KU baseball drops 8-7 decision to Michigan State

The Kansas baseball team’s bid at a late comeback in the opening game of the First Pitch Invitational on Friday in Greenville, S.C., fell just short in an 8-7 loss to Michigan State.

After scoring two runs in the eighth inning and four more in the ninth to tie the game at 7, the Jayhawks gave up a run in the bottom of the ninth on a walk-off hit to right field by Zach Iverson.

Kansas got on the board first in the top of the second inning when James Cosentino doubled and scored to put the Jayhawks up 1-0. Michigan State responded with seven runs in innings 3 through 6 to build its lead.

Cosentino finished the day 2-for-5 with two runs scored and an RBI. Ben Sems (2-for-3), Anthony Tulimero (2-for-4) and Jack Wagner (2-for-4) also added a pair of hits, while Kaimana Souza-Paaluhi led KU’s offense with three hits in four at-bats.

The loss dropped the Jayhawks to 4-4 this season.

The Jayhawks will continue play in the event on Saturday, with a doubleheader against Ball State at 9 a.m. and 1 p.m.

Kansas 010 000 024 — 7 13 2

Michigan State 003 031 001 — 8 15 4

W – Caleb Sleeman (2-1). L – Daniel Hegarty (1-1)

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