OKLAHOMA CITY – Tucker Tharp and Michael Suiter each had two hits and two RBIs, leading Kansas to a 7-2 victory over third-seeded West Virginia at the Big 12 tournament Thursday night.
The sixth-seeded Jayhawks (32-24) broke open a close game with five runs over the final three innings. Kevin Kuntz drove in a run on Kansas' second squeeze of the game in the seventh, and Suiter's RBI single made it 4-1. Tharp's two-run double in the eighth stretched the lead to 6-2.
Michael Constantini had an RBI double in the second and Jacob Rice singled in a run in the eighth for West Virginia (31-26) in its Big 12 tournament debut.
Dan Dierdorff (4-8) gave up four runs on nine hits in seven innings for the Mountaineers.
Thomas Taylor (6-2) went 7 1-3 innings for the Jayhawks, giving up two runs on four hits.
Receive your weekly recap of all the happenings around the world of sports.