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THURSDAY, MAY 1, 2014
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
TRACK AND FIELD
GEORGE MULLINIX/KANSAN
Sophomore Logan Sloan leaps over the water pit during the Kansas Relays. Sloan finished 16th overall in steeplechase after injuring his ankle during the race.
Jayhawks gear up for big meet in Manhattan
BEN BURCH sports@kansan.com
It's that time of year. With the Outdoor Big 12 Championships just two weeks away, the excitement of postseason track is starting to resonate. Many Kansas athletes are having a lot of success and history could surely be made in the conference and national meets.
But there's still one meet separating Kansas from the postseason. That meet is the Ward Haylett Invitational, which will take place this Saturday, May 3, in Manhattan. While it may be easy to look past this weekend's meet to the conference championships, according to coach Stanley Redwine, the Jayhawks are approaching the meet in Manhattan just like any other.
"I look at this as another meet...we try to take it one meet at a time," Redwine said. "The major goal is just for us to compete [this weekend]."
But while Redwine is making sure his team stays focused on this weekend, he acknowledges that the Ward Haylett Invitational will be an important time for his athlete-
"We are starting to peak at the right time and that's why we are finalizing some things this weekend to get ready to go for [the conference] meet," Redwine said.
to sharpen their skills for the upcoming Big 12 meet.
One of these Kansas athletes who has been exceptional down the stretch is junior Michael Stigler, who once again took a first-place finish in the 400-meter hurdles last weekend at the Drake Relays, running an impressive 49.47. This performance not only allowed Stigler to remain undefeated this outdoor season in the 400-meter hurdles, but it gave him another elite time in the event, as he now owns the two top times in the NCAA this season. Stigler's dominance has gained him some recognition across the conference, as he received his second-consecutive Big 12 Athlete of the Week honor this week.
"I think he's been doing an awesome job all year," Redwine said. "To carry his success from the indoor season outdoors has been phenomenal."
While Stigler will be in action this weekend, he will
not be competing in his specialty race: the 400-meter hurdles. Instead, he will run the 100-meter hurdles as a way to gear up for the conference meet.
Because the Ward Haylett is only a one-day meet that has just three other schools competing, it may be a refreshing change of pace for the Jayhawks, who are coming off two straight weekends of grueling, competitive four-day meets in the Kansas Relays and Drake Relays. Although they still want to have success this Saturday, the Jayhawks will hopefully leave Manhattan less taxed and exhausted than they have been, giving them plenty of time to rest up before the postseason begins.
Action from R.V. Christian Track will begin around 9:30 a.m. Saturday, May 3, with the women's javelin throw and will finish up at the conclusion of the men's and women's 4x400-meter relays, which are sloted to begin around 5:50 p.m. on Saturday.
Edited by Brook Barnes and Paige Lytle
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MLB
Cards avoid three-game sweep, defeat Brewers 9-3
ASSOCIATED PRESS
ST. LOUIS — Allen Craig homered on a four-hit day that included three RBIs, and Matt Adams hit a three-run homer as the St. Louis Cardinals beat the Milwaukee Brewers 9-3 Wednesday.
Matt Garza (1-3) joined the lengthy list of injured Brewers when he was removed in the fourth inning because of a bruised right thumb.
Jon Jay had three hits and a walk his first four trips to the plate. The Cardinals avoided a three-game sweep by the team with the best record in the major leagues.
Shelby Miller (3-2) worked around homers to Mark Reynolds and Carlos Gomez, allowing three runs and six hits in six-plus innings.
Ryan Braun (oblique) and Jean Segura (cut on head) didn't start during the series, and Aramis Ramirez (elbow) was out the last two games
Milwaukee is 20-8, a franchise record for wins through the season's first full first month.
Matt Holliday's RBI single put the Cardinals in front in the first, Reynolds hit a two-run shot in the second and Adams answered in the third with his second of the season, estimated at 439 feet, for a 4-3 lead.
Craig doubled for the second straight at-bat in the fourth, driving in two runs off Wei-Chung Wang, and RBI doubles by Miller and Jay made it 8-3 in the fifth.
It was 50 degrees at game time. The sun popped out of the clouds a few times, each time getting a big cheer.
for Milwaukee, which batted light-swinging Scooter Gennett third the last two games. Segura and Ramirez could return Thursday for a four-game series at Cincinnati, though Braun remains day to day.
The four-hit game matched Craig's career best. He had seven hits in the series, including two homers, lifting his average to .220.
Segura played the eighth at shortstop and doubled in the ninth.
Miller allowed three runs and five hits the first three innings, but no runs on one hit and three walks the rest of his outing. He's given up seven homers.
Garza was charged with five runs and rookie Wei-Chung Wang gave up four runs in three innings. Backup catcher Martin Maldonado pitched the eighth for the Brewers, the 13th reliever need to cover 16 innings in the series.
NOTES: The Cardinals are skipping the fifth spot in the rotation, taking advantage of a day off Thursday and planning to start Adam Wainwright against the Cubs' Travis Wood on Friday in Chicago. Marco Estrada (2-1, 2.87) is to pitch for the Brewers on Thursday, opposing Homer Bailey (1-2, 6.15). The Cardinals said Jim Edmonds, Willie McGee, Mike Shannon and Marty Marion will be inducted into the team's Hall of Fame in August. Jay is 8 for 13 against Garza.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
St. Louis Cardinals center fielder Jon Jay climbs the outfield wall looking for a two-run home run hit by Milwaukee Brewers' Mark Reynolds during the second inning of a baseball game Wednesday in St. Louis.
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