Despite record-tying homers and a rare inside-the-park blast, the Jayhawks surrendered late runs to the Mountaineers, narrowing their lead in the Big 12 standings ahead of the finale.
No. 7 Kansas Baseball Falls 5-2 to No. 15 West Virginia, Drops Series
Kansas dropped its second straight game to West Virginia on Saturday, falling 5-2 at Hoglund Ballpark and conceding the series.
The Jayhawks move to 37-14 overall and 20-6 in Big 12 play but remain in first place in the conference standings with four games left in the regular season.
Tyson LeBlanc and Josh Dykhoff provided the offense for Kansas, each launching home runs. Dykhoff’s came in rare fashion, an inside-the-park homer that tied the game in the fifth inning.
On the mound, Mason Cook delivered a strong start, allowing just one earned run over 5.2 innings while continuing his recent stretch of consistency. However, West Virginia capitalized late, scoring an unearned run in the eighth to take the lead before adding a two-run homer in the ninth to create separation.
Kansas answered an early West Virginia home run with one of its own in the first inning, and later evened the game at 2-2 before the Mountaineers pulled away late.
Despite the loss, there were notable performances. LeBlanc’s home run marked his 17th of the season, tying for the fourth-most in a single season in program history, while Dykhoff recorded the program’s first inside-the-park home run since 2023.
Kansas will look to avoid the sweep in Sunday’s series finale at Hoglund Ballpark.
JOIN THE COMMUNITY
Don't miss out on our ROUNDTABLE community and the latest news!
It's completely free to join. Share your thoughts, engage with our Roundtable writers, and chat with fellow members. Download the free Roundtable APP, and stay even more connected!
Meet Kansas Men's Basketball's 2026 Recruiting Class
Kansas’ 2026 class is loaded with talent and depth, headlined by No. 1 overall prospect Tyran Stokes and supported by a strong group of complementary pieces.
Head coach Bill Self signed six high school players: five-star guard Taylen Kinney, four-stars Davion Adkins and Trent Perry, shooting guard Luke Barnett, and big man Grant Mordini. All but Barnett and Mordini rank inside the top 100 on major recruiting services, giving KU one of the deepest classes in the country.
According to ESPN recruiting director Paul Biancardi, the class starts with a true superstar in Stokes.
“One year after landing potential No. 1 NBA draft pick Darryn Peterson, Bill Self again has a superstar headed to Lawrence in Stokes, the best player in the class,” Biancardi said. “He's too strong for most wings and too skilled for most big men, and he's capable of doing a little bit of everything on the floor.”
Biancardi also highlighted Kinney as an immediate-impact guard.
“He joins another top-20 recruit in immediate-impact point guard Kinney, who has the size and playmaking ability to cause matchup problems… and is a terrific scorer with a variety of finishing moves,” he said.
The rest of the class adds versatility and upside. Perry brings length and two-way potential, while Adkins’ physical tools give him a high ceiling in the frontcourt.
With Stokes and Kinney expected to lead the way early, Kansas will lean heavily on its freshman class to produce right away. If the group develops quickly alongside KU’s transfer additions, the Jayhawks could position themselves for a deep March run for the first time since 2022.