Volume 128 Issue 77
Thursday, February 12, 2015
kansan.com
p p p p p p p p o o o o o o o o o u u u u u u u u u u u u u u u u u u u u u u w w w w w
COMMENTARY
+
New ball to go over the wall for Kansas baseball
"College baseball is fun again," baseball coach Ritch Price said at Kansas Baseball Media Day on Wednesday.
One simple change of the baseball could do just that.
Starting this year, college baseball will begin to move from a raised-seam baseball to a flat-seamed baseball. The decision was made after Washington State University Sport Science Laboratory conducted a study in the fall of 2014.
Kansas guard Wayne Selden Jr. defends against the OSU ball carrier during the first half of the Feb. 7 game in Stillwater, Okla. In his past four games, Selden has shot 19-of-25 from the three-point line.
What they found is that at an average of 95 mph, the new ball would travel 20 feet farther than the old one. The timing couldn't be more perfect for Kansas baseball
The Jayhawks utilized a lethal weekend starting rotation to carry them to their NCAA Regional appearance since 2009.
But gone are weekend warriors Wes Benjamin, Jordan Piche, Robert Kahana and Frank Duncan, now that they are off pitching professionally, leaving Kansas' rotation in question.
This weekend, Kansas will trot out inexperienced starters against No. 2 LSU in front of a soldout crowd.
No.8 Jayhawks to rebattle No.16 Bears
FRANK WEIRICH/KANSAN
Ben Krauth, a junior college transfer, will make his first Division I start Saturday. Sophomore Sean Rackoski will make his first collegiate start Sunday. Even Friday-night starter Drew Morovick will take the bump as the ace for the first time after having a midweek role last year.
But perhaps with the help of a new ball and the return of power hitters, Kansas can once again surpass preseason projections and find a way back into postseason play.
Kansas was picked to finish tied for seventh in the conference, according to a coaches preseason poll. Most of that is due to the fact the pitching staff remains unknown.
Even senior first baseman Blair Beck, who didn't muster a home run last year, hit two in fall ball. As a team, the Jayhawks hit nine in fall ball.
That would make Kansas baseball fun again.
Also returning for the Jayhawks are seniors Dakota Smith, who hit a pair of blasts, and Colby Wright, who also got a hold of one.
For the most part, Kansas brings back the bulk of its lineup, which is why a new ball to beef up college offenses may be beneficial to this year's Kansas squad.
In order for Kansas to compete not only this weekend but for the season, its offense will have to carry the way.
But for the Jayhawks, that may actually be a good thing
Returning to Kansas is senior left fielder Connor McKay, who popped nine home runs over the wall to lead the team last year. As a team, the Jayhawks cranked just 23 bombs.
IBEN FELDERSTEIN
@Ben_Felderstein
Following a three-point barrage in Kansas' victory against Texas Tech Tuesday night, the Jayhawks will host Baylor at home Saturday afternoon. The No. 8 Jayhawks come in two and a half games up in the Big 12.
The No. 16 Baylor Bears are coming off a tough loss to Oklahoma State in Waco, Texas. Baylor has won five of its previous seven games and come into the matchup with a 6-5 conference record.
Kansas escaped a nail-biter in Waco, Texas, a little more than a month ago, defeating Baylor 56-55. Junior Jamari Traylor led the way with 13 points on 6-7 shooting and two blocked shots. Sophomore Frank Mason III added 11 points of his own with five assists.
Sophomore Wayne Selden Jr. has been on a tear as of late, averaging 16.3 points per game over his past four, shooting 19-25 from beyond the three-point line. Kansas leads the Big 12 in three-point percentage and threepointers made.
Taurean Prince leads the Bears in scoring at 12.6 points per game, while pulling down 5.5 rebounds. Rico Gathers leads the Big 12 with 12.6 rebounds per game, being the only player in the conference averaging double-digit rebounds. Gathers is averaging 16 boards in his past seven contests.
Kenny Chery had a strong outing last time against Kansas, scoring 25 points on 8-14 field goal shooting and 4-7 from three. Gathers pulled down 14 rebounds and recorded nine points.
