Kansas university left fielder Jimmy Waters comes to a crash landing after making a diving catch in the fourth inning. Waters made a pair of impressive diving catches, and Kansas ripped Texas Tech, 10-2, on Friday at Hoglund Ballpark.

A ballplayer wears no greater badge of honor than a dirty uniform. Kansas University left fielder Jimmy “Muddy” Waters, a junior from Council Bluffs, Iowa, looked as if he had been pinned in a mud-wrestling match after doing a little bit of everything to help the Jayhawks tag Texas Tech, 10-2, in Friday night’s Big 12 series opener at Hoglund Ballpark.

“The equipment guys aren’t going to like me too much tonight,” Waters said. “Getting dirty is what it’s all about.”

The home crowd liked him plenty, showering him with ovations after a pair of spectacular catches near the line, one diving, one sliding. Waters also supported winning pitcher T.J. Walz (6-3) with a run-scoring ground single through the right side of the infield during a six-run first inning and double high off the right-field wall to score another run in the second.

Waters also made a strong, on-line throw to the plate in the fifth inning for a close play on a runner tagging from first. Waters didn’t get the call, but he did prove his arm is back from multiple operations.

Waters was far from alone in supporting Walz, removed with one out in the eighth after tossing a six-hitter with just one walk and seven strikeouts. In relief of Walz, left-hander Travis Blankenship and righty Colton Murray recorded the final five outs, all on strikeouts.

Shortstop Brandon Macias, batting leadoff the past two games with Casey Lytle dropping to the No. 6 hole for the second game in a row, led off the fourth inning by smoking a home run over the left-field fence. Macias also made a highlight catch, getting the final out of the sixth by diving behind second base to snare a sinking line drive.

Second baseman Robby Price had another big night from the No. 2 hole, going 2-for-4 with a walk and a standup triple. Price is batting .374 with a .487 on-base percentage and a slugging percentage of .587. He didn’t get any credit for the foul ball that screamed off his bat and was last seen heading in the direction of Clinton Lake. Price, with a single roped to right field, and Chris Manship, with a two-run line single to left, had the only two hard-hit balls of the six-run first against Texas Tech right-hander Brett Bruening. Before Bruening picked up his first out, six runners had reached base on a leadoff walk and five consecutive singles.

“Nothing like pitching with a lead like that,” Kansas coach Ritch Price said. “It’s a pitcher’s dream. You can just attack the strike zone and let your defense play.”

Walz made a habit of getting ahead of hitters, throwing strikes and sending out ‘attaboys to the guys making plays behind him.

Nobody had a bigger night than Waters and nobody has made bigger strides than him this season. A .227 career hitter coming into the season, working mostly as a part-time DH in the past, Waters takes a .333 batting average and .609 slugging percentage into today’s middle leg of a three-game series.

“Three things,” he said of the source of his improvement. “One, being healthy. Two, having a spot in the lineup every day. Three, playing a position every day.”

Some players are cut out for hitting-only duties. Not Waters, a standout wrestler and quarterback in high school.

“An average at bat is about a minute and 20 seconds and then you’re out,” Waters said. “It’s a lot easier to flush bad at bats when you go on defense. I really think playing in the field has helped me hitting a lot.”

He helped a lot more than his hitting by playing in the field Friday night.

The series between Texas Tech (22-20 overall, 8-8 in the Big 12) and Kansas (25-14-1, 6-6-1) will resume at 6 p.m. today.