Kansas baseball streaking as team racks up back-to-back ranked wins

After a slow start to the season, the Jayhawks baseball team has won their last seven games.

The beginning of the Kansas baseball season was not one for the history books. They had lost 10 of its last 11 games, falling to Charleston Southern, The Citadel, and other schools. It seemed as though it would be yet another down year for KU.

Instead, Kansas has turned their season around in a hurry. In manager Dan Fitzgerald’s first season with the program, his unit has come out on top in the past seven games. Most recently, the Jayhawks have racked up ranked wins vs. No. 19-ranked West Virginia. They will attempt to complete the series sweep today at 2:00 PM CT.

It was an offensive clinic in yesterday’s win. Cole Elvis, Janson Reeder, and Jake English hit home runs en route to the 10-7 victory. English has hit big flies in both games in the series. Stone Hewlett closed the game with two scoreless innings, striking out three.

KU is now 5-3 in conference play, tied with Texas for the Big 12 lead. They swept Baylor and now could do the same against the Mountaineers. It is a massive step for the Jayhawks, who already surpassed their conference win total of four in 2022.

Freshman Kodey Shojinaga is a massive reason why Kansas is playing so well. The catcher from Honolulu, Hawaii leads the team in batting average (.382) and OPS (.980). He has struck out just 13 times in 76 at-bats, driving in 18 runs and recording eight extra-base hits. Phenom Maui Ahuna transferred from the program this past off-season, but KU replaced him with another young stud.

Fitzgerald is taking the Jayhawks to unprecedented heights in his first season. Although they will not be in the conversation to be ranked in the AP poll, the Jayhawks are a team to watch in the Big 12.