Kansas has won four of its previous five matchups against Baylor and will look to increase its lead in the Big 12. Since the Jayhawks have not played West Virginia yet, they are in need of a victory against the Bears to help increase their Big 12 lead.
Kansas' Devonte' Graham tries to score past two OSU defenders during the first half. The Kansas Jayhawks traveled to Stillwater, Okla., to play against Oklahoma State University. The Jayhawks lost 67-62 against the Cowboys in Gallagher-Iba Arena on Feb. 7.
The Jayhawks are 12-0 at home this season and have a 21-game winning streak at home. Baylor and Kansas are two of six teams currently ranked in the Big 12, which is the most of any conference in the nation.
FRANK WEIRICH/KANSAN
The Big 12 will likely have the most NCAA tournament bids once again this season, with all six ranked teams getting in easily and quality
teams like Texas and Kansas State on the bubble. The Big 12 set a record last season for highest percentage
of teams in a conference earning tournament bids. Next up, the Jayhawks will travel to Morgantown,
W. V., to matchup with the No. 21-ranked West Virginia Mountaineers for the first time this season. Kansas split
the season series with the Mountaineers last season.
— Edited by Mitch Raznick
Softball team to defend 5-0 record in tourney
DEREK SKILLETT
@derek_skillett
@derek_skillett
Bradley: The Jayhawks will begin the weekend by facing the Bradley Braves at noon on Friday, Feb 13. Bradley (1-4) is coming off of a largely unsuccessful stint in the Kajikawa Classic, which was played last week in Tempe, Ariz. The only victory for the Braves came
New Mexico: The land of enchantment, Walter White and, for this weekend, Kansas softball. The Jayhawks (5-0) will travel to Las Cruces, N.M., to face off against Bradley, Weber State and New Mexico State in the Troy Cox Classic.
in the series opener against Utah Valley, in which the Braves triumphed 7-1. Bradley spent the rest of the weekend suffering in a series of blowouts, scoring a combined four points against Pacific, Seattle, Stanford and North Carolina, while allowing an astounding 38 total points in those four losses.
Junior utility player Kendall Duffy, who leads the Braves in nearly every offensive category this season, leads Bradley. Duffy boasts a .500 batting average, has seven hits and three RBIs. Those statistics rank far better than any of Duffy's teammates.
Much like the beginning
of the Florida Atlantic Tournament last Friday, this should be a fairly easy win for the Jawhaws.
New Mexico State: The Jayhawks will begin the first of two matchups with New Mexico State at 5 p.m. Friday. The second match against the Aggies is at 5 p.m. Saturday. New Mexico State (3-2) is coming off of an impressive weekend in the Hotel Encanto Invitational, in which they defeated Montana, No. 18 Nebraska and Colorado State, while narrowly losing to Texas Tech by a score of 3-5 and losing by one point to Texas-San Antonio.
The most notable
performance of New Mexico State's young season came when they upset 18thranked Nebraska by a score of 16-11. The Aggies became the first team to ever score 16 runs against Nebraska. The Aggies hit five home runs and recorded 20 total hits while coming back from two different deficits in the game.
Sophomore infielder Haley Nakamura, who has a .500 batting average, has scored seven runs and has recorded six hits, statistically leads the Aggies. Senior outfielder Staci Rodriguez is also one of the leaders of the Aggies, with a .438 batting average, seven hits and eight RBIs.
Weber State: The Jayhawks
will also play the Weber State Wildcats twice this weekend. Kansas will first play against Weber State at noon Saturday and will close out the weekend against the Wildcats at 10 a.m. Sunday. The Jayhawks will be among the first teams to face the Wildcats, as they will begin their 2015 season on Friday.
Junior infielder Alyson Kulp is one of the statistical leading returners for the Wildcats. In 2014, Kulp was named to the All-Big Sky Conference Second Team with a .306 batting average, 48 hits and 29 runs.
Edited by Mackenzie Clark
+ .
V
+