Notebook: Kansas and UCF set to battle for first place in Big 12

Kansas (23-10, 9-3 Big 12) will host #12 UCF (20-9, 10-2) in a weekend series starting on Friday. The top two teams in the Big 12 will face off at Hoglund Ballpark.

Head coach Dan Fitzgerald, shortstop Tyson LeBlanc, and right-hander Riane Ritter met with the media ahead of the weekend series. They discussed how the Jayhawks’ midweek win over Nebraska prepares them for another competitive series. Fitzgerald also discussed finding the best role for Boede Rahe and what stands out about the Knights.

Competitive midweeks help Kansas prepare for remainder of Big 12 slate

On Tuesday night, Kansas beat #19 Nebraska 5-3 in Lincoln. It was the Cornhuskers’ first home loss of the season and snapped their 10-game winning streak.

Fitzgerald said the rest of the Jayhawks’ midweeks prepare them for the stretch run in the Big 12. Kansas’ remaining midweeks include another matchup with Nebraska and games at Wichita State and Creighton.

“You do those [midweeks] so that there’s no lull,” Fitzgerald said on Wednesday. “Nebraska would fit right into the Big 12, and Missouri would fit right into the Big 12. You just look at how they match up. It just keeps you having to play at a really high level, keeps the guys sharp.”

Kansas’ game against Nebraska on Tuesday was different situationally than its current seven-game winning streak. The Jayhawks had been playing shootouts, scoring 12.2 runs over their last six but also allowing 7.7. Tuesday featured a tighter, more low-scoring game than what had been the norm.

“Our pitching staff stepped up huge,” LeBlanc said. “Recently, we’ve been having a lot of shootouts, double-digits scoring runs. So it was cool to be on the other side of a baseball game yesterday.”

Where does Boede Rahe fit in the Jayhawks’ pitching equation?

Rahe was instrumental in Kansas’ win over Nebraska, firing three perfect innings with four strikeouts. However, Rahe had appeared as the Jayhawks’ Friday night starter the last two weekends.

Before his two starts, Rahe served as the team’s highest leverage reliever or closer. He’s picked up two saves this season, and has allowed only four runs in 15 innings of relief work.

“With Boede starting the last couple weekends on Fridays, it’s been great,” Fitzgerald said. “But we’ve also, I think, felt a little bit in the bullpen of not [having him]. He just loves that moment, and he’s so good in that moment.”

Rahe also gives the Jayhawks’ platoon advantages in the bullpen. The right-hander has been successful no matter the handedness of the hitter. In relief, Rahe gives Fitzgerald matchup advantages late in games.

“It’s been hard in some of those games knowing that, okay, this is where Boede’s the right matchup. Because he’s platoon neutral, meaning that he’s good to lefties and righties, and that’s so rare to have righties that are that effective against lefties,” Fitzgerald said. “So Boede’s ability to neutralize late in the game is such an asset out of the pen.”

UCF fields a complete team

UCF, picked to finish 10th in the conference preseason, currently sits atop the league standings. The Knights have one of the best pitching staffs in the Big 12, ranking second in team ERA (4.08). They also have a strong offensive trio of Andrew Williamson, John Smith III, and Zak Skinner, who all have an OPS over .900.

“UCF does a really nice job with their staff, but they’re really good offensively,” Fitzgerald said. They can defend, they can run, they’re really well coached.”

Fitzgerald complimented Knights head coach Rich Wallace, who brought UCF to the NCAA Tournament in his first year in 2024. He’s built UCF into a consistent team that plays solid baseball.

“I think the consistency in which they’ve played from day one of the season has been really impressive,” Fitzgerald said. “To be 10-and-2 in the Big 12 is really, really hard to do. And so, yeah, they do it on all sides of the ball. They play a very solid brand of baseball.”