GRANVILLE, W.Va. — Kansas hitters got the better of West Virginia’s pitching staff for the second straight day on Saturday. The Mountaineers gave up seven extra-base hits, including three home runs, to the visiting Jayhawks.

Two big innings made the difference. Kansas (15-14, 5-3 Big 12) scored five runs in the fifth to take the lead, and then tacked on three more in the eighth to put the game out of reach.

For the second straight game, West Virginia’s lineup largely came up empty with runners in scoring position. The Jayhawks won the game 10-6, and now have the chance to go for the series sweep on Sunday.

The Mountaineers (22-9, 2-3 Big 12) gave starting pitcher Blaine Traxel an early lead by scoring in each of the first two innings. Logan Sauve belted the first home run of his collegiate career in the second to put WVU ahead 3-0. Sauve tallied a total of three RBI on the day.

Traxel faced just two batters over the minimum through the first three innings. He gave up a solo home run with one out in the fourth, but WVU still led by two runs entering the fifth. That’s when Kansas’ lineup woke up.

An RBI triple by Jackson Cobb was sandwiched between two hit batters. Three batters later, Cole Elvis connected on a three-run homer to right field to give the Jayhawks a 6-3 lead. The big inning spelled the end of the day for Traxel, who was charged with six earned runs on seven hits and two hit batters.

West Virginia got a pair of runs back in the bottom of the sixth, but left the bases loaded when the inning ended.

After leaving 11 men on base Friday night, the Mountaineers stranded 11 more Saturday. WVU hitters went 4 of 19 with runners on base, and 1 of 13 with runners in scoring position.

Kansas’ other big inning came in the eighth.

Leading 7-6, Jake English padded the Jayhawks’ advantage with a leadoff homer to start the frame. Kansas added a run on a groundout to extend the lead to three. Carlson Reed appeared to get out of the inning when he induced a ground ball to the left side of the infield. However, Grant Hussey failed to secure the throw, and a run scored to give KU a 10-6 lead.

Trailing by three, the Mountaineers brought the tying run to the plate in the bottom of the ninth. Kansas ended the game with a punchout, the 24th of the series recorded thus far by the Jayhawks’ pitching staff.

The top five hitters in WVU’s lineup went 3 for 19 with four strikeouts, and left six runners stranded on base. Landon Wallace, who bats sixth, and Tevin Tucker, who bats ninth, were the lone Mountaineers to have a multi-hit day at the plate.

West Virginia will look to avoid being swept for the first time this season on Sunday. Freshman Robby Porco gets the start on the mound for Mazey’s crew.