Starting pitching was Kansas University ‘s No. 1 concern entering the baseball season, and after beginning the 2015 campaign with a record of 6-11, it remained the Jayhawks’ top problem.

Since suffering a lopsided loss to Central Michigan on March 10, the Kansas starting rotation has helped the Jayhawks win three of their last four, including a 4-3 victory Friday over Iowa at Hoglund Ballpark.

“I think it starts with starting pitching,” Kansas coach Ritch Price said. “Last weekend we won a series, and we had the best three starts we’ve had on a weekend. We had another quality start tonight.”

Starting Kansas pitcher Ben Krauth fires a pitch to an Iowa batter during their game Friday at Hoglund Ballpark. The two teams will continue their series tomorrow with the first pitch scheduled to be thrown at 2 p.m.

Junior Ben Krauth won his fourth straight decision after dropping his first two starts of the season. Krauth went six innings, allowing two hits and six walks, while striking out five Hawkeyes.

“Last weekend, I thought it was the best he used his change-up and his breaking ball,” Price said of Krauth. “Both pitches were working last Friday. Today he had a really good change-up, and his fastball command was not very good, which is why he walked six guys. But he got in trouble twice and made huge pitches with his change-up to strike guys out.”

After Iowa’s Taylor Kaufman reached on an error to begin the seventh, Krauth turned the ball over to closer Stephen Villines with a 2-1 lead.

Villines put himself in jams in the seventh, eighth and ninth, but got crucial outs to preserve the Jayhawks’ win.

“Leaving the mound, I think I remember telling the guys, ‘We have the best closer in college baseball,'” Krauth said. “We’ve got the most faith in him. I love him coming out of the bullpen and coming in after me and finishing out the game.”

Villines stranded Kaufman at third to end the seventh, escaped a bases-loaded jam in the eighth unscathed and struck out the side in the ninth despite allowing the Hawkeyes to score twice to pull within one.

“He’s one of my all-time favorite guys because, first off, he’s one of the coolest guys in America,” Price said of Villines. “He’s that guy you want to go hang out with to watch a ballgame. He’s a fun kid, and he’s also really competitive.”

Kansas never trailed, scoring single runs in the first and fourth, and then adding two more on a two-RBI double from senior Blair Beck in the seventh.

The Jayhawks’ Nos. 2-4 hitters recorded seven of KU’s 12 hits, with Connor McKay and Michael Tinsley getting two apiece and Colby Wright leading the way with three.

“Lately I’ve been swinging the bat pretty well,” said Tinsley, who rifled an RBI double to right field in the first. “I’d been getting messed up on a few pitches, but I just knew I had to stay in there, especially after getting embarrassed on the first change-up.”

KU (9-12) will send Ben Rackoski to the mound today to square off against Iowa’s Blake Hickman. First pitch is set for 2 p.m. at Hoglund Ballpark.

Iowa 000 010 002 — 3 6 0

Kansas 100 100 20x — 4 12 2

W –Ben Krauth, 4-2. L –Tyler Peyton, 2-2.

2B — Michael Tinsley, Colby Wright, Blair Beck, Kansas; Eric Toole, Iowa.

Kansas highlights — Colby Wright 3-for-4, R; Blair Beck 1-for-3, 2 RBIs; Connor McKay 2-for-4, 2R; Michael Tinsley 2-for-4, RBI; Ben Krauth 6 IP, 5K, 6BB, 2H, ER; Stephen Villines 3.0 IP, 4H, 2ER, 5K.