“Nobody wants to come over here and try to say, ‘this is how we're gonna do in the regional.’ I can just promise you this. Our guys are going to pour their heart and soul out there, and they're going to do it for the fans. Like, they're doing it for the University of Kansas and all of Jayhawk Nation, and it means the world to them.”
Those are the words of Kansas baseball assistant coach/recruiting coordinator Jon Coyne on the “Pay Heed Podcast” ahead of Kansas baseball’s regional weekend, which will see Hoglund Ballpark host Northeastern, Missouri State and Arkansas, with Kansas taking on Northeastern Friday afternoon.
“I can just promise you this: our guys are going to pour their heart and soul out there.” ⚾️💙@KUBaseball assistant coach @JonCoyne33 describes the Jayhawks’ mentality entering the Regionals of the NCAA Tournament. pic.twitter.com/tCmt94ZFr0
— Kansas Jayhawks on KCSN (@jayhawks_kcsn) May 27, 2026
While Kansas was undoubtedly given one of the harder regions available, the Jayhawks went above and beyond this season and were well deserving of a hosting gig after clinching their first regular-season conference title in 77 years earlier this month. Only to follow it up by winning the Big 12 conference tournament in a 9-0 shutout over the West Virginia Mountaineers to win their first conference tournament title since 2006 against the Nebraska Cornhuskers.
The Kansas Jayhawks have been spearheaded by an elite home record
Heading into Friday’s regional, the Jayhawks are holding an 18-5 home record, with three losses coming in a sweep to the Mountaineers in Kansas’ second-to-last series of the season.
Barring that series, the Jayhawks lost against just St. Thomas and Sacramento State, compiling series wins over St. Thomas, Houston, Utah, UCF and Arizona, with individual wins against Sacramento State, Nebraska, Wichita State and Missouri.
“Our fans literally make us feel like the New York Yankees. It's crazy, man. It's crazy. Like, you know, when I was coaching Cisco College and Howard College. You look up there, maybe nobody in the stands. And then you show up, and you look up at Hoglund Ballpark, like, there is not one seat available.”
At the time of Kansas’ reveal of the Lawrence region, the athletics department released a press release detailing the improvements made to Hoglund, which are further explained here.
“So now, go thinking about a regional. And, and, like, we got a tent up, we got, we got the new wall, we got the backyard. Like, I don't even know if I can comprehend what it's going to look like. Nobody wants to come over here.”
Setting the table for Kansas’ regional matchups
While their schedule is dependent on the result of the Missouri State and Arkansas matchup, the Jayhawks are confirmed to be playing the Huskies in game No. 1.
As of publishing, the Huskies’ RPI currently sits them at No. 88, as Northeastern finished the season with a 38-20 record, having recently won the Coastal Athletic Association Tournament.
The Jayhawks will have to at least also play either the Razorbacks out of the SEC, whose RPI sits at an outstanding No. 21, or the Bears who hail from the Conference USA. Missouri State’s RPI is slated at No. 23, while Kansas’ is No. 19.
Following Kansas’ matchup against the Huskies, Arkansas will take on Missouri State, with the winner of the Kansas/Northeastern matchup playing the loser of the Missouri State/Arkansas game, and the loser of the first taking on the winner of the second the following day; those results will then decide Sunday’s matchups, and if necessary, there will be a game seven on Monday.
First pitch is set for 12 p.m. CT with streaming available on ESPN+.
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