said. “I kind of took that personally and really worked extra hard over the weekend and came up big for the team today.”

The bottom third of the order didn’t leave any runners on base in the afternoon game. That was, in a large part, due to Erik Morrison clearing the bases ahead of them.

Morrison, who had a home run and an RBI in the first game, had two homers and five RBIs in Game Two.

“It’s funny, because I was hitting (batting practice) : and I was thinking, ‘What am I going to do today? How am I going to get through this day with the way I’m swinging the bat right now?’ So I was pleased,” Morrison said.

The Jayhawks faced the Leathernecks’ Aaron Madill, a Lawrence High graduate, in the second game. KU scored four runs in 6 1/3 innings against the former Lion.

“I was really looking forward to this start. I’m kind of disappointed that I didn’t get any looks from KU,” Madill said. “I can’t say I was playing with a chip on my shoulder, but I was looking forward to coming back and showing them I can play.

“They’re a good team, a solid ballclub. When we don’t play them, I’m still rooting for them.”

Kansas ace Kodiak Quick started the second game Sunday and got his third win in five starts. WIU scored one unearned run in Quick’s seven innings, and he lowered his season earned-run average from 2.10 to 1.65.

Don Czyz took over for Quick in the eighth inning to pick up his eighth save of the year and second in the series.

“He’s as good as anybody in America right now,” Price said of Czyz, KU’s all-time leader in saves (20). “He’s on that Roger Clemens watch for the closers’ award, and it’s a well deserved honor. There’s nobody in America throwing the ball any better than he’s throwing it right now.”

There were lingering effects from the washout of Saturday’s game. The field was in poor condition for Sunday’s 10 a.m. game.

“The first game was awful. I apologized to their coach during the game, after the game for the guys who slipped and fell on the field,” Price said. “But it dried out for the second game, and we were able to get it in. They have mid-terms (today), so they didn’t want the game times backed up.”

The Jayhawks will finish off their homestand Wednesday with a game against Baker University. KU then will travel to No. 1 Clemson for a three game series this weekend.