Upcoming Event: Baseball at Kansas on April 4, 2026 at 11 a.m.
11 a.m.
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Baseball
at Kansas
The University of Utah Athletics
Friday, April 3
Lawrence, Kan.
10 a.m.
University of Utah
16-12, 5-6
9
at
14
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Kansas
21-10, 8-3
1st innning1
2nd innning2
3rd innning3
4th innning4
5th innning5
6th innning6
7th innning7
8th innning8
9th innning9
RunsR
HitsH
ErrorsE
Utah
1
0
0
0
0
4
2
2
0
9
8
1
Kansas
1
0
0
6
5
0
0
2
X
14
16
0
Photo by: Jason Glassberg
Gritty Comeback Effort Falls Short at Kansas
4/3/2026 3:56 PM | Baseball
Big innings the difference for Utah in 14-9 setback at Hoglund Ballpark
LAWRENCE, Kan. – The Utah baseball team plated eight unanswered runs as the game hit the home stretch, but the gritty comeback effort was not enough as the Utes were defeated by Kansas 14-9 at Hoglund Ballpark.
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The teams will conclude the three-game series on Saturday in a game that has been moved up to an 11 a.m. MT first pitch (noon in Kansas).
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Back-to-back big innings for Kansas were the difference in a contest that saw the Jayhawks score six runs in the fourth inning before a five-spot in the fifth. The Utes trailed 12-1 at one point but never threw in the towel, getting as close as 12-9 before the Jayhawks added two insurance runs in the eighth for the final score.
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Daniel Arambula, Cameron Gurney and Blake Eckerle each had two hits and Arambula homered as part of a day that saw him score three times. Jake Long, Jet Gilliam and Eckerle had two RBIs apiece.
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Utah (16-12, 5-6 Big 12) broke the ice with a home run for the second straight game, this time by way of Arambula's solo shot. With the wind howling in during the first inning, Arambula pulled a 1-0 pitch down the left field line for his second long ball of the season.
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The Jayhawks leveled the score at one in their half of the first inning, but Payton Riske had two strikeouts in the frame and got out of a bases-loaded jam without further damage. He retired the side in the second and third innings as the score remained tied at one.
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But the KU bats heated up for a six-spot in the fourth inning, giving the Jayhawks a lead they would not relinquish. Kansas added five more runs in the fifth.
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Utah refused to go down quietly, however, and put up a crooked number in the sixth inning with four runs. Cal Miller and Gilliam were each hit by a pitch with the bases loaded. Two batters later and with the bases still juiced, Eckerle put a single into right field that plated a pair for the Utes and brought the score to 12-5.
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Meanwhile, Landon Salvesen tossed a scoreless bottom of the sixth on the mound to keep Utah within striking distance.
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Gurney added a first-pitch single in the seventh inning to score a run. Later in the seventh, Gilliam singled through the hole into left field on a play that scored Arambula.
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Eckerle led off the eighth inning and won a 12-pitch plate appearance with a hit by pitch. Derek Smith was next up in the nine-hole and was hit as well, setting the stage for a one-out double from Long that drove in two runs for Utah and put the score at 12-9. Suddenly with the tying run on deck, Kansas made a pitching change and was able to get out of the inning.
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The Jayhawks answered with two runs in the bottom of the eighth to wrap up the game's scoring.
Next Up
Saturday's series finale between Utah and Kansas has been moved up to an 11 a.m. MT first pitch (noon in Kansas).
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Follow Utah Baseball
Keep up with the Utes by following @utahbaseball and by visiting www.UtahUtes.com. Download the Utah 360 app here.
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The teams will conclude the three-game series on Saturday in a game that has been moved up to an 11 a.m. MT first pitch (noon in Kansas).
Â
Back-to-back big innings for Kansas were the difference in a contest that saw the Jayhawks score six runs in the fourth inning before a five-spot in the fifth. The Utes trailed 12-1 at one point but never threw in the towel, getting as close as 12-9 before the Jayhawks added two insurance runs in the eighth for the final score.
