Section:
B
The University Daily Kansan
No lip from anyone
1994 — Indiana radio analyst Mike Rice was ejected during the third quarter of the pacers' 106-94 victory against Portland.
Sports
Inside: If Oklahoma loses tonight, the Kansas men's basketball team is assured a bye in the Big 12 tournament SEE PAGE 3B
Inside: Former baseball manager Sparky Anderson was elected to the baseball Hall of Fame yesterday.
SEE PAGE 4B
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 1, 2000
WWW.KANSAN.COM/SPORTS
Team routs Baker 17-2
Kansan sportswriter
Good thing the Kansas baseball team has lots of healthy players.
Coach Bobby Randall not only changed pitches six times, but he also switched the infield and outfield around six more times than Baker scored in yesterday's 17-2 pounding. Twenty-two players saw time on the diamond, even if only for an inning.
Grant Williams, Fort Collins, Colo., sophomore, hurls the ball toward home plate. The Jayhawks changed pitchers six times during yesterday's game against Baker. Kansas beat the Wildcats 17-2. Photo by Aaron Lindberg/KANSAN
"We got a lot of guys out there that haven't played as much before," Randall said. "It tells me things about the players that I don't see in practice. They got to test their nerves and get in a few swings out there."
Second baseman Ryan Baty started his first game of the season after returning from the injury list — and he made his presence known. He reached base safety in all five at-bats, smashing a two-run home run in the fifth inning and also recording two singles.
"It felt great to get back out there and play with the guys," Baty said. "It was such a relief. I still need some more work, but I'm getting my timing back."
Defensively, Baty said his comfort level at second-base also was improving.
And Randall must have noticed it as well — Baty was the only player to play in the entire game.
See UNTESTED on page 2B
Freshman swinging hard for starting spot
Sports Columnist
Matt James
sports@kansan.com
Clay Wheeler swings the bat hard.
He swings like the baseball owes him money and he's going to touch the cash out of it.
There's no Monica Seles-like grunt. He doesn't fool you into thinking he swings harder than he does — he just swings hard.
right field. And he is.
He swings like he's a freshman on the Kansas baseball team, fighting for a starting spot in
Wheeter swings like he just might be able to prove himself with one swing of the bat. And yesterday after noon at Hoglund Ballpark looked like it could be his chance to do just that. So maybe not with one swing, but getting the start in right field against NAIA Division II Baker seemed to be a prime opportunity to pound out a few hits and impress Coach Bobby Randall.
same description could be used on
You see, Wheeler has been sharing playing time in right with another freshman, Kevin Wheeler. They aren't related, but if either was a missing person, the
he six o'clock news — white male, 6-foot-2, 185 pounds. So far this season, Kevin has been doing most of the playing; Clay most of the sharing.
At 3 p.m., a sticky field and completely black sky looks like it might rob Clay of his fourth start of the season, but the game begins on time.
Clay Wheele
After the Javhawks rope
the first, in the six spot in the order. On the second pitch, he fouls a chest-high fastball straight back, and Randall runs down nearly to home from the third base coaching box.
two singles and a double off Baker's starting pitcher. Wheeler comes to the plate in the bottom of
"Only strikes," he yells, as he motions for his batter to settle down. Wheeler doesn't seem to be listening as he tomahawks at a head-high heater on the next pitch and heads back to the dugout. No lightening yet.
Finally, the sun peeks through the sky in the west, and the fielders are now fighting raindrops and a clare.
Wheeler runs back up to the plate in the third like he's on a mission. He fouls off a pitch so far inside he has to lean back to hit it,
then another pitch two feet outside. He finally gets one down the middle and rips a line drive that nearly takes off the shortstop's glove. Two at-bats, two outs.
Another mass of black clouds builds in the west and rolls toward campus. A few rain drops splash down, and spectators scatter to the rows under the press box.
the Jayhawks are up 5-0 with the bases loaded when Wheeler comes up again in the fourth. He wrings the bat handle in anticipation and trying to be patient, watches two strikes down the middle. He hacks at the next pitch and grounds to third to end the inning.
