Section B·Page 8
The University Daily Kansan
Friday, April 14, 2000
'Hawks goin' on Bear hunt in Texas
Kansas second base player Amy Hulse attempts to tag out a Texas A&M player at a game earlier this month. Kansas will take on Baylor this weekend in Waco, Texas. Photo by Aaron Lindbera/KANSAN
Kansas softball team will attempt to extend current winning streak
By Rebecca Barlow sports@kansan.com Kansan writer/swriter
There's a Bear of an obstacle in front of Kansas this weekend — but its growl is not as ferocious as usual.
Baylor, 21-24 overall, 1-6 in the Big 12, has experienced a slide lately, simplifying the task that lies ahead for Kansas.
The Jayhawks, 24-23 overall,
2-8 in the Big 12, are on a threegame winning streak after victories against Missouri in extra innings Tuesday and a double-header pounding of Wichita State Wednesday.
So what is the secret to the team's turnaround this week?
Team members say it was more than the "lucky" clashing attire the coaches wore during all three games.
It could be the Jayhawks' hot bats.
"I think it was definitely our offense," said catcher Katie Campbell. "We were feeding off each other. We are just fired
up."
crossed the plate 24 times. They also have tallied 39 hits.
Kansas' offense exploded during the last three games. Going into this week, the team had scored four runs in six games. Since then, players have
"Yesterday was a big boost for our offense," said first baseman Shannon Stanwix. "It was a little more relaxed. The
Missouri game gave us confidence, and it carried over."
Campbell hit her first career home run against Wichita State, and Stanwix added No. 21 to her Kansas record.
Baylor will look for a bit of confidence itself after losing to Texas and another two games to Nebraska.
But the Bears still have confidence at the plate.
Two players are batting better than 400. Junior centerfielder Naomi Fitzgerald is batting 423 followed by pitcher and designated player Sarah Caule at 409.
They are among the nation's leaders in hitting and are the only Big 12 players listed in the Top 50 in the NCAA. Fitzgerald has 60 hits and Caundle has 54.
The 'Hawks split a double-header with the Bears and lost to them in another regular-season tournament last year.
"I really don't know what to expect," Stanwix said. "Hopefully we can continue our winning streak. I think if we just carry everything over we should be OK."
The Jayhawks will play Baylor in Waco, Texas, at 7 p.m. tomorrow and 1 p.m. Sunday.
The Associated Press
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Royals didn't need a last-at-bat home run to win again. A game-winning single was good enough.
Carlos Beltran drove in the winning run with a ninth-inning single yesterday as the Kansas City Royals continued their string of last-at-bat wins with a 6-5 victory against the
Baltimore Orioles.
The Royals, who ended the last three games with winning home runs, rallied after blowing a 5-0 lead.
Rey Sanchez,
whose three-run,
ninth-inning
homer gave Kansas
City a 7-6 win
Wednesday against
onmmore, led off the ninth with a single onB.J. Ryan (1-1).
Johnny Damon followed with a sacrifice bunt, and Carlos Febies walked. Beltran followed with the game-winning hit.
Cal Ripken went 0-for-4, striking out twice and remained four hits short of 3,000. Baltimore scored four runs in the eighth and tied it on Mike Bordick's single off closer Ricky Bottalico (2-0) in the ninth.
Mike Sweeney hit his league-leading sixth home run in the first inning
for Kansas City (8-3), which is five games better than .500 for the first time since Sept. 18, 1965. Sanchez went 3-for-4 with two doubles and an RBI.
Jeff Suppan matched a career high with eight strikeouts during seven-plus innings for Kansas City.
Sweeney's home run, a drive deep into the left-field bulpen off Mike Mussina, capped the Royals' three-run first inning. It came after Jermaine Dye's RBI groundout gave Kansas City a 1-0 lead.
Mussina also gave up Johnny Damon's sacrifice fly in the second inning and Sanchez's RBI double in the fourth. He gave up five runs and 10 hits in eight innings.
Bordick's two-run homer with nobody out in the eighth broke up the shutout bid by Suppan. Dan Reichert replaced Supper after Brady Anderson followed Bordick's home run with a single.
Anderson stole third and scored on a throwing error by catcher Brian Johnson, and Albert Belle's sacrifice fly cut the Royals' lead to 5.4.
Suppan gave up seven hits, two each by Bortick and B.J. Surhoff, and didn't walk anyone.
BOX SCORE
Baltimore: 000 000 041 51 12 8
Baltimore: 000 000 041 51 12 8
Mussina, Bryan (9) and CJohnson; Suppain,
Reichert (8), Bottallo (9) and Bjohnson. W—
Bockelman (9) and Bjohnson. Bordick (3), Kansas City, MJSweeney (6).
Graduation Regalia
Available at the KU Bookstores
Domestic & Foreign Complete Car Care
842-8665
"We Stand Behind Our Work, and WE CARE!"
2858 Four Wheel Dr.
Red Lyon Tavern
A touch of Irish in downtown Lawrence
944 Massachusetts 832-8228