Three-game series at Kansas on ESPN3

Extending the best start ever for BYU baseball is the goal as the 7-1 Cougars fly to Kansas for a three-game series starting Thursday.

West Coast Conference pitcher of the week Michael Rucker (2-0, 1.38) will start Thursday and Maverik Buffo (1-0, 1.93) will be on the mound Friday for the Cougars. Both games start at 3 p.m., CST.

BYU coach Mike Littlewood has not announced who will start Saturday’s game, which has now been moved up to 11 a.m., CST, due to the Kansas-Iowa State basketball game.

Kansas, 3-4, just finished its fourth game this week at the Big12/Pac12 Challenge tournament in Arizona with a 1-3 record. The three games for BYU at Kansas will be streamed online through ESPN3.

“Coach (Ritch) Price does a great job with his team and Kansas will be a very good team despite their 3-4 record,” BYU coach Mike Littlewood said. “Our goal is to go to Kansas, continue playing solid baseball and finish off a tough three weeks of travel on a high note before coming back to Provo for a long stretch of games at home. “

The Cougars got off to a 6-0 start before losing the nightcap of a doubleheader at Samford.

Previous best starts by BYU baseball were 10-2 in 1988; 9-2 in 1980; 8-2 in 1984 and 1992; 7-2 in 1973, 1989 and 1990; 9-3 in 1969 and 1994; 8-3 in 1983, 1993 and 2007; and 7-3 in 1998. The 1990 and 1989 BYU teams also started with 10-3 and 12-3 records, respectively.

BYU is ranked No. 2 in the nation with 102 hits, with Cougar centerfielder Brennon Lund ranked No. 1 in the NCAA with his 19 hits.

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