Inside Sports
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
Sports
Monday
April 5,1999
Section:
B
Page 1
The Kansas football team sets its sights on increasing ticket sales for next season.
Kansas Rowing
SEE PAGE 3B
Athletes from all sports are drawn to the Kansas rowing team for different reasons.
SEE PAGE 4B
Page 1
Pro Baseball
Today is opening day for the Royals as they begin the 1999 season at home.
SEE PAGE 5B
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Baylor dominates 'Hawks in series
Baylor's Anthony Hensley slides into first base while attempting to avoid Kansas' Chad King's tag. Hensley was safe and stole second base on the next play. Baylor defeated Kansas 14-4 yesterday at Hagland Ballpark. The Bears swept the Jayhawks in the three-game series during the weekend. Photo by Augustus Anthony Plazzo/KANSAN
No.12 Bears score weekend sweep
By Matt Tait
sports@kansan.com
Kansas sportwriter
Sunday's finale was framed by two Baylor five-run innings and the weekend series was framed by Baylor dominance as the Kansas baseball team was swept in three games by the Bears this weekend.
After nearly winning game two, the Jayhawks, 10-22 overall and 4-14 in Big 12 play, came out Sunday and were beaten in nearly evenly of the game.
The pitching was shaky, as the Bears managed 14 runs on 15 hits and knocked three Javhawks from the game.
The hitting was spread out as the 'Hawks' mustered only seven bits the entire game.
And the defense, which had been solid, committed seven errors that led to six runs. The other eight Baylor runs were earned and the final score was 14-4.
The top of the first inning provided testament for how unprepared the Jayhawks were. Kansas pitcher Brian Schriner started the game and gave up five runs to Baylor in the first. Only three of the runs were earned, but the five run first put Baylor in control.
"That was just a young team not ready to play today," coach Bobby Randall said. "And it was my fault for not having them ready."
Schriner settled down over the next four innings, holding Bayton scoreless, and the Jayhawks scored three in the fifth, pulling the score to 5-3.
The Bears came out in the sixth and scored three, pushing the lead to five.
"The fifth inning was the best for Brian." Randall said. "We weren't going to send him out there in the sixth, but he threw so well in the fifth."
The fifth was the last time the 'Hawks were close. Baylor logged eight runs on eight hits during the last three innings to put the game away.
One bright spot for the Kansas offense was freshman Corey Harrington's two hits. Harrington, who was put in the lineup as
But Saturday's game was full of bright spots as the Jayhawks held the lead or were tied for most of the game before losing 4-3.
the designated hitter because of an injury to center fielder Jason Appuhn, delivered the two hits, scored a run and drove in another.
Catcher Shane Wedd provided most of the offense as he was 3 for 4 on the day with two home runs.
"I've been thinking about it a little bit, because hitting in the middle of the order it's my job to drive in runs, and I need to continue to do it," Wedd said.
Not to be outdone by Wedd, Baylor's Eric Nelson was 4 for 4 on the day with three
home runs, including the game-winner in the ninth.
Randall said he was pleased with the performance and said it was a tough game to lose.
"Nelson had a great day and Shane Wedd broke out for us — it was an interesting game," Randall said. "There were a lot of good things that happened today. The only bad thing was that we lost."
Friday's opener saw the most dominating performance of the series as Baylor starter/designated hitter Jason Jennings threw a complete game two-hit shut out and hit a two-run homer in the 9-0 victory.
Jennings struck out a career-high 14 batters and had only three men reach base.
"Out on the mound you get in a zone and a rhythm with your body," Jennings said. "I had some good stuff tonight, good defense behind me and anytime you get a conference win if feels good."
For the Hawks, Ryan Schmidt pitched six strong innings in which he gave up only three runs and four hits.
The Jayhawks will again be at home Wednesday as Southwest Missouri State comes to town for a doubleheader. Game one begins at 2 p.m.
