MINNEAPOLIS (Interstat) — Dylan Schlotterback drove in four runs and Augusto Mungarrieta launched a three-run homer as the Kansas Jayhawks held off a late rally to defeat the Minnesota Golden Gophers 8-7 on Wednesday at Siebert Field.

The Jayhawks (6-2) built an 8-2 lead by the seventh inning before withstanding a five-run surge from the Golden Gophers (5-2), who brought the tying run into scoring position in the ninth.

The most critical sequence of the game came in the top of the seventh inning. Leading 5-2, Kansas loaded the bases with no outs against reliever Jack Kirchhoff. Mungarrieta then crushed a 1-0 pitch over the left-field wall for a three-run homer, extending the Jayhawks’ lead to 8-2. The blast proved decisive, providing just enough cushion to survive Minnesota’s subsequent comeback attempt.

Schlotterback, Kansas’s standout third baseman, broke out of a recent slump in a major way. After going 1 for 12 over his previous four games, he finished a perfect 3 for 3 with a walk, a three-run homer, four RBIs and two runs scored. His sixth-inning blast off reliever Tyler Hemmesch turned a 2-0 game into a 5-0 Kansas advantage.

Minnesota’s offense was paced by Weber Neels, who went 3 for 4 with two home runs, a double and four RBIs. His three-run shot off reliever Mason West in the seventh inning ignited the Golden Gophers’ rally, cutting the deficit to 8-6.

Kansas starter Mason Cook earned the win with four strong innings, allowing two runs on just two hits while striking out four. Both runs came on solo homers in the third inning by Neels and Charlie Sutherland. The Jayhawks’ bullpen, led by Riane Ritter and Boede Rahe, combined for 3 2/3 scoreless innings of relief before Minnesota’s final push.

In the ninth, facing Kansas closer Kellen Carr, Minnesota’s Easton Richter led off with a solo home run to make it 8-7. Neels followed with a double, putting the potential tying run in scoring position with no outs. Kansas turned to Toby Scheidt, who recorded a key fly out. After a pitching change to Cooper Deer, pinch-hitter Jake Martin grounded out to shortstop to end the game, stranding the runner.

Luke Ryerse provided a bright spot for Minnesota’s bullpen, tossing two perfect innings of relief with two strikeouts.

The game was a back-and-forth affair early before Kansas pulled away. The Jayhawks broke a scoreless tie in the fourth on an RBI single from Schlotterback. They then erupted for four runs in the sixth, highlighted by Schlotterback’s three-run homer, and three more in the seventh on Mungarrieta’s shot.

Kansas outhit Minnesota 12-10. The teams will continue their four-game series on Friday.

The result defied the pregame projection from Interstat’s game simulator, which had forecast a 7-5 Minnesota victory, though the organization’s ELO rating system gave Kansas a 62.5% probability to win.

With the victory, Kansas improved to 6-2 overall, while Minnesota fell to 5-2.