LAWRENCE, Kan. (Interstat) — A three-run second inning and a two-run eighth propelled Kansas past Northeastern 6-3 Friday afternoon at Hoglund Ballpark, extending the Jayhawks’ winning streak and handing the Huskies a defeat in a game that was closer than the final margin indicated.

Kansas improved to 43-16, while Northeastern fell to 38-21. First pitch was at 12:07 p.m. CT under mostly cloudy skies with temperatures at 74 degrees and a southeast wind of 5-10 mph.

The game turned in the bottom of the second when Kansas catcher Augusto Mungarrieta launched his 16th home run of the season, a two-run shot to left field that scored Ryan Dykhoff and put the Jayhawks ahead 2-0. Two batters later, designated hitter Dariel Osoria followed with a solo homer, his eighth, to make it 3-0.

Northeastern answered in the third when catcher Will Fosberg hit his third home run, cutting the deficit to 3-1. But Kansas shortstop Tyson LeBlanc responded immediately in the bottom of the inning, belting his 22nd homer to extend the lead to 4-1.

The Huskies chipped away in the middle innings. In the fifth, Criscola doubled and later scored on a fielder’s choice by DiGiorgio, helped by a throwing error from Kansas second baseman Cade Baldridge, making it 4-2. In the sixth, Gerety singled, advanced to third on an Aschettino single and scored on a groundout by Criscola, pulling Northeastern within 4-3.

Kansas starter Dominic Voegele worked seven innings, allowing seven hits and three earned runs while striking out nine. He exited with a one-run lead.

The most important sequence of the game came in the bottom of the eighth. Northeastern reliever Andrew Wertz, who had entered in the seventh, allowed a leadoff single to Justin Schlotterback. After Osoria struck out, pinch-hitter Ballinger singled to center, putting runners on first and second. LeBlanc then singled through the left side, scoring Schlotterback to make it 5-3. Baldridge followed with a single to center that drove in Ballinger, giving Kansas a 6-3 cushion.

Boede Rahe relieved Voegele in the eighth and retired all six batters he faced, striking out three, to lock down the save. Northeastern’s David McSweeney pitched 2.2 scoreless innings in relief, but the Huskies could not mount a rally against Rahe.

LeBlanc finished 2 for 4 with a homer and two RBIs. Baldridge went 3 for 4 with an RBI and two runs scored. Mungarrieta homered and drove in two. For Northeastern, Fosberg homered and had an RBI single, and Gerety collected three hits including a triple.

Kansas’s bullpen retired the final eight Northeastern batters after Voegele’s exit. Northeastern starter Luc Rising allowed four earned runs on three hits in 3.2 innings, striking out four.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Northeastern 8, Kansas 6. Interstat’s ELO system gave Kansas a 56.40 percent probability to win. Kansas had been installed as a pregame favorite with a spread of minus 2.5.