Kansas junior pitcher Ben Krauth (22) slaps gloves with freshman Matt McLaughlin (5) as they head off the field between innings during the Jayhawks' game against Baylor Friday evening at Hoglund Ballpark.

The 2015 Kansas University baseball season ended in disappointing fashion, with the Jayhawks (23-23 overall, 8-15 in Big 12 play) losing the final series of the season to Kansas State and being the lone team left out of this week’s Big 12 Conference tournament in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

All of this, just one year after posting the highest Big 12 finish in school history (third) and qualifying for the NCAA Tournament for the fifth time in school history.

“It’s rough,” said sophomore catcher Michael Tinsley, who played in 32 games as a true freshman and started 53 games behind the plate this season. “I saw basically two different sides of a program. I saw the senior- and upperclassman-heavy class last year and (this year) we were really leaning on the few seniors we had and the veterans because they have to teach our underclassmen and freshmen.

“It (was) polar opposites, but I’m still really proud of everybody and how they worked this year.”

So, too, was KU coach Ritch Price, who was able to look back on his 13th season at KU with a hint of optimism for the future.

“The good thing for me is there’s a lot of young guys on that field that are gonna be a lot better next year,” Price said. “And I love the team chemistry we have. When you coach a men’s sport in the Big 12 Conference like I do, you’re gonna be the underdog and you have to embrace it and you have to be tough and you have to be competitive or else the whole season can bury you. Our kids really rally around that mantra and I’m hopeful that next year we’ll bounce right back and be a 35-win club and compete for a playoff spot.”

Despite the down year, the Jayhawks were able to rack up some memorable accolades.

Seven Jayhawks earned all-Big 12 nods, including junior pitcher Ben Krauth, who was named all-Big 12 second team and the conference’s newcomer of the year.

Krauth, a transfer from Diablo Valley College, finished his first Big 12 season with a 3-3 record and 2.45 ERA in eight conference starts. In 55 innings pitched, the lefty struck out 54 batters and held opponents to a .236 batting average. His 54 strikeouts in Big 12 play ranked first and his 2.45 ERA ranked seventh.

“I was thrilled for Krauth when I found out he won Big 12 Newcomer of the Year,” Price said. “He is very deserving of this honor. If he can keep improving and pick up where he left off, he will help put us back into the playoffs. I can’t wait to be able to run him back out there next year.”

Added Krauth: “(Winning this award) makes you feel like you belong. From the beginning of the season until now, I feel like I matured a lot. In junior college I had it all figured out and then coming here, I struggled a bit at first. Coach Price and (associate head coach Ryan) Graves stuck with me for a while and let me do my thing and figure it out.”

Krauth was joined by senior outfielder Connor McKay, a first-team all-Big 12 selection, and Tinlsey, who earned a spot on the second team. Blair Beck, Justin Protacio, Stephen Villines and Matt McLaughlin, a unanimous addition to the all-Big 12 freshman squad, each earned honorable mention all-Big 12 nods.

McKay became the third-straight Jayhawk to earn first-team recognition and the first position player to do so since Robby Price in 2010, as he ranked in the Top 10 in hits (third, 79), runs scored (third, 45), doubles (first, 22), total bases (second, 122), slugging percentage (fifth, .535) and batting average (seventh, .346).

Despite the rough season, Price said seeing so many of his guys honored by the Big 12 was a silver lining that he hoped would propel them to a bounce-back year in 2016.

“Without question,” he said. “When you have the injuries we did to start the season and were not able to overcome them, (Krauth’s) award wraps up the season on a positive note. The team and Krauth can rally behind this knowing they have a legitimate Friday night starter in the Big 12 Conference.”