See BIG SWINGS on page 2B
Christi Musser, center fielder, outruns a dropped ball at first base. The Jayhawks won 5-0. Photo by Aaron Lindberg/KANSAN
Softball team enjoys home advantage
Rebecca Barlow
sports@kansan.com
Kansan sportswriter
There's no place like home field for the Kansas softball team. The Jayhawks, 7-11, won their home opener 5-0 against Washburn yesterday.
Megan Urquhart. "I got good results from that."
Kansas, who has struggled on the road, seemed to be relaxed on familiar ground. This game was a turn around for them both offensively and defensively. Hot bats and steady defense were a large part of keeping the Lady Blues from touching home plate.
"Today I said I was going to relax and that is what I did," said third baseman
The Jayhawks struck early in the game loading the bases in the first inning, when Urquhart doubled and drove in three runs, giving the Jayhawks a 3-0 lead.
The defense took care of the rest.
Coach Tracy Bunge was right when she said last week that her team would have success if they would just relax and play the game.
"I think the kids were relaxed today." Bunge said. "They did not have a care in the world and every thing took care of its self."
Shortstop Christy McPhail had two hits and one RBI off struggling Blues pitcher Amy Heiman, who gave up eight hits in six innings.
Kansas pitcher Kelly Campbell, 3-0,
pitched all seven innings, had five
strikeouts and allowed just one hit.
She seemed relaxed on the mound pitching to her twin sister, catcher Katie Campbell. It was the first time the sisters have worked together in a game during the season.
"They definitely have an in-tune connection that a pitcher and catcher has." Bunge said. "They did a good job working together."
Track coach won't receive new contract
By Sarah Warren sports@kansan.com Kansan sportswriter
Gary Schwartz, cross country and track and field coach since 1988, will not b returning for the 2000-2001 academic year
The contracts of Schwartz and his coaching staff will not be renewed for the 2000-2001 season, said Bob Frederick, athletics director, yesterday. Neither Schwartz nor his coaching staff of Rick Attig, vertical jumps/combined events, Theo Hamilton, horizontal jumps and sprints, Tim Suchan, vertical jumps/combined events, Lorri LaRowe, throwing events and Candance Mason, sprints and hurdles, were available for comment.
"I very much appreciate Gary's loyal service to the University the past 12 years, but I have determined that a change in leadership of our cross country and track program is necessary," Frederick said.
And his affiliation with the track and field program has been a long one, as Schwartz competed in
Schwartz: contract won't be renewed next season
the discus and shot put for Kansas from 1962-1966, winning the Big Eight Conference discus title in 1965.
Schwartz returned to Kansas in 1988, succeeding his former coach Bob Timmons.
"He was one of the coaches we recommended and I was very pleased because I had a chance to coach him for two years." Timmons said.
Since reappearing at Kansas, Schwartz has coached 28 athletes to 38 All-America awards, including current All-American juniors Andrea Branson, Charlie Gruber and Scott Russell. He also coached 1996 Olympians Scott Huffman and Pier Lirk as well as 1996 NCAA Indoor 800-meter run champion Kristi Kloster.
"He's had a very wide and varied career," Timmons said. "And he is very well respected by his fellow coaches."
He was elected to the Kansas Athletics Hall of Fame after his men's team finished fourth at the 1989 NCAA Indoor Championships and is a former president of the United States Track Coaches Association. This summer Schwartz was part of the USA Track and Field coaching staff for the 1999 World Outdoor Championships in Seville, Spain.
During the 1999-2000 season, Schwartz's teams have had lukewarm performances. In the fall, the men's and women's cross country teams placed seventh and 12th, respectively, at the Big 12 Conference Championships — failing to qualify anyone for the NCAA Championships. The indoor track and field season, with less than two weeks to go until the NCAA National Tournament, has produced similar results with the men placing 10th and the women placing 12th at the conference meet held last weekend in Ames, Iowa. However, four athletes — junior Jabari Wamble, Ashley Feinberg, Gruber and sophomore Ryan Speers — are qualified provisionally for the NCAA meet with Branson automatically qualifying as well.
