Plagued by defensive miscues during the series against Baylor University, Kansas University second baseman Ryne Price atoned for his errors in dramatic fashion.

With the first game of Sunday’s doubleheader tied at 3 in the bottom of the ninth inning, the junior launched a home run – his team-leading eighth of the year – to give the Jayhawks a 4-3 victory at Hoglund Ballpark.

“He had a tough weekend. That’s probably the worst he’s played with a glove his entire life,” KU coach Ritch Price said of his son. “One of the things we try to teach to our players is when you make a mistake, you look for an opportunity to redeem yourself, and I don’t know if you can do it in any better fashion than he did. That was a big-time swing.”

That walk-off home run – KU’s first since A.J. Van Slyke hit one Feb. 26, 2005 – helped offset four errors committed by Price against Baylor.

The Jayhawks’ pitching prowess had as much to do with their success during the first game as their home runs. Zach Ashwood did not earn the win but allowed only two hits and two earned runs through 51â3 innings. The junior placed his fastball down in the strike zone to stymie the Bears hitters, and Ritch Price praised his command.

“That was his best performance of the year by far,” Price said.

Kansas' John Allman slides into first, avoiding a Baylor pickoff attempt in Game One.

Left fielder John Allman also stepped up, going 2-for-4 and crushing a two-run home run to center field during the bottom of the third inning. That blast gave KU a 3-0 lead, but Baylor posted two runs during the sixth on Aaron Miller’s two-run homer to right field.

The Bears tied the score during the seventh as Ben Booker reached on an error, Shaver Hansen sacrificed him over and Raynor Campbell singled.

Neither team would score again until Price’s game-winning at bat.

Although home runs accounted for KU’s game-one win, they led to the team’s demise in the second game of the double header.

Jayhawks pitcher Andy Marks fell behind 3-1 and 2-1 during consecutive at bats against Chase Gerdes and Beamer Weems. Trying to even the count, the sophomore left fastballs up high, and the Bears hit back-to-back home runs, propelling their 6-2 victory.

Kansas sophomore Preston Land watches a low pitch fly by from Baylor at Hoglund Ballpark on Sunday.

“Both guys smoked those two balls,” Ritch Price said of the only back-to-back home runs KU has allowed all year. “If (Marks) gets the ball elevated, he gets hurt.”

In typical form Marks, who has surrendered a team-high 14 home runs but also has struck out a team-high 68 batters, responded to the consecutive jacks by striking out Miller.

He struck out eight Bears Sunday, but the loss dropped Marks to 3-4 on the year.

The defeat also had major repercussions on the Big 12 Conference standings. KU lost two during the three-game series, dropping the Jayhawks (19-22, 5-10) to last place, a game behind Baylor (21-17, 6-9)

“It’s big because the top eight teams get a chance to go to the Big 12 tournament,” shortstop Erik Morrison said. “We’ve got our work cut out for us.”

Kansas had nine hits but scored its only runs during the third and seventh innings. The first came on singles by Dylan Parzyk and Allman and a Robbie Price sacrifice fly. During the seventh Kyle Murphy doubled and advanced to third on an error, and Robby Price drove him home with a single.

“That’s baseball for you,” Morrison said. “It’s good one game, and the next game doesn’t go as good for you. You’ve got to keep battling through it.”