Surprise, AZ — No. 1 seed Kansas Jayhawks nabbed another victory in the 2026 Big 12 Baseball Tournament on Friday, beating No. 5 Oklahoma State 9-2 at Surprise Stadium.
Coming off their extra innings victory over Baylor on Thursday, the Jayhawks rode some early inning offense where they scored three runs in the first two innings. That ended up being all they needed to beat the Cowboys.
Kansas was led by starting pitcher Mason Cook who pitched 6.1, while finishing with seven strikeouts and just one earned run. Read more: No. 1 Kansas advances to the Big 12 championship after 9-2 semifinal win.
Kansas takes control early
With the game time temperature at nearly 96 degrees, it was blistering hot at Surprise Stadium for the first game of the day. Ironically, Kansas’ starting pitcher Mason Cook played like a pitcher with his hands on fire, recording multiple swings and misses en route to a clean 1-2-3 first inning.
The sophomore made OSU’s two and three hole hitters look lost with multiple well thrown breaking balls.
Meanwhile, the Cowboys’ starting pitcher, Ethan Lund, opened his outing with a five-pitch walk. Also a sophomore, Lund followed that with a misfired breaking ball that over catcher Campbell Smithwick’s head.
That allowed Tyson LeBlanc to move to second with ease. After Lund issued another walk to the two-hole hitter, Oklahoma State quickly came together for a mound visit.
Related: Mountaineer fans showing out at the Big 12 tournament
The reset seemed to work as Lund bounced back and got two outs in a row, but Kansas managed to squeeze a run across off an RBI single from Augusto Mungarrieta. Before the inning ended with a warning track pop out, Jordan Bach doubled and scored Josh Dykhoff.
Cook pitched efficiently in the second. The righty allowed a two-out single up the middle, but managed to get the next OSU batter to ground out two pitches later.
Kansas also kept its foot on the gas pedal, scoring another run off a double from Tyson LeBlanc. The left-center shot nearly carried out of the park.
At the same time, Cook looked practically unstoppable through the first three innings. He added another strikeout to bring his total up to four, while still allowing just the one hit.
Lund settled down a little in the bottom of the third, allowing no hits and just one base runner from a walk.
Pitchers get stingy for both
In the fourth, Cook allowed just one hit before previously getting two quick groundball outs. He answered with his fifth strikeout of the day.
Similar to his previous inning, Lund pitched much more efficiently. He got three pop outs and greatly reduced the command issues he was dealing with in the earlier innings.
Cook faced his first real troubled inning in the fifth. The righty walked two batters in a row and then hit a batter, loading the bases with two outs. He reeled right back in and struck out Brock Thompson with a breaking ball in the dirt.
After a leadoff walk issued by Cook, the Cowboys finally notched a run on the board after a double from Avery Ortiz. That ended Cook’s night after 5.1.
He got a standing ovation from the Kansas fans in attendance. Toby Scheidt came in for relief and recorded the final out on just one pitch.
Lund stayed in for the sixth and recorded another scoreless inning. He also struck two more Jayhawk hitters, jumping his total to eight through six innings.
Scheidt started the seventh just like he did in the sixth, with a quick out. This time with a swinging strikeout. The senior right-hander ended up striking the side, all on swing and misses.
Kai Fyke replaced Lund in the bottom of the seventh. The right hander made quick use of the Jayhawk hitters, ending the inning with a double play.
Kansas closes it out
Riane Ritter replaced Scheidt in the eighth and he walked the first batter he faced. After striking out the following batter, Kollin Ritchie belted a double that advanced Thompson to third.
Smithwick scored Thompson in the next at-bat after hitting a sacrifice fly to deep center field. Ritter managed to bounce back and get Avery Ortiz to ground out after.
Related: Higher seeds dominate in Day 3 of the Big 12 tournament
The Jayhawks immediately gained that run back after Mungarrieta torched an RBI double to left center field. Savion Flowers added an insurance run later in the inning after hitting a single to center that scored Mungarrieta.
Kansas poured on more runs in the eighth. LeBlanc clobbered a grand slam to extend the lead to six in the eighth.
Going into the top of the ninth, with the Kansas faithful on their feet, Ritter recorded the final out of the game with a strikeout.
Championship looming
Kansas awaits the winner of No. 2 West Virginia and No. 3 Arizona State. Those two squads are scheduled to play at 8:20 p.m. MT/11:20 p.m. ET.
The championship game takes place on Saturday at 4:30 p.m. PT/7:30 p.m. ET at Surprise Stadium.
