Thompson leads surging Kansas

Topeka Capital-Journal, The, Mar 26, 2009

The Capital-Journal

LAWRENCE -- Kansas sophomore Tony Thompson went 3-for-4 with a pair of home runs as the Kansas baseball team earned its 12th consecutive win with a 7-4 victory against Western Illinois on Wednesday at Hoglund Ballpark.

Thompson, a sophomore third baseman, hit a two-run homer in the third inning and a solo shot in the fifth for the first multi-home run game by a Jayhawk since Erik Morrison turned the trick last season against Baylor.

KU's Jimmy Waters and Nick Faunce chipped in a pair of base hits, while three other Jayhawks collected RBIs.

Junior Brett Bollman, in his second collegiate start, held the Leathernecks to two runs on five hits over five innings. He struck out five and walked just one.

KU relief pitchers Colton Murray and Travis Blankenship each pitched a scoreless inning.

The Jayhawks' 12 straight home victories are the most to start a season since the 1979 team won its first 15 home games.

The Jayhawks improve to 15-7 as they prepare to travel to College Station, Texas, for their second Big 12 series of the season. KU opens the series against No. 12 Texas A&M at 6:05 p.m. Friday.

Western Illinois__000__020__011__--__4__10__3

Kansas__000__320__02x__--__7__11__1

Brough, Lingle (5) and Stewart; Bollman, Murray (6), Blankenship (7), Boyer (8), Bochy (8), Smyth (9) and Lincoln. W -- Bollman (2- 0). L -- Brough (0-4). HR -- WIU: Metcalf; KU: Thompson 2 (6).

Records -- Western Illinois 3-12; Kansas 15-7.

Kansas State 12, Northwestern 8

MANHATTAN -- Drew Biery drove in five runs as Kansas State captured its second straight over Northwestern.

K-State (20-5) rallied from a 7-0 deficit with four runs in the fourth, two in the fifth and one in the sixth.

Designated hitter Matt Giller drove in two runs for K-State and Dane Yelovich had three hits.

Northwestern__124__001__000__--__8__12__2

Kansas State__000__421__14x__--__12__12__2

Jahns, Diedrich (4), Morgan (7), Brooke (8) and Noble; Bahramzadeh, Joukoff (3), Applegate (3), Crockett (5), Vogel (6), Hobbs (7), Allen (9) and Dellasega, Vaughn. W -- Hobbs (1-0). L -- Morgan (0-2). 2B -- NU: Goebbert, Noble; KSU: Bloxom, King. HR -- NU: Vercelli, Snieder, Williams.

Records -- Northwestern 4-16; Kansas State 20-5.