Kansas University starter T.J. Walz delivers against Missouri during the first inning. Walz helped the Jayhawks beat MU, 10-3, on Friday at Hoglund Ballpark.

The last time the Kansas University baseball team faced Missouri, the Jayhawks needed just one run to pick up the victory.

Friday at Hoglund Ballpark, the Tigers continued the low-scoring theme, but the Jayhawks didn’t, exploding for 10 runs on 19 hits in a 10-3 victory against Missouri.

“It was amazing in (batting practice),” KU coach Ritch Price said. “Guys were hitting balls over the light towers. It was a special night for us offensively.”

After falling behind 1-0 in the top of the first, the Jayhawks began the hit parade and kept on marching. KU scored two in the first, two in the second, one in the third, two in the fourth and even tacked on two more in the eighth to complete the beating. The victory marked the third consecutive Friday night that the Jayhawks had scored 10 or more runs.

Six Jayhawks recorded at least two hits in Friday’s victory. That included a 4-for-5 performance from third baseman Tony Thompson and a 4-for-5 showing from leadoff man Brandon Macias. The four hits were a career-high for Macias. In addition, Brian Heere was 3-for-5 with two RBIs, and Robby Price, Jimmy Waters and James Stanfield added two hits apiece.

“We can be explosive if we stay consistent,” said senior Brett Lisher, whose two-run homer to left in the bottom of the second gave KU a 4-1 lead.

Of course, even with all of those hits, the most impressive performance of the night might have come from KU’s ace, T.J. Walz.

After surrendering a leadoff home run to Eric Garcia in the fifth, an error by right fielder Casey Lytle allowed Missouri to put Jonah Schmidt on third with no outs. Walz left him stranded there, and KU maintained its 7-3 lead.

Then, after an error, a single and a walk — on four pitches — loaded the bases with no outs in the seventh, Walz coerced two Tigers to pop out and struck out Missouri’s Ryan Gebhart — looking — to end the inning.

Asked what he and pitching coach Ryan Graves discussed during a mound visit when the bases were loaded, Walz was brutally honest.

“To strike the next three guys out,” he said. “But the pop-ups worked.”

Added Price: “The two jams he got out of were crucial. If they get a base hit, they get a chance to get right back in the ballgame.”

As he raced off the mound to the KU dugout, Walz did so with a little swagger and a lot of grin.

“I think he’s gotten more competitive,” Price said of his Walz, who tied a career high with his eighth win of the season. “He’s raised his level of competitiveness, and that’s not him by nature. He’s a real quiet, reserved individual.”

Kansas (27-19 overall, 8-10-1 in Big 12 play) and Missouri (24-20, 7-11) will continue the series at 6 tonight. Cameron Selik is slated to start on the mound for the Jayhawks against Missouri’s Brad Buehler.