KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Josh Dykhoff's three-run home run was the first of three consecutive homers in a big seventh inning and Kansas defeated West Virginia 9-0 on Saturday night to win the Big 12 baseball championship for the first time since 2006.
Dykhoff's seventh-inning blast blew open what had been a close game, giving Kansas a 6-0 lead. Augusto Mungarrieta and Jordan Bach followed with home runs to make it 8-0.
A first-inning solo home run by Tyson Owens staked 13th-ranked and top-seeded Kansas (42-16) to a 1-0 lead.
Ninth-ranked and second-seeded West Virginia (39-14) loaded the bases on three singles in the fifth inning. With one out, Toby Scheidt replaced Mathis Nayral on the mound. Gavin Kelly lifted a fly ball to right field for the second out and Bach threw out Brodie Kresser at home to complete the inning-ending double play.
West Virginia loaded the bases again with one out in the sixth, but Scheidt got out of the jam on a pop up to the right side and a grounder to the shortstop.
The Jayhawks made it 2-0 in the sixth on an RBI single by Bach.
Scheidt (5-1) pitched 1 2/3 innings for the win. He was followed on the mound by Manning West and Boede Rahe.
For West Virginia, Ian Korn (5-1) allowed two runs in 5 2/3 innings. Reese Bassinger allowed four unearned runs in the seventh and Dawson Montesa gave up the other two runs in the Jayhawks' big inning.
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