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Volume 126 Issue 101
kansan.com
Thursday, April 3, 2014
1
Pitching and defense wins games
COMMENTARY
It's not a program with incredible prestige or history. It's not located near an area with rich baseball talent. It's not a warm-weather school for baseball purposes, either.
So when manager Ritch Price took over the Jayhawks in 2003, he had to figure out where Kansas could make up for the top-tier talent it naturally lacks. Kansas had five consecutive losing seasons before Price arrived in Lawrence.
"If you're going to take over a program that's really struggling." Price said. "You're short on the mound, you're short in the bullpen and you're short defensively."
For Kansas, it would have to be about pitching and defense. The 19-10 Jayhawks this season are showing why. The Tuesday 4-2 win against Wichita State was a microcosm of Price's recruiting strategy.
Junior Drew Morovick started for Kansas against Wichita State Tuesday. He pitched six innings and gave up two runs.
STARTING PITCHING: CHECK.
The big question for Price came in the seventin inning. Jordan Piché entered the season as a First Team All-Big 12 closer. After blowing five saves in 15 appearances, Price changed his role. He's now a set-up guy out of the bullpen, coming in to move the Jayhawks passed the seventin inning.
Other programs might have the luxury of patience with their closer. Not Kansas. Not when its record is strong, and Big 12 record is at .500. They can't afford to flutter.
With the pressure off, Piché decimated the Shockers in the seventh. Dakota Smith got in a jam pitching in the eighth inning with runners on the corners and no outs. Wichita State smacked a line drive down the first base line, and Ryan Pidhaichuk — who came in that inning as a defensive replacement at first base — made a diving catch before diving again to touch first base to convert the unassisted double play.
DEFENSE: CHECK
And Kansas' new closer,
the lanky freshman, Stephen
Villines finished the Shockers
off with ease.
BULLPEN: CHECK.
The Jayhawks have a 3.13 ERA this season.
Price doesn't have to worry about hitting. His strategy works around it. With athletic players recruited from the west coast, Price lives by small ball. The Jayhawks bunt, run and string hits together to knock in a few runs. If the defense and pitching holds up, it's a win for Kansas. They aren't built to outshug you. They typically can't.
Things could go sour. Kansas could once again finish as a middling team that's not a threat in Big 12 play.
There's a chance this season's Jayhawks will be the best you'll see in your four years at Kansas. They've already defeated Texas in a series and have a big impending three-game series against Kansas State.
But if they continue to play by Price's plan, with defense and pitching, those inherent disadvantages carve Kansas into a team built to win.
— Edited by Blair Sheade
BASEBALL
Justin Protocio swings and misses a fast ball during Kansas' (19-10 overall, 3-3 Big 12) 4-2 win against Wichita State on Tuesday night. Protocio is batting .328 with 3 doubles, 2 triples, and 12 RBIs.
GEORGE MULLINIX/KANSAN
Rivalry week continues for Jayhawks
sports@kansan.com
SHANE JACKSON sports@kansan.com
The Jayhawks continue on in what is known as rivalry week. Following their 4-2 home victory against the Shockers of Wichita State on Tuesday, the Jayhawks (19-10) head to Manhattan Friday to take on defending conference champions Kansas State Wildcats (17-11).
"We have to do a better job getting ready for K-State, I have to get us ready to play them," said coach Ritch Price.
After seeing two of the best arms in the conference, the Jayhawks will now face the better batters in the Big 12. As a team the Wildcats are hitting .306 and remain perfect at home at with a 10-0 record.
"Last year they won the Big 12, so you can't take them
lightly," said senior pitcher Frank Duncan. "This is my fourth year here so I have seen a lot of those guys, it's a matter of executing."
Leading the Wildcats is senior second baseman Ross Kivett, who led the conference in hits last year (94) which marked as the third most in program history. Kivett is hitting .355 with 22 runs batted in and a pair of home runs in his senior campaign.
"Kivett is a good player, we know he is a good player, but we are going to be ready for him," said Duncan, who has a 2-1 record with an ERA of 1.69 and a team-high 46 strikeouts.
