+
Volume 128 Issue 100
kansan.com
Wednesday, April 1, 2015
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
+
COMMENTARY Ritch Price continues to get more out of his ballclub
Players moved out of the way for junior left-hander Ben Krauth in the postgame huddle after Kansas had knocked off then No. 18 Texas Tech 7-4 on Friday night in Lubbock, Texas. The players knew what was about to come.
Krauth had just pitched Kansas to victory in his first Big 12 start. Kansas went on to drop the next two games to ultimately lose the series, but regardless, that weekend series in Rip Griffin Park proved Kansas won't go quietly in Big 12 play.
It has become Price's trademark postgame celebration with his winning pitcher after a great performance.
Price then took a few steps forward, and the 13-year Kansas skipper leaped up and gave the junior southpaw a good, old fashioned chest bump.
A Kansas base runner rounds first base after a hit toward center field against Central Michigan. The Jayhawks will travel to Shocker territory in Wichita today.
"You get the first one of the year," coach Ritch Price said.
Because as long as number two is the skipper, this team is in very good hands.
The layhawks may not make any noise in the postseason this year, but that doesn't mean the season was a failure.
After winning nine consecutive Big 12 games to finish 2014, the Jayhawks finished third in the conference, despite being picked last in the preseason poll. This year the coaches knew better than to pick this team last; the preseason poll had Kansas tied for seventh.
BEN LIPOWITZ/KANSAN
Price has another young team to manage this year, but fortunately for his sake, he also has a veteran, savvy offense to mask the inexperience.
In his 12 completed seasons, Price has posted nine 30-or more-win seasons, including a 42 win season in 2006. Just three times Price has failed to reach 30 wins; but those were typically younger teams.
Edited by Jordan Fox
Kansas stays in state to take on WSU
But the Jayhawks lost their weekend rotation to the MLB draft, forcing inexperienced arms like Krauth and freshman Blake Weiman to fill those slots. Due to the younger arms, Kansas has lost four of it's five three-game weekend series, meaning chest bumps from the Kansas skiiper have become rare.
On March 15, Price became the second Kansas manager to reach 400 wins. His 400th victory at Kansas came in the only weekend series Kansas has won this year, in the series clinching Sunday win against Big Ten foe Michigan. After picking up two more wins since, Price is now just 37 wins away from becoming the winningest coach in Kansas baseball history.
Before you jump off the Price bandwagon, keep in mind Price is no Charlie Weis or Bonnie Henrickson, in fear of losing his job. In fact, it's just the opposite. If Price even finishes sixth, this may be one of his best jobs as the Kansas manager.
KYLAN WHITMER
@KRWhitmer
The Kansas baseball team will take a short break from Big 12 conference play for a single game against the Wichita State Shockers (11-16) in Wichita today.
The Jayhawks (10-17) are coming off of a weekend series at Texas Tech where they came out victorious in the first game but could not take the series as they dropped the final two.
"We were right there in it." said senior Blair Beck.
Beck and the rest of the Jayhawks offense out-batted the 18th ranked Red Raiders by nine hits but the team struggled at turning their opportunities into runs. Although the series did not end how the Jayhawks would have liked, pitching showed improvement as a complement to the hot bats.
"As hitters we need to walk into the ballpark expecting to score a lot of runs so that we can give our pitchers a little bit of breathing room," said Beck, "As for the pitching staff, we just need to get the ball to [Stephen] Villines in the eighth and as a team we need to stay together, stick to the plan, keep working hard and I think the results will take care of itself."
HEAD-TO-HEAD:
The Jayhawks came out on top in the most recent meeting against the Shockers. Kansas traveled down to Wichita on April 29, 2014 and went home with a 10-3 victory. Recent history favors the Jayhawks, as they have beaten the Shockers eight of their last 10 meetings.
On the topic of recent history, Wichita State has struggled against Big 12 competition this season. The Shockers previous four games have all ended in losses to Big 12 opponents Oklahoma State and TCU. Oklahoma State won their single
game series 8-3 while TCU won all three games of their series, outscoring the Shockers 33-7.
WHAT TO WATCH FOR:
Wichita State junior Sam Hilliard is hot from the batter's box as of late. The pitcher and first baseman is 11-28 in the Shockers last 10 games with three doubles, one home run and 11 RBI's.
As far as the last 10 games for the Jayhawks go, Beck and fellow senior Connor McKay are currently on 10 and 15 game hitting streaks respectively.
First pitch is at 6:30 p.m. at Eck Stadium in Wichita as the Jayhawks try to gain some mid-week momentum to carry back into Big 12 play.
Edifed by Jordan Fox
A third-base infielder throws the ball toward first base in an attempt to tag a Central Michigan baserunner out.
BEN LIPOWITZ/KANSAN
FACE OF THE STREAK
Marcus Morris vs. Julian Wright
MARCUS MORRIS
During his time at Kansas, Marcus Morris provided size alongside his brother Markieff and was a top scorer on the team. Marcus was the more complete offensive player in college, and probably was the better shooter, although his brother did shoot better from behind the arc. Morris was also known for his posterizing slams, which certainly endeard him to the KU faithful. Morris was named Big 12 player of the year in his junior season, finishing as a second-team All American selection, although the Jayhawks would suffer a disappointing defeat in the NCAA Tournament.
PPG: 12.6
RPG: 6.2
APG: 1.3
- Big 12 Player of the Year in 2011
- Second Team All-American in 2011
VOTE FOR THE WINNER OF THIS MATCHUP AT KANSAN.COM BEGINNING AT NOON
JULIAN WRIGHT
Wright entered Lawrence already tagged as one of the nation's top high school players. A top recruit, 2005 Illinois Mr. Basketball and a McDonald's All-American, he joined other top recruits Mario Chalmers and Brandon Rush to make up one of Kansas head coach's best recruiting classes. Wright was known for his energy on the floor, but most notably, for his dunks. In a game against No. I Florida in the 2006-2007 season, ESPN analyst Dick Vitale gave Wright the nickname of "Jammin' Julian."
Edited by Laura Kubicki
- National Association of Basketball Coaches Third Team All-American in 2007
- Ranked 2nd in the Big 12 in field goal percentage
.