photo by: Kahner Sampson/Special to the Journal-World

Kansas junior Brady Ballinger lines his barrel up with a pitch during game two of the Jayhawks' doubleheader against UCF on Saturday, April 11, 2026, at Hoglund Ballpark in Lawrence.

Left fielder Brady Ballinger fouled off seven pitches and ultimately hit a three-run homer on the 11th pitch of his ninth-inning at-bat, and the Kansas baseball team weathered a wild final two innings to claim a series win over Kansas State with a 10-8 victory at Tointon Family Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

The Jayhawks trailed 3-2 for much of the game after a pair of early home runs by K-State’s Dee Kennedy canceled out one by KU’s red-hot Dariel Osoria. Starting pitchers Lincoln Sheffield and Dominic Voegele went deep into the game, but when it came time for relief pitching, the Sunflower Showdown got characteristically wacky.

Adam Arther had gotten KSU out of a seventh-inning jam by inducing a popout from Cade Baldridge. But he started the eighth inning by allowing a first-pitch single to Tyson LeBlanc before Kennedy’s fielding error put Ballinger on base.

Augusto Mungarrieta struck out, but a single by Tyson Owens, another error and a sacrifice fly by Josh Dykhoff amounted to three runs and a 5-3 lead for the Jayhawks.

KU inserted its steadfast closer Boede Rahe, who had not allowed more than one earned run in a relief appearance all year, for a potential six-out save. He managed to get the first two outs — and then conceded a 453-foot three-run home run to Cadyn Karl that put the Wildcats right back in front.

As if that wasn’t enough, Chandler Murray singled and Micah Kendrick doubled for another run before Toby Scheidt replaced Rahe — only to give up an additional RBI double to Nick English. He intentionally walked Kennedy and got Shintaro Inoue to ground out and end the inning.

That left KU with an unenviable task trailing 8-5 with three outs remaining. But KU was at least able to start with the top of its lineup, and Jordan Bach singled before KSU reliever Miles Smith hit Baldridge.

LeBlanc scored Bach with a single, setting up Ballinger for the heroic opposite-field home run that barely cleared the wall in left field, as KU surged back ahead.

For good measure, Owens hit a solo homer to right. K-State removed Smith in favor of Tazwell Butler, who worked around a hit to keep the score at 10-8.

The drama ceased there. Scheidt sent down three Wildcats in order, striking out AJ Evasco and Grant Gallagher swinging to end the game.

KU has won six straight against K-State in the overall series and will look for a sweep on Sunday. First pitch in Manhattan is set for 11 a.m., moved up due to the possibility of inclement weather.

Box score