It remains to be seen if Kansas' ace Wes Benjamin will get the start. He has a perfect record in his seven starts with four wins, but is dealing with
a lingering pain in his forearm which started at Texas. He was taken out during the third inning against Oklahoma after calling Price to the mound to alert him of the pain.
"We haven't had a lot of success against K-State since I've been here, but we are absolutely ready to go into Manhattan."
KA'IANA ELDREDGE Kansas catcher
we will know more after he meets with our school medical people", Price said.
On the mound for the Wildcats this weekend will be two right-handed and one left-handed pitchers. Friday night's starter is sophomore
Levi MaVoris. He leads the team in strikeouts with 31 and has a 3-3 record.
Senior Jared Moore, the Wildcats' lone lefty, takes the mound on Saturday. Moore leads the team in wins with five for a 5-1 record and a 4.15 ERA. Freshman Nate Griep takes the hill on Sunday. He has a team-best ERA in terms of starters with a 1.67 ERA and a perfect record of 3-0.
If Benjamin is a go, he will be joined by his usual weekend Jayhawk crew of Robert Kahana and Duncan. Saturday's starter Kahana has a 1-3 record with a 3.46 ERA and 20 strikeouts.
After blowing his fifth save in his senior campaign, Jordan Piché had his role changed against the Shockers. Rather than appearing in the ninth, Piché pitched in the seventh
and retired the side.
"It was nice seeing Piché in rhythm, that was the Piché we saw last year." Price said.
Despite the showing, Price is still content with putting freshman Stephen Villines in the closing role.
Villines recorded his second collegiate save in Tuesday's 4-2 win. Villins has a baffling 0.40 ERA and a 1-0 record in a dozen games. He has struck out 14, allowing a mere two runs for an impressive start in his career as a Jayhawk.
"We haven't had a lot of success against K-State since I've been here, but we are absolutely ready to go into Manhattan," said senior catcher Kai'iana Eldredge.
First pitch of the game against the Wildcats will be Friday at 6:30 p.m.
Edited by Chelsea Mies
TRACK AND FIELD
Vollmer leads Kansas into Louisiana meet
Kansas heptathlete Lindsay Vollmer leads her heat during the Jayhawk Classic in February. This week, Vollmer received her second Big 12 Female Athelete of the Week.
GEORGE MULLINIX/KANSAN
BEN BURCH sports@kansan.com
The last time junior Lindsay Vollmer was named Big 12 Female Athlete of the Week, earlier this January, her next meet was bittersweet. in the lead going into the final leg of the pentathlon, Vollmer was forced to forgo the last event due to an injury she suffered in the prior event. Although Vollmer's point total was still good enough to earn her the pentathlon victory that weekend, her injury, while not serious, would end up slowing the early season momentum she was gaining.
"I just want to go out there, stay healthy and still compete to the best of my abilities," Vollmer said.
the rest of the Jayhawk track and field teams to Baton Rouge, La., for the Battle on the Bayou this weekend. This time, while Vollmer would like to follow up receiving the accolade with a victory as she did before, she would prefer to do so without injury.
After receiving her second Big 12 Female Athlete of the Week honor of the season this week, Vollmer will travel with
While Vollmer is certainly an athlete to watch out for in Baton Rouge, coming off a victory in the heptathlon last weekend at the Texas Relays, she is not the only Jayhawk athlete to keep an eye on. Junior Michael Stigler, who also found the winner's circle last weekend for his first place finish in the 400-meter hurdles, will look to have
Also coming into this weekend with some momentum, is junior pole vaulter Casey Bowen. The 5.50-meter (18.5') bar he cleared last weekend in Austin shot him all the way up to second in the national rankings early in the outdoor season. The vault also made him only the ninth Kansas pole vaulter to hit the 18-foot mark in school history. If last weekend was any indication, Bowen is set up for a good weekend and good outdoor season.
similar success at the Battle on the Bayou.
The meet in Baton Rouge will kick off from Bernie Moore Track Stadium this Saturday, April 5, at 10 a.m.
- Edited by Julie Etzler
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