Â
Daniel Arambula, Cameron Gurney and Blake Eckerle each had two hits and Arambula homered as part of a day that saw him score three times. Jake Long, Jet Gilliam and Eckerle had two RBIs apiece.
Â
Utah (16-12, 5-6 Big 12) broke the ice with a home run for the second straight game, this time by way of Arambula's solo shot. With the wind howling in during the first inning, Arambula pulled a 1-0 pitch down the left field line for his second long ball of the season.
Â
The Jayhawks leveled the score at one in their half of the first inning, but Payton Riske had two strikeouts in the frame and got out of a bases-loaded jam without further damage. He retired the side in the second and third innings as the score remained tied at one.
Â
But the KU bats heated up for a six-spot in the fourth inning, giving the Jayhawks a lead they would not relinquish. Kansas added five more runs in the fifth.
Â
Utah refused to go down quietly, however, and put up a crooked number in the sixth inning with four runs. Cal Miller and Gilliam were each hit by a pitch with the bases loaded. Two batters later and with the bases still juiced, Eckerle put a single into right field that plated a pair for the Utes and brought the score to 12-5.
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Meanwhile, Landon Salvesen tossed a scoreless bottom of the sixth on the mound to keep Utah within striking distance.
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Gurney added a first-pitch single in the seventh inning to score a run. Later in the seventh, Gilliam singled through the hole into left field on a play that scored Arambula.
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Eckerle led off the eighth inning and won a 12-pitch plate appearance with a hit by pitch. Derek Smith was next up in the nine-hole and was hit as well, setting the stage for a one-out double from Long that drove in two runs for Utah and put the score at 12-9. Suddenly with the tying run on deck, Kansas made a pitching change and was able to get out of the inning.
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The Jayhawks answered with two runs in the bottom of the eighth to wrap up the game's scoring.
Next Up
Saturday's series finale between Utah and Kansas has been moved up to an 11 a.m. MT first pitch (noon in Kansas).
Â
Follow Utah Baseball
Keep up with the Utes by following @utahbaseball and by visiting www.UtahUtes.com. Download the Utah 360 app here.
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Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Nayral, Mathis (4-1)
L: Riske, Payton (2-2)
S: Carr, Kannon (1)
Batting:
2B: Long, Jake 1
HR: Arambula, Daniel 1
RBI: Long, Jake 2 ; Gurney, Cameron 1 ; Arambula, Daniel 1 ; Eckerle, Blake 2 ; Miller, Cal 1 ; Gilliam, Jet 2
Base Running:
RUNS: Long, Jake 1 ; Smith, Derek 1 ; Arambula, Daniel 3 ; Eckerle, Blake 1 ; Jacobs, Luke 1 ; Miller, Cal 1 ; Gilliam, Jet 1
SB: Flaharty, Matt 1
HBP: Smith, Derek 1 ; Eckerle, Blake 1 ; Miller, Cal 1 ; Gilliam, Jet 1
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Batting:
2B: Ballinger, Brady 1 ; LeBlanc, Tyson 2 ; Bach, Jordan 1
HR: Soliz Jr, Max 1
RBI: Ballinger, Brady 3 ; Soliz Jr, Max 3 ; LeBlanc, Tyson 1 ; Owens, Tyson 1 ; Schlotterback, Dylan 1 ; Mungarrieta, Augusto 2 ; Bach, Jordan 2
Base Running:
RUNS: Ballinger, Brady 1 ; Soliz Jr, Max 2 ; LeBlanc, Tyson 2 ; Owens, Tyson 1 ; Schlotterback, Dylan 2 ; Baldridge, Cade 1 ; Dykhoff, Josh 2 ; Mungarrieta, Augusto 1 ; Bach, Jordan 2
HBP: Owens, Tyson 2
Game Leaders
AB
4
R
0
H
2
RBI
1
AB
4
R
3
H
2
RBI
1
AB
4
R
1
H
2
RBI
2
Players Mentioned
INF
/ Baseball
C
/ BaseballOF
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INF
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RHP
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LHP
/ Baseball
C
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