photo by: Chance Parker/Special to the Journal-World

Kansas coach Dan Fitzgerald makes a pitching change against St. Thomas on Sunday, March 8, 2026, in Lawrence.

The Kansas baseball team took one on the chin Sunday afternoon at Hoglund Ballpark, losing 13-2 in eight innings to St. Thomas in the finale of a four-game series.

The Jayhawks (10-5) – who were going for a sweep – saw their four-game winning streak ended and managed just one hit against the Tommies, who are in the midst of a season-opening 24-game road trip.

“This was an ugly game for us and the box score says it all,” Kansas head coach Dan Fitzgerald said. “We only got one hit and we gave up 15. The first time through the order, I thought we did a pretty good job offensively, but we ended up abandoning our gameplan, both offensively and pitching. This is definitely an opportunity for us to learn.”

St. Thomas (3-12) struck first in the top of the second inning, scoring a pair of runs with two outs. With Terek Verhage on second, Easton Fritcher doubled down the left field line to plate Verhage, then Tanner Recchio singled to right to bring home Fritcher, giving the Tommies an early 2-0 advantage.

Kansas had a chance to get on the board in the bottom of the fourth, as Dariel Osoria walked and advanced to third on a pair of wild pitches by St. Thomas starter Evan Esch. However, a flyout and lineout ended the Jayhawks’ inning, keeping it 2-0 Tommies.

St. Thomas added single runs in the fifth and sixth innings to go up 4-0, as Kansas didn’t get its first hit until the bottom of the sixth, when Brady Ballinger tripled off the center-field wall to lead off the inning. Tyson LeBlanc then grounded out to bring home Ballinger, trimming the Tommies’ lead to 4-1.

However, St. Thomas was back at it again in the seventh, sending 10 batters to the plate and scoring six runs on four hits to extend its lead to 10-1. The highlight of the outburst was a three-run double by Adam Puder off Kansas reliever Toby Scheidt.

Kansas used two walks and a hit batsman to load the bases with two outs in the bottom half, but Tommies reliever Sam Stockman got a strikeout ended the potential rally. The Tommies added three more runs on four hits in the top of the eighth to widen their lead to 13-1.

The Jayhawks got one more run in the bottom of the eighth, as Max Soliz Jr. reached on a three-base error and came home on a sacrifice fly by Cade Baldridge, but Stockman got one more out to close out the win for St. Thomas.

Madden Seidl (1-1) started and took the loss for Kansas, allowing two runs (both earned) on four hits with one walk and one strikeout in two innings of work. The Jayhawks used nine pitchers in the game, and they combined to allow 13 runs on 15 hits (six for extra bases) with five walks.

Reliever Jack Scanlon (1-0) got the win for the Tommies, allowing one run on one hit with four strikeouts and two walks in 2 2/3 innings.

Puder was 3-for-5 with three doubles, four RBIs, and three runs scored to lead the St. Thomas offense. Lucas McNellis, Verhage, Christopher Knowles, Zan Von Schlegell and Fritcher also had two hits apiece for the Tommies.

Kansas – which opens conference play next weekend at Texas Tech – is back in action on Tuesday, traveling to No. 17 TCU for a nonconference midweek game. First pitch at Lupton Stadium in Fort Worth, Texas, is set for 6 p.m.

“There won’t be a change in our approach,” Fitzgerald said. “We want to have a challenging schedule and this game definitely qualifies. Your weekend schedule is usually made two or three years in advance, so you have to schedule your midweek games smart, and I think we did.”

photo by: Chance Parker/Special to the Journal-World

Kansas junior Augusto Mungarrieta swings at a pitch against St. Thomas on Sunday, March 8, 2026, in Lawrence.

photo by: Chance Parker/Special to the Journal-World

Kansas senior Josh Dykhoff gets ahold of a pitch against St. Thomas on Sunday, March 8, 2026, in Lawrence.

photo by: Chance Parker/Special to the Journal-World

Kansas junior Dylan Schlotterback dives for a ground ball against St. Thomas on Sunday, March 8, 2026, in Lawrence.

photo by: Chance Parker/Special to the Journal-World

Kansas freshman Madden Seidl starts on the mound against St. Thomas on Sunday, March 8, 2026, in Lawrence.

photo by: Chance Parker/Special to the Journal-World

Kansas freshman Madden Seidl starts on the mound against St. Thomas on Sunday, March 8, 2026, in Lawrence.

photo by: Chance Parker/Special to the Journal-World

Kansas sophomore Tyson Owens leads off first base against St. Thomas on Sunday, March 8, 2026, in Lawrence.

photo by: Chance Parker/Special to the Journal-World

Kansas senior Dariel Osoria waits for a pitch against St. Thomas on Sunday, March 8, 2026, in Lawrence.

photo by: Chance Parker/Special to the Journal-World

Kansas junior Tyson LeBlanc waits for a pitch against St. Thomas on Sunday, March 8, 2026, in Lawrence.

photo by: Chance Parker/Special to the Journal-World

Kansas junior Brady Ballinger is up to bat against St. Thomas on Sunday, March 8, 2026, in Lawrence.

photo by: Chance Parker/Special to the Journal-World

Kansas graduate Jordan Bach rounds first base against St. Thomas on Sunday, March 8, 2026, in Lawrence.

photo by: Chance Parker/Special to the Journal-World

Kansas freshman Madden Seidl starts on the mound against St. Thomas on Sunday, March 8, 2026, in Lawrence.

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