Oklahoma State baseball couldn't control Kansas defensively again and had few answers on offense.
The Cowboys fell to the Jayhawks, 11-2, in Sunday's series finale in Lawrence, Kansas, at Hoglund Ballpark. The sweep by KU (23-6, 6-3 Big 12) marks its first against OSU (12-13, 1-6 Big 12) since 2009.
Here are three takeaways from the game.
OSU offense goes on a slump
The Cowboys got only one hit in each of the first five innings alongside two walks but found two runs out of it.
Two hits would include extra bases, with Brayden Smith's double in the first helping send Nolan Schubart to third and then reaching home for the game's first run in the next at-bat on a sacrifice fly. The other extra-base hit would be a home run by Colin Brueggemann on the first pitch in the fourth inning to put OSU up 2-1.
The Cowboys went silent in the box for the final four innings with no hit recorded while only reaching base on a hit-by-pitch and walk. OSU went 5 for 31 and had two opportunities with runners in scoring position, missing both times.
Sunday's performance becomes the second time the Cowboys earned five or fewer hits with only two runs scored from the weekend.
Pitching staff goes cold for a second straight game
On Saturday, OSU gave up 12 runs and 10 hits to the Jayhawks. Sunday wasn't much different, with KU marking double digits in both categories again.
Ryan Ure made the start and earned his third loss this season after allowing five hits and three earned runs. Drew Blake wasn't in a better situation after giving up a walk and two singles to start the fifth, which resulted in three more runs after Noah Wech and Brennan Phillips took over the mound.
Mario Pesca also allowed three Jayhawk runs in his three innings from the sixth to the eighth. Most of the damage from Pesca came in the last two innings as Kansas knocked five hits and added three more runs to the board.
With KU hitting a .315 batting average overall and averaging more than nine runs a game this season, it proved too much for OSU to hold on defensively.
Cowboys finish March with losing record
Coach Josh Holliday hasn't had a worse start in conference play than this season with a 1-6 record, putting the Cowboys last in the Big 12 standings at 14th. OSU remains the only Big 12 team without multiple conference wins.
Sunday's loss also put OSU below a .500 winning percentage, as it now holds a 12-13 record entering the month of April. The Cowboys are one of two Big 12 teams with a losing record, with a .480 winning percentage, only ahead of Texas Tech's 8-16 record (.333).
The Big 12 preseason favorites will face more tough competition next weekend with a three-game home series against the Kansas State Wildcats (19-8, 8-1 Big 12), who are at the top of the conference standings.
If OSU wants to keep its postseason streak alive and have a chance to contend for the conference title, a well-needed performance against a red-hot K-State team will be necessary.