— Edited by Julie Sachs
Linebacker ready to return to action
By Mike Harrity
Kansan sportswriter
Dariss Lomax was back doing what he loved to do Saturday afternoon, the third day of the Kansas football team's spring drills. With his feet planted in the Memorial Stadium turf and No. 51 jersey hugging his chiseled frame, he settled into a linebacker stance.
Linebacker Dariss Lomax speaks with a reporter during last year's media day. Lomax is eager to return to the field this year after sitting out the 1998 season for academic reasons.
Photo by Augustus Piazza/KANSAN
huddled around him, some slapping his helmet in celebration, others yelling to express the hype Lomax creates.
After the snap of the ball, running back Henri Childs took the handoff. Lomax, reacting with snake-strike quickness, met Childs at the line of scrimmage, pummeling him to the turf. His defensive cohorts
Lomax just smiled inside.
Donna just smiled innie.
Playing football is something Lomax savors even more now after sitting out all last season for academic reasons.
A few months ago, Lomax spent his Saturday afternoons trying to do anything but watch or listen to Kansas football games.
"It wasn't a thing where I didn't want to support my teammates. It's just that I love this game so much that it hurt to see my team out there losing," said Lomax of the Jayhawks, who had a 4-7 record last season. "They expected to have me out there helping them win games, so I really felt like I let them down."
Lomax arrived at Kansas in the fall of 1996 after gaining numerous accolades during his senior season at Washington High School in Kansas City, Kan. He was
named first-team all-state and also made the all-metro team after recording 122 tackles and five quarterback sacks.
His football prowess, though, far outweighed his study habits.
"They didn't prepare you for college where I went to school like they do at the schools in Olathe and Shawnee Mission." Lomax said. "So it was hard to make the adjustment to college classes coming from a situation like that."
Lomax admits that his dream of playing professional football clouded his priorities. But he insists he's a changed man.
"I learned a lot from having to sit out and not be a part of something I love. I learned that I needed to stop putting football in front of books, and take my classes more seriously," said Lomax, an African-American studies major.
Pole vaulter sets pace for track teams at Texas Relays
See LOMAX on page 3B
By Mike Miller
Kansan sportswriter
sports@kansan.com
Two-time All-American sophmore Andrea Branson led the way for a slew of impressive individual performances for the Kansas men's and women's track teams at the Texas Relays last weekend.
Branson, who won the Big 12 Indoor title in the pole vault last February, set a new school, conference and meet record with a vault of 13.1/2. She qualified for the NCAA Championships in June in Boise, Idaho, where her family lives.
"A lot of the pressure is off," Branson said. "Now they can't turn me away from nationals, and I get to
"I think they've got a good competition going on between Andrea and Candy in the pole-vault now," said coach Garvary Schwartz.
Two-time All-American Scott Russell also had another outstanding meet, placing second in both the javelin and the discus and placing seventh in the hammer throw. His throw of 227 feet, 5 inches in the javelin was just three inches off the winning mark and was the fourth-best throw in school history. His
compete in front of my family."
Teammate Candy Mason placed second with a vault of 12-9/1-2. Mason, a three-time All-American senior, held the school record when she won at the Texas Relays last year.
"I'd like to be consistently in the 230-feet range, but I'll take it as it comes," Russell said.
throw of 181 feet, 6 inches in the discus was a personal best.
Freshman Ryan Speers finished third in the shot put with a season best throw of 56-9 1/4.
The 1,600-meter sprint medley team of Jabari Wamble, Tywane Aldridge, Charlie Gruber and Dave Tomlin finished third with a time of 3:21.40 in their first competition of the season. The 200-meter relay
Senior Colby Miller led the way for a solid Kansas showing in the pole vault as he tied for second place with a vault of 16-10/3-4. Sophomore Greg Steele placed 11th and senior Marc Romito placed 12th in the pole vault.
team of Grady Blackmon, Aldridge. Gruber and Tomlin also ran well, placing seventh with a time of 1:25.21.
