2B THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
SPORTS
MONDAY, MARCH 28, 2005
ATHLETICS CALENDAR
TODAY
TODAY
◆ Men's golf vs. San Jose State, all day, Santa Cruz, Calif.
TOMORROW
◆ Men's golf vs. San Jose State, all day, Santa Cruz, Calif.
WEDNESDAY
◆ Softball vs. Nebraska, 3 p.m., Arrocha Ballpark
THURSDAY
- Softball vs. Wichita State, 3 p.m., Wichita
* Softball vs. Wichita State, 5 p.m., Wichita
FRIDAY
- Baseball vs. Texas A&M, 7 p.m., College Station, Texas*
* Travel, all day, TBA*
- Women's swimming World Championship Trials, all day, Indianapolis.
BASEBALL
Kansas scores three victories against Western Illinois
The Jayhawks swept the Western Illinois Leathernecks at home in three games during the first weekend of spring break.
Freshman third baseman Erik Morrison hit the first two home runs of his collegiate career and knocked in seven RBI in the process. No Javahawk has scored that many runs this season.
dayhawk first baseman Jared Schweitzer added to the home run rally. Paired with Morrison, the duo homered with only one batter between them.
The Jayhawks picked up their second last-at bat victory of the season, 7-6.
Junior outfielder Gus Milner drove in junior shortstop Ritchie Price for the victory.
Milner went 3-4 with two RBI to lead the offensive effort for Kansas. Senior catcher Sean Richardson recorded his third home run of the season. Kansas baseball extended its winning streak to seven as it picked up the final game of the three game series against Western Illinois, 3-2.
Milner grabbed a small piece of history in the bottom of the second, stealing horns. The last time a Jayhawk stole home was when Ritchie Price did it on April 21, 2003.
Kansas' game against Southwest Missouri State last Wednesday in Springfield, Mo., was rained out, but it was rescheduled for May 11.
Alissa Bauer
SOFTBALL
Instead, the team went 1-1 in two games to start the trip before having seven consecutive cancelations, and then one more loss
Kansas was supposed to travel around the country and play 11 games over spring break.
Rain-outs plague Jayhawks during spring break travels
The trip started with the team in Sacramento, Calif., where Kansas lost to Minnesota 2-1, before taking the second game, against Utah Valley State, 8-0. The next four games were canceled because of heavy rains.
Kansas came home to face Indiana State, only to have the rain follow.
Three days later, the rain drowned out the team's doubleheader at Southwest Missouri State.
State.
After seven straight cancelsations, Kansas headed for its Big 12 Conference opener against Texas. The team dropped the first game, 4-1.
The rains weren't over for the Jayhawks. While camped out in the dugout during a rain delay in the second match, the bench in the Texas dugout gave way. Kansas players and staff rushed over to the Texas dugout and helped move players to safety.
The Texas team suffered only minor injuries, but the game was canceled.
Kansan Staff Reports
BY RABHUL SHARMA
rsharma@kansan.com
KANSAN SPORTWRITER
TENNIS
Kansas
Kansas' undefeated conference road streak continued as the women's tennis team (4-9 overall, 3-2 Big 12 Conference) defeated Oklahoma State, 4-3, in Stillwater, Okla., on March 19.
Tell us your news Contact Bill Cross or Jonathan Kealing at 844-4858 or sports@kansan.com.
The Joshawks are 3-0 in the Big 12 Conference on the road this year.
Kansas swept the doubles competition against Oklahoma State winning all three matches.
"I thought we competed well and I am very proud of our team," coach Amy Hall-Holt said.
In the No. 1 doubles slot, sophomore Brittany Brown and freshman Lauren Hommell won their match by default against Oklahoma State freshmen Irna Tkachenko and Jana Kubikova, 1-4.
Kokkora, K.
Kansas duo junior Christine Skoda and sophomore Ashley Filberth continued their solid play, knocking off sophomore Lauren Simmons and freshman Jessica Collins, 8-3.
Rounding out the doubles sweep, freshman Elizaveta Avdeveva and junior Luiza Loureiro ousted Zana Masnic and Sandra Blajer. 9-7.
Together, Skoda and Filberth have won five of nine matches this season.
Skoda, who was named Big 12 Conference Player of the Week for last week, added to her singles victory total by defeating junior Zana Masnic in straight sets, 6-4, 6-2. Skoda is riding a four-match win streak.
Freshman Stephanie Smith defeat ed junior Sandra Blajer, 7-6 (4), 6-2.
gets confidence booster
competed well and I am very proud of our team."
Amy Hall-Holt Tennis coach
Hommell delivered the final victory and secured the Jayhawks over all team victory by defeating freshman Jessica Collins, 6-3, 2-6, 6-3.
Kansan file photo
"After winning two in a row, our confidence is up a lot and we know that we can compete against teams in the Big 12," Hall-Holt said.
