PROVO, Utah (Interstat) — The Kansas Jayhawks visit the BYU Cougars on Thursday at Larry H. Miller Field in a Big 12 series opener, with first pitch scheduled for 6 p.m. MDT under cloudy skies and 78 degrees.

Kansas (37-15) enters as one of the league’s top teams, though the Jayhawks dropped their most recent game 13-2 to West Virginia on Sunday. Mathis Nayral, a pitcher to watch, took the loss in that game, working 4 2/3 innings, allowing seven hits and one earned run while striking out five. In his past five outings, the right-hander has a 1-1 record with a 4.77 ERA across 12 2/3 innings, striking out 12. He has been effective in limited work, including two scoreless innings against Wichita State on April 28 and 1 2/3 shutout frames against Kansas State on April 24.

BYU (26-25) comes off a 13-3 win Tuesday over Utah Valley. First baseman Ezra McNaughton went 1-for-2 with a home run and three RBIs. Over his last 10 games, McNaughton is batting .306 with three homers and nine RBIs. He has been a consistent run producer, with multi-hit games in four of his past six contests.

The Cougars have split their last 10 games, including a series win at Texas Tech two weeks ago. BYU took two of three from the Red Raiders, winning 12-3 on May 8 and losing 11-15 and 1-2 on consecutive days.

This is the first of a three-game series. Kansas won its most recent road series at Kansas State in late April, taking all three games. The Jayhawks have won five of their last seven true road games.

According to Interstat’s game simulator, Kansas is projected for a 7-5 win.

Kansas: 37-15 overall, 15-9 Big 12 (conference record not specified but implied). BYU: 26-25, 12-12 Big 12.

The series continues Friday and Saturday at the same venue.