The women's team received strong performances from Mason and freshman Andrea Bulat in the javelin, placing eighth and 11th, respectively.
Sophomore Marlea Woodman placed 11th in both the discus and the hammer throw, while freshman Jennifer Foster placed 10th in the discus.
Because of the competition at the Texas Relays, some of the team stayed in Kansas last Thursday to compete in the Emporia State Relays.
"It's an opportunity to better some
if the kids on our team who didn't set to go to Texas," Schwartz said.
Sophomore Sherre-Khan Blackmon ran a season-best time of 59.20 winning the women's 400-meter run.
Junior Andy Tate won the 3,000-meter steeplechase with a time of 9:38.80. It was Tate's first title of the season.
wARNING Senior Chip Malmstrom finished second in the long jump and third in the 110-meter hurdles.
Edited by Julie Sachs
Commentary
Greed helps destroy teams like Royals
So this is what it's come to.
I'm sitting around with some friends, talking about the upcoming Major League Baseball season. We're talking about how well the Yankees will do after adding Roger Clemens a year after winning 114 games. I'm talking about how the curse on my beloved Cubs reared its ugly head again with the season-ending injury to
Kerry Wood. So, to make myself feel better I make fun of Ryan, a die-hard Royals fan.
Sam
Wellinger
ports@kansan.com
It doesn't take a brain surgeon to think of ways to make fun of the Royals, so I won't get into that. But somehow, the Royals have managed to enter their season opener — 1:30 p.m. today at Kauffman Stadium — with a 99.9 a.p.
League-best 22-9 spring record But here's the kicker:
But here's the kicker.
"This guy in one of my classes," a friend began, "is a huge Royals fan, maybe as big as Ryan. Anyway, he's actually making T-shirts, 'Grapefruit League Champs.' On the back it'll say 'The Real Championship.'"
Ryan's eyes lit up, "I'll buy one!"
My first reaction: give me a break
But you can't really blame Ryan. First place in the Grapefruit League is about as good as it can get for the Royals, unless you really think that you can take away two of a horrible team's best hitters, put the franchise pitcher on the trading block and actually win.
While teams like the Rupert Murdoch-owned Los Angeles Dodgers can afford to blow more than $100 million on a 34-year-old pitcher like Kevin Brown, teams like the Royals spend the off-season dumping anyone making over minimum wage. Jeff Conine was set to be a fixture in the middle of the Kansas City lineup, but the penny-pinching Royals sent him and his multi-million dollar salary to Baltimore, where he likely will be the designated hitter against left-handed pitching.
The result is a loss of hope. In every other sport, you can seem to think of ways your favorite team can win the championship. I've been doing it every spring for my Cubs and every fall for my Golden State Warriors. Believe me, it often takes a lot of creativity.
But baseball seems to be doing everything it can to kill itself. It's the only major sport without a salary cap, so you have teams like the Royals competing against teams like the Yankees, who spend the Royals annual budget every homestand.
But not even a 22-9 run through the Grapefruit League is enough for a semirealistic Royals fan to think Johnny Damon — who swings and throws like my mother — can lead Kansas City through a 162-game season and into the playoffs.
Baseball is a great game. Say what you want about it being a bit slow, but there's nothing better than a summer night at the ballpark with a hot dog and some friends.
And that's why guys like Ryan get their kicks out of a Grapefruit League championship.
The poor get sketchy prospects, and Baltimore adds to its more than $80 million payroll to get a platoon hitter.
Hope is dead before the season is alive.
Hope is dead before the season is over. Because baseball is such a classic game, it will survive. But it will continue to wear a second-rate label in the eyes of many sports fans until there is competition and parity similar to what you find in the NFL, NBA or NHL.
But that day shows no sign of arriving soon. It seems everybody talks about a salary cap like they talk about spending that summer in Europe.
Until the owners do something more than a token luxury tax, Royals fans will settle for wearing their Grapefruit League championship shirts while their team loses more than 90 games.
Mellinger is a Lawrence junior in journalism.