Kansas

Never-die Hawks: Launch late rally to take down Kansas State

Published

12 months ago

April 19, 2025

Never-die Hawks: Launch late rally to take down Kansas State

What was profiled as a matchup between two of the best offenses in the Big 12 turned into a game where runs were hard to come by at Hoglund Ballpark on Friday night. Kansas found itself trailing 3-0 heading into the seventh, unable to get anything going against Jacob Frost. As soon as the Jayhawks (29-10, 10-6 Big 12) got into the bullpen, they managed a four-run inning and held on to win the Sunflower Showdown opener 5-3.

Frost tossed 6.2 shutout innings while striking out a career-high 10. He kept the Jayhawks’ high-powered offense at bay, limiting Kansas to two hits with a stymying low-to-mid 90s fastball and good off-speed mix.

“Early, we were way off the fastball, which is not like us at all,” Dan Fitzgerald said after the game. “When they sent him back out there for the seventh, I thought ‘Gosh, if we could just get him out of this game and get a couple runners on, we’ve got a chance.’”

The Jayhawks found their chance after chasing Frost from the game with two outs in the seventh. Kansas scored four runs in the seventh as Jackson Hauge hit his 17th home run of the season, a three-run shot to give the Jayhawks a 4-3 lead.

“We’re the never-die Hawks,” Hauge said. “We’re gonna stay to our approach, keep fighting all nine innings and see what happens.”

It was clear from the first inning that Dominic Voegele didn’t have his best stuff. Although Kansas State didn’t score, the Wildcats got traffic with a leadoff walk—something that would become a common theme over Voegele’s start—and a hard-hit single.

Voegele battled through 5.2 innings, walking six, including three leadoff hitters. He allowed just three runs and shut down the Wildcats in the fourth and fifth innings to keep the Jayhawks close.

“The longer a starter can go and be quality, it just shrinks the game,” Fitzgerald said. “You save your bullpen… starting pitching, eating innings is a tale as old as time in the big leagues, but it’s certainly found its way to college too.”

However, the offense continued to search for the momentum-flipping rallies that the Jayhawks have showcased throughout the season. Kansas loaded the bases with two outs in the fourth, but Ian Francis struck out looking. In the fifth, Sawyer Smith led off the inning with a bloop double, but Frost retired the next three hitters.

Kansas State had a chance to extend its lead in the sixth, loading the bases with two outs via three walks. However, Manning West extinguished the threat, getting Seth Dardar to fly out to center field.

Kansas finally flipped the momentum after the Jayhawks chased Frost from the game following a four-pitch walk with two outs. Smith was the benefactor of the Frost walk, who reached base all four times out of the nine spot.

“I thought that was a huge at-bat, but I thought he had good ones all night,” Fitzgerald said.

James Guyette entered and immediately walked Derek Cerda on four pitches. Brady Ballinger put Kansas in the scoring column with an opposite-field single before Jackson Hauge hammered a ball over the left-field fence to put the Jayhawks ahead 4-3.

Alex Breckheimer entered in the eighth inning, searching for a six-out save. The first three came easily, retiring the Wildcats in order, including a strikeout on a 97 mph fastball.

The Jayhawks got a crucial insurance run in the eighth after good fortune started to swing their way. Tommy Barth skied a ball that dropped harmlessly as the centerfielder and rightfielder tried to avoid collision, getting all the way to third base. Smith worked his third walk of the game, then Cerda blooped one to make it 5-3.

“I came back in here [the dugout] and I was a little nervous with the one-run lead,” Breckheimer said. “We scored the run, and it felt like a lot of pressure taken off my shoulders there.”

Breckheimer made quick work of the Wildcats in the ninth. He got the first batter to ground out before striking out the next two to clinch a hard-fought win in game one of the Sunflower Showdown.

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Bill Self returning to Kansas next season after retirement speculation

Published

10 hours ago

April 1, 2026

Press Room

Bill Self returning to Kansas next season after retirement speculation

LAWRENCE, Kan. — Kansas basketball coach Bill Self is returning for a 24th season with the Jayhawks.

The program released a statement from Self on Wednesday confirming his return for another year with the program he has led to 21 regular-season conference championships, four Final Fours and a pair of national championships.

“With renewed clarity and the ongoing support from our administration, I remain focused and committed to Kansas Basketball competing for a national championship,” Self said. “I look forward to seeing and hearing the best fans in college basketball next season at Allen Fieldhouse.”

Jayhawks head coach Bill Self gestures during the first half of Kansas’ win over California Baptist in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. Getty Images

The 63-year-old Self has a record of 840-272, not including the 15 wins that were vacated by the NCAA, putting him 12th on the career list.

He passed Phog Allen as the winningest coach at Kansas with a 77-69 win over Michigan State on November 12, 2024, and finished with a record of 633-167 while leading one of college basketball’s most storied programs.

Kansas’ season ended March 22 against St. John’s and fellow Hall of Fame coach Rick Pitino in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. The Jayhawks rallied from a 13-point deficit with 7 1/2 minutes left, tying it with 13.1 seconds to go, only for the Red Storm’s Dylan Darling to hit a layup as time expired to end their season.

The Jayhawks have not survived the opening weekend of the tournament since 2022, when Self won his second national title.

“I’ve gone through some stuff off the court, so I’ll get back and get with family and visit and see what’s going on,” Self said following the loss in San Jose, California. “I love what I do. I need to be able to do it where I’m feeling good and healthy to do it fairly well. I’ll get back home and it will all be discussed.”