The day before, versus nationally ranked Oklahoma, the Jayhawks dropped all three doubles matches but rallied to defeat the Sooners, 4-3, in Norman, Okla.
Kansas won four of six singles matches, propelling the Jayhawks to victory. Avdeeva needed three sets to take out senior Heather Saluri, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4. Skoda and Brown all contributed with straight set wins, while Smith helped Kansas with the overall victory by defeating freshman Chelsea Orr. 7-5, 4-6, 7-5.
"This is what we have been working for all season". Hall-Holt said. "I am confident that we will continue to compete at this level of play."
The Jayhawks will face No. 15
Baylor in Waco, Texas, on Saturday.
Sophomore tennis player Brittany Brown strikes a forehand return during a doubles match against Nebraska at Robinson Courts on March 12. The tennis team has won three matches in a row on the road including two against Big 12 opponents Oklahoma and Oklahoma State.
— Edited by Nikola Rowe
TRACK AND FIELD
Outdoor track and field begins with solid start
BY PAT SHEHAN
pshehan@kansan.com
KANSAN SPORTWRITER
The Kansas track and field team set the pace for the season at the Tulsa Duel meet on Saturday.
Twelve Jayhawks finished in first place, and three of them qualified for regional competition. Kansas opened up the outdoor season with competition against Missouri, Oklahoma State, Oral Roberts and Tulsa, the host.
The Jajawks thrived in the rough weather, with occasional wind chills of 30 degrees.
The team came off two weeks of rest since competing at the National Indoor Championships.
"Competitors find a way to compete and that is what we did today." coach Stanley Redwine said. "I thought it was awesome to do what we did in these conditions."
Fresh out of nationals, Brooklyn Hann and Sheldon Battle turned out a combined three first-place finishes. Hann, senior, won the 100-meter dash with a time of 13.65, quick enough to qualify for regionals.
Battle regionally qualified in the discus and the hammer throw. The junior finished first in the discus by throwing 183 feet. He threw 184 feet, 7 inches, in the hammer throw.
He recorded two second-place finishes, and won the men's shot put with a throw of 56 feet, 4.50 inches.
Sophomore Gavin Ball finished just behind Battle in both events.
"Our freshmen, and our newcomers as well,
really stepped up," Redwine said.
Outstanding freshman performances included Paul Hefferon's first place finish in the men's 3000-meter race. Hefferon, freshman, finished in 8:30.97.
"He did a great job," Redwine said. "From the word 'go,' he went out on a mission to do well."
Other freshmen made their debuts in stunning fashion. Freshman Julius Jiles regionally qualified in the 110-meter hurdles, with a time of 14.21.
Crystal Manning, freshman, qualified for regionals with a distance of 40 feet, 9 inches, in the triple jump.
"I just went out there to try my best, and I felt really comfortable out there," Manning said.
Denita Miller, junior, won the javelin with a throw of 151 feet.
"All I can say is that it's a starting point." Miller said. "I hope I can be one of those that step up this season."
After transferring from Tennessee, Miller said the inclement weather would not be an obstacle.
"It was windy and cold, but it didn't impair me a lot," she said. "It paired with the training I've been doing."
Kansas City, Mo., sophomore Janiece Gatson started off the outdoor season with a victory in the 400-meter run.
"It felt good for the first meet," said Gatson, who ran 1:03.26. "This season is going to be great. Hopefully with more competition it will make me better."
WOMEN'S SWIMMING
Edited by Jesse Truesdale
jayhawk swimmers compete at Indiana NCAA title meet
On March 17, swimmers Amy Gruber and Jenny Short traveled to West Lafayette, Ind., to compete in the NCAA Swimming and Diving Championships.
On the first day of competition, Gruber competed in the 50-yard freestyle and finished 30th with a time of 23.06, and 18th in the 100-yard butterfly with a time of 54.07. Coach Clark Campbell said that Gruber's finish was the best in her four appearances at the NCAA Championships. Short clocked in at 55.90 in the 100- yard backstroke, earning 36th place.
Short earned 45th place with 2.02.34 in the 200-yard backstroke and Gruber took 22nd in the 100-yard freestyle with 49.74.
-Kelly Reynolds
WOMEN'S GOLF
Jayhawks improve strokes play season's best golf
The women's golf team finished ninth in a field of 15, with a score of 892, in Tucson, Ariz., at the seventh annual Mountain View Collegiate.
"I saw a lot of improvement in this tournament," coach Erin O'Neil said. "It was a good confidence booster for us and hopefully we can use this as a building block for the rest of the season."
Individually, freshman Annie Giangrosso finished tied for 15th after shooting a total score of 220. Sophomore Amanda Costner shot two strokes worse and finished tied for 23rd.
The Jayhawks have one tournament remaining before the Big 12 Championship in Austin, Texas. They next play in West Lafayette, Ind., at the Lady Boilermaker Invitational on April 9.
Travis Robinett
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