KU baseball loses season finale, 11-10

? The Kansas University baseball team’s 2008 season ended in cruel fashion, when a bases-loaded beanball drove in the winning run in Kansas State’s 11-10 victory Sunday at Tointon Stadium.

The Jayhawks’ loss, coupled with Oklahoma’s 10-4 victory over Oklahoma State, keeps Kansas out of the eight-team Big 12 tournament which starts this week. Instead, the Jayhawks ended their season with a 30-27 record.

Kansas State (27-27) scored two in the ninth to take back the game that it appeared Kansas would dramatically capture. Down 9-8 with two outs in the top of the ninth, KU first baseman Justin Ellrich hit a two-run home run to right to give Kansas a 11-10 lead. KU’s entire team mobbed Ellrich at home plate, but there still was three outs left.

Kansas State Byron Wiley led off the bottom of the ninth with a single, then scored on a double by Rob Vaughn. After a sacrifice bunt, Kansas walked the next two batters intentionally to load the bases and keep the double play in order.

Relief pitcher Sam Freeman struck out Nate Tenbrink on three pitches, but immediately plunked Justin Bloxom on the next pitch to force in the winning run.