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THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 28, 2015
PAGE 7
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Jayhawks look to build off last season's success
KYLAN WHITMER
@KRWhitmer
Senior outfielder Dakota Smith swings during the May 4, 2014 game against Texas Tech. The Jayhawks took their 2014 season all the way to postseason play, and hope to do the same this season.
AARON GROENE/KANSAI
Despite key losses in the roster, coach Ritch Price and his Jayhawks look to improve on last year's successful season when the team was invited to postseason play for the first time since 2009.
The Jayhawks return a good portion of their position starters from last year's team, which finished third in the Big 12 and earned a three seed in the NCAA Louisville Regional. The team had a solid showing in the post season winning its first game against the higher seeded Kentucky team, but was eliminated after dropping its next two games.
Standout outfielder Michael Suiter will be missed most this coming season after starting all 61 games for the jayhawks last year. The Second-Team All-Big 12 outfielder was a major factor in the team's success, producing a team-best 77 hits and finishing the year with a .322 batting average.
Kansas only loses three starters from the field, but they will be tough positions for Price to fill as each player received All-Big 12 honors last season.
"We need to continue to improve behind the plate," Price said to KU Athletics. "Development and progress behind the plate is the biggest key for us defensively."
With the loss of another Second-Team All-Big 12 player, Ka'iana Eldredge, Price looks towards sophomore Michael Tinsley to fill the role behind the plate.
Despite the departure of several impact players, the Jayhawks are hopeful as they return multiple upperclassmen starters.
Standing out of the pack is senior Connor McKay, who led the team in home runs and runs batted in last season. Fans can expect the same output from the senior this season as he hit two home runs during fall ball and earned a spot on PerfectGame.org's Top-100 college seniors list.
Another key returning player for the Jayhawks is senior Dakota Smith. Smith was very productive from the
plate last season, leading the team with a .337 batting average and finishing just behind McKay with 43 runs batted in. The senior duo will be a major factor in the Jayhawks offense this season.
While the jayhawks are fortunate to return a good amount of position players, the same cannot be said for their pitching.
Jordan Piche', who started 39 games last season. Duncan threw a team best 2.58 ERA last year, pitching in over 100 innings for the Javhawks.
The team lost starters Frank Duncan, Robert Kahana and
Returning from last year's roster is senior Drew Morovick, who earned an impressive 10-4 record on the mound last season. The Jayhawks are also fortunate to return closer Stephen Villines, who had multiple clutch performances last season with eight saves on the year.
With few pitchers returning, Price will have to rely on his younger pitchers more throughout the season.
"With losing our top four arms to the MLB draft who were key pieces to our run to the NCAA tournament last season, we are going to rely on a lot of young guys to replace them," Price said to KU Athletics. "Overall, I
This new Jayhawks squad will be tested early in Baton Rouge against a highly ranked LSU team on February 13th.
am pleased with the progress they made, but we still have to make substantial gains in January and February in order to compete in our conference."
— Edited by Garrett Long
FILE PHOTO/KANSAN
Freshman catcher Harli Ridling catches a strike during a game against Oklahoma State on March 29, 2014. Kansas will start its 2015 season in February.
Softball hopes for successful season after NCAA tournament
DEREK SKILLETT
@derek_skillett
Coming off of their first NCAA tournament appearance since 2006, the Kansas Jayhawks softball team looks to achieve more success in 2015. Less than a month before the beginning of the new season, the team returned to campus last week to participate in team leadership building activities before heading to Wichita for preseason camp, which wrapped up Saturday.
Sixth-year coach Megan Smith leads the Jayhawks and will return a roster headlined by 13 veterans, including six
Last season, Brickey and Stein were named All-Big 12 Second Team and All-Big 12 Defensive Team, respectively. Last season, Brickley led the Jayhawks with a batting average of .365 and recorded 58 hits. She also tallied a single-season record with 42 walks. In 2014, Stein batted .358 and led the Jayhawks with 69 hits.
starters and nine rookies. Team captains, junior Chaley Brickey, senior Chanin Naudin, senior Alicia Pille and senior Maddie Stein, will also lead Kansas into the new season.
Pille and Naudin, each earning All-Big 12 Academic
honors, have returned to help the Jayhawks lineup in 2015. Pille, a right-handed pitcher from Royse City, Texas, compiled a 12-7 record in 2014 and posted a 2.38 ERA, the lowest ERA amongst the Kansas pitching staff. Pille struck out 130 batters and recorded a no-hitter against Jackson State.
Naudin excelled at the third-base position, hitting .258 with 49 hits and scored 24 runs in 2014.
She also led the team with 14 doubles.
the Jayhawks will face a strong nonconference schedule in 2015 after recording the best RPI score
of 39 of Smith's tenure as head coach. The Kansas team will play two games against the defending NCAA Champion, University of Florida Gators. Kansas will also face a total of five programs that appeared in the postseason in 2014.
The Jayhawks will open the season against LIU-Brooklyn in the Florida Atlantic Tournament on Feb. 6. All of Kansas' home games will be played at the new Arrocha Ballpark at Rock Chalk Park.
- Edited by Vicky Diaz
Camacho
Sporting KC signs defender Ellis, midfielder Carrasco
assisted on two winning goals in MLS play.
The club announced the moves Tuesday.
KANSAS CITY, Kan. — Sporting Kansas City has signed defender Kevin Ellis and midfielder Servando Carrasco.
The 23-year-old Ellis will be entering his fifth season with the club. He's appeared in 27 games across all competitions, scoring the winning goal against Cruz Azul in the Champions League last year. He also
Carrasco has made 60 appearances over four MLS seasons, first with the Seattle Sounders and then with the Houston Dynamo. His rights were acquired by Sporting KC from Houston during this year's MLS Super-Draft.
Carrasco married U.S. women's national team forward Alex Morgan last month. Morgan also plays for the Portland Thorns of the National Women's Soccer League.
Associated Press
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