"Obviously I feel bad about Gary and his staff." Timmons said. "I don't know what will transpire with all of this, there are a lot of big questions, but I'm concerned with the future of all of Kansas track and field."
Three seniors, junior to make final appearance in Allen Fieldhouse
Bv Chris Fickett
sports@kansan.com
Kansan sportswriter
It's closing time for four Kansas women's basketball players.
And it has finally come for senior guard
Suzi Raymont, who is now 25 after starting her Jayhawk career in the last season of the Big Eight Conference.
Raymant, a native of Melbourne, Australia, ranks third on Kansas' all-time three-point shooting percentage list at 38 percent and is the team's most accurate free-throw shooter this season.
Reymant: Ranks third on 3-point shooting percent list
this season.
this season.
Then there's senior forward Lynn Pride, who is making a run at All-American and Big 12 player of the year honors. Pride
leads the 'Hawks in scoring, rebounding,
steals and blocked shots and is in the top five on Kansas' scoring, rebounding and steals lists.
And senior center Heather Fletcher, who came to Kansas from Wichita's Maize High
They will play their final game at Allen Fieldhouse tonight — senior night — at 7 against TEA&M.
School, is a team captain and has played in all of the team's games its last two seasons.
"We've got three wonderful seniors who have done a great job for our program, and we really want this last game to be a great game for them."
Pride: contending for Big 12 Player of the year honors
coach Marian Washington said.
Kansas is coming off one of its worst defeats of the year — an 88-69 drubbing at
Oklahoma Saturday. But the 'Hawks did not lose that game without a fight, which is something Raymant and her teammates take pride in heading into tonight's home finale.
"I think we've never been a team that's
ready to give up, and I think that what's what we're most proud of," Raymant said.
Also playing her last home game will be junior guard Casey Pruitt, who was a redshirt her freshman year. Washington said Monday that Pruitt, who is scheduled to graduate this May, would be playing her final season this year.
Fletcher: a team captain from Wichita. Kan.
"We appreciate the contributions of all the seniors and Casey [Pruitt]," guard Jennifer Jackson said. "We know how
much work and effort they have put into this program, and we want them to go out winners."
"We're going to be facing a really good ball club, and in this conference you can't underestimate anyone," she said.
But before Kansas can think about resting, Washington wants to make sure that her team respects the Aggies' ability in spite of their 3-12 conference record.
If Kansas wins tonight, it will get a first-round bye in the Big 12 Conference tournament. That bid would give the Hawks a week between games, their longest down time since before winter break.
Jackson holds a 3.7 grade point average and is ranked sixth in the league with a 3.3 assists-to-turnovers ratio. White ranks third on the team with 12 blocked
Three make big 12 tests.
Junior guard Jennifer Jackson and senior guard Nikki White were selected to the Academic All-Big 12 first team, and Pruitt was named to the second team, the Big 12 office said yesterday.
shots.
To qualify, student athletes must have participated in 60 percent or more of the team's games and have a 3.0 GPA or higher.
TONIGHT'S GAME
Who wants women for teams? Ask
Women for women! These conversations start around 6:30 p.m.
Allen Fieldhouse
10 a.m. and 12 p.m. AM;台下 audience on channel
14
**radio/TV:** 90.7 FM and 1320 AM; tape-delayed replay on channel 1
Probable starters:
Kansas (19-8; 10-5 Big 12)
Pos. Player Ht. Yr. PPG RPG
F Lynn Pride 6-2 Sr. 17.4 8.2
F Jaclyn Johnson 6-1 Jr. 11.2 8.0
F Brooke Reves 6-0 Jr. 12.0 6.6
G Suzi Raymant 5-11 Sr. 14.4 5.2
G Jennifer Jackson 5-11 Jr. 8.4 3.1
V
Pois Prayer Sharp Ht. Yr. PPG RPG
F Presby Spinner 6.1 St. 12.8 8.7
F Kera Alexander 5-11 St. 11.2 6.8
F Jainetta Saunders 5-11 St. 15.7 7.0
G Brandy Jones 5.7 St. 9.8 2.8
G Lafaya Rose 5-6 St. 6.6 1.9