Self’s health has been a factor to monitor.

Kansas Jayhawks head coach Bill Self talking to players during a timeout. — Kansas head coach Bill Self talks with players during a timeout against Cincinnati at Allen Fieldhouse. Denny Medley-Imagn Images

He was hospitalized just before the Big 12 Tournament in 2023 after feeling unwell, and had two stents inserted into his heart, which forced him to miss the NCAA tourney. Self had two more stents inserted last year, and this past January, he missed a game at Colorado after doctors advised him not to travel following a precautionary trip to the hospital.

“When you get to be doing it as long as I’ve done it, I looked at it in five-year increments. Now I’m probably looking at it in more two-year increments, so to speak,” he said. “So I try to focus on this season and try to get us to a second weekend — which we failed at — so I’ll go back now and break it down and see where that leads.”

Self won national titles at Kansas in 2008 and 2022. And he’s been especially good at Allen Fieldhouse, historically one of college basketball’s toughest venues. He is 27-6 against top-10 opponents at home, and his 131-81 record against Top 25 opposition is the third-best winning percentage among Division I coaches.

He also has sent 43 players to the NBA, and more could be on the way. Darryn Peterson is expected to be among the first three players to hear his name called in June, while Flory Bidunga and others could also be selected in the upcoming NBA draft.

Self was selected to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2017.

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Minnesota Twins bested by Kansas City Royals 3-1

Published

2 days ago

March 30, 2026

Press Room

Minnesota Twins bested by Kansas City Royals 3-1

March 30, 2026 / 7:05 PM CDT
/ AP

The Minnesota Twins were defeated 3-1 by the Kansas City Royals, who used home runs by Kyle Isbel and Isaac Collins, two hitters not known for their power, on an unseasonably warm day in front of a sellout crowd of 39,320 in Kansas City’s home opener.

The temperature at first pitch on Monday was 85 degrees.

In the first game at Kauffman Stadium since the Royals moved in the fences 8 to 10 feet, all four runs scored on home runs. However, all three home runs also would have been out with the old dimensions.

Kris Bubic (1-0) picked up the win for Kansas City. He allowed one run on two hits in six innings. John Schreiber pitched the ninth for his first save.

Simeon Woods Richardson (0-1) took the loss for the Twins.

Both Woods Richardson and Bubic were effective, though neither was brilliant. Woods Richardson allowed just two runs but on five hits. Bubic walked three. Both starters allowed baserunners in all but one inning.

Bubic was the third straight Royals starter to pitch at least six innings with one or fewer runs allowed after Michael Wacha allowed no runs in 6 innings Saturday and Seth Lugo allowed no runs in 6 1/3 innings on Sunday.

Matt Wallner opened the scoring in the second inning for the Twins with a 424-foot home run that nearly reached the fountains in right-center.

The Royals answered with two runs in the bottom of the inning when Isbel’s homer landed in the Royals bullpen in right field. Isbel managed only four home runs in all of 2025.

Collins then extended the lead to 3-1 with a 400-foot blast into the Twins bullpen in the seventh. It was Collins’ first hit this season, having started the season 0-for-8.

Up next

After an off-day Tuesday, the Twins and Royals resume the three-game series Wednesday.

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Minnesota Twins vs Kansas City Royals Live Stream: How to Watch MLB

Published

3 days ago

March 30, 2026

Press Room

Minnesota Twins vs Kansas City Royals Live Stream: How to Watch MLB

The Kansas City Royals host their 2026 home opener on Monday afternoon. They’ll be hosting the Minnesota Twins in an American League Central matchup.

Baseball returns to Kauffman Stadium for the first time in 2026 on Monday afternoon. That’s when the Kansas City Royals (1-2) will take the field for their home opener. Their first home game of the year is a divisional matchup, with an American League Central foe in the Minnesota Twins (1-2) coming to town for a three-game set. It was a very even series between these two teams last year, with the Royals winning seven games and the Twins winning six.

How to Watch Minnesota Twins vs Kansas City Royals Today:

Game Date: Monday, March 30, 2026

Game Time: 4:00 p.m. ET

TV Channel: Minnesota Twins (NEW), FOX (KFJX – Joplin, MO – Pittsburg, KS)

Location: Kauffman Stadium

Live Stream the Minnesota Twins vs Kansas City Royals game: Start watching now!

The Royals get to return home on a high note, after picking up their first win of the season on Sunday. That was in the series finale with the Atlanta Braves, which saw them drop the first two games. Catcher Carter Jensen homered and drove in two runs in that 4-1 victory.

Minnesota was also on the road this weekend and won one of three games. The Twins took the middle game against the Baltimore Orioles to open the season. Third baseman Royce Lewis had a strong series, hitting the Twins’ only two home runs to this point.

What Time Is The Minnesota vs Kansas City Game On?

The Minnesota Twins vs Kansas City Royals game will take place on Monday, March 30, 2026 at 4:00 p.m. ET. Tune in to see the Royals’ home opener, the 54th at Kauffman Stadium.

What Channel Is The Minnesota Twins vs Kansas City Royals Game On?

All of the action in this game can be found on Minnesota Twins (NEW), FOX (KFJX – Joplin, MO – Pittsburg, KS). Make sure you subscribe to Fubo now to watch this matchup, as well as numerous other sports leagues.

Live Stream the Minnesota Twins vs Kansas City Royals game: Start watching now!

Regional restrictions may apply.

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