6B
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
SPORTS
MONDAY, MARCH 14, 2005
BASEBALL
Big hits score free food for devoted fans
BY MATT WILSON
mwilson@kansan.com
KANSAN SPORTWRITER
Kansas baseball fans could put Dqoba out of business.
The jawhaws pounded out at least 10 hits in each of their three games and triggered the free-taco promotion this weekend en route to sweeping North Dakota State. Kansas improved to 16-8 on the season, while North Dakota State fell to 0-10-1.
In Friday's game, the Jayhawks defeated the Bison 10-4. Freshman third baseman Erik Morrison erased an early 3-0 deficit in the bottom of the fifth inning when he doubled to score two runs.
That was followed by senior catcher Sean Richardson's second home run of the season. The two-run blast gave the Jayhawks a 4-3 lead. Junior outfielder A.J. Van Slyke and freshman second baseman Ryne Price added to the cause with home runs of their own, giving junior pitcher Kodiak Quick his fifth victory of the season.
Saturday the Jayhawks found themselves in another early hole.
After three runs in the top of the first inning by the Bison, which were aided by two ballks by KU sophomore Sean Land, the Jayhawks answered with four in the second inning. The first five batters of the inning reached base and scored. Kansas scored two times in the third inning and once in the seventh to win 7-5.
Senior lefty Scott Sharpe took the victory in relief of Land. It was Sharpe's first appearance since his suspension two weeks ago for violating team rules.
Yesterday the Jayhawks scored the first nine runs of the game in support of Quick, who improved his record to 6-1.
Quick was impressive in the 17-2 victory, striking out six batters in five innings. Van Slyke honored to run his team-leading total to five. Freshman Brock Simpson came off the bench to go 3-3 with a home run.
He needed only a single to hit for the cycle, but did not get to
the plate for a fourth time. Kansas finished with a seasonhigh 22 hits in the game.
"I was pleased with the weekend," Kansas coach Ritch Price said. "I think we took a big step forward toward taking our game to the next level."
Simpson, and the other freshmen, seem to be settling in to their roles. Infielder Ryne Price continued to swing a hot bat, and Morrison was a solid contributor to the weekend successes along with infielder John Allman.
Coach Price said he was happy with the way the youngsters had improved since the start of the season.
"Ryne's playing big-time, Morrison's playing well and Brock had a breakout game today." Price said. "John Allman's been solid as well, and we're really proud of our freshman class and think it's as good as any in the Big 12."
The Jayhawks will play Wednesday against Baker at Hoglund Ballpark.
Rachel Seymour/KANSAN
Ryne Price, freshman second baseman, tags North Dakota State's Kole Simmerman out at second during the game yesterday afternoon at Hoglund Ballpark. Price had four hits, one run, and an RBI in the Jayhawks' 17-2 victory against North Dakota State.
- Edited by Lori Bettes
Ballard
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1B
In preseason workouts, he ran the hardest, arrived the earliest and staved the latest.
But he wasn't sure Williams took notice. Then, a few days before Late Night, Williams told him he'd made the team.
"He took a chance on a skinny white kid from Kansas," Ballard said. "I guess I had a big heart."
of his dream, he decided to play.
But after three weeks of practicing for his debut against the California All-Stars, Ballard received a blow: he was diagnosed with mononucleosis.
After four agonizing games dressed in street clothes, straddling the sideline within inches
He suited up for the first time against North Dakota at home. He didn't do much except turn the ball over in the 1 minute he played.
As the weeks of practice wore on, Ballard showed the coaches that he could keep up.
He averaged 6.4 minutes and 1.5 points per game that first season, more than even Duft had expected.
"I didn't have any doubts that he could contribute in practice," Duft said. "But I didn't know he'd be as productive in games as he was."
Ballard met his fiancee, Kelly Temple, the next season on the team's trip to Hawaii for the EA Sports Maui Invitational.
Forward Wayne Simien, Ballard's roommate on the trip, still claims that he had a role in the match.
"Wayne gives me a hard time," Ballard said. "He says I owe him for that."
After his last year of eligibility in 2002, Ballard kept busy while he figured out what to do next.
Eventually, Ballard decided to pursue the path he wanted to take all along: coaching college basketball. But just as he was about to try to get a position at Kansas, Roy Williams left for North Carolina and took his staff with him, and left Ballard stranded without any connections.
When he walked into Bill Self's office, just days after the new coach was hired, he noticed dark circles under Self's eyes as he asked him if there were any positions open on his staff.
"I kind of bugged him a little bit," Ballard said. "He had a million things going on."
Ballard pestered him a couple more times and Self told him he could be a student assistant on his staff. In that role, Ballard helped out however he could.
He edited tape and helped plan the Bill Self Basketball Camp.
Self said he was happy with the effort Ballard put in.
***
"Because of the way he went
After. telling his story for about an hour on the big black couch, it was time for Ballard to get to work in the video room next door.
Assistant coach Tim Jankovich, like Self, is impressed by Ballard's long hours.
"I see him every day from sunup to well past sundown."
he said, "Film work may be as critical as anything we do. It's a very difficult job."
But it's not all work all the time. Every now and then, Ballard scrimmages with the team or plays in a pick-up game with Simien, senior guard Aaron Miles and the rest of the guys he used to play with.
"It's getting tougher to hang with those guys," he said, laughing.
And, of course, he gets a prime seat on the end of the bench at each game. All in all, he's lived the Kansas fan's dream.
"It's a pretty good job," he said.
- Edited by Jennifer Voldness
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