PAGE 4B
THURSDAY, MAY 3, 2012
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
BASEBALL
Pressure's on to qualify for Big 12 tournament
MAX LUSH
mlush@kansan.com
The Kansas baseball team is 45 games into the season. Only 11 games are left until the Big 12 Tournament begins.
Kevin Kuntz, a junior infielder from Overland Park, gets tagged out at home plate during Kansas' game against Texas Tech at Hogglund Ballpark on Sunday afternoon. The Jahvahs ended the game with a 5-3 win over Texas Tech. The Jahvah's next game will be against Baker at home on the May 17.
The layhawks sit at 18-27 and just 4-13 in Big 12 play, good enough for eighth place out of nine teams. To qualify for the Big 12 tournament, Kansas must finish in at least eighth place.
Six conference games remain on the schedule for the layhawks. One next weekend against in-state rival Kansas State in Manhattan. The following weekend, the Missouri Tigers come to town to finish off the regular season.
Before the Kansas State series, Kansas will host the Jayhawk Classic this weekend. Kansas will play Air Force on Friday and Saturday before playing Missouri State on Sunday.
CLAIR HOWARD/KANSAN
The Jayhawk Classic will be an important opportunity for Kansas to build confidence before going into the two most important series of the season.
Here is a preview of the importance of each conference series remaining;
May 11-13 at Kansas State
This series could decide which team is left out of the conference tournament. The Kansas State Wildcats is the only team behind Kansas in the conference standings at 3-15 and 19-27 overall.
The Jayhawks already beat the Wildcats 8-7 in 11 innings this season in a non-conference game in Lawrence, Kansas had an opportunity.
nity to blow that game open, leading by as many as five runs in the fifth inning. But the Jayhawks let the Wildcats back into the game, giving up two runs in the sixth before giving up three runs in the ninth to tie the game.
Senior third baseman Zac Elgie won the game on a walk-off home run in the bottom of the 11th inning.
The Jayhawks will need to attack Kansas State's pitchers in order to have success in this crucial series. Wildcat pitchers give up runs. They have the worst team-ERA in the conference at 5.62 this season.
The layhawks have the second highest team-ERA in the conference, but it's better than the Wildcats' by more than a run at 4.54.
The biggest mismatch is the two offenses. Kansas State holds the fourth-highest team batting average .277) in the conference while Kansas comes in last at .250. The Wildcats have scored 66 more runs than the Lavhawks this season.
The Kansas pitchers will need to keep Kansas State bats in check and the Kansas hitters need to get ahead early.
Whoever wins this series is likely to be playing postseason baseball. The loser will likely miss out.
May 17-19 vs. Missouri Tigers
It's the last Border Showdown ever most likely. Whoever wins this series will hold bragging rights over their rivals.
Should the Jayhawks take care of the Wildcats the weekend before, it is important that they finish the season strong against the Tigers to
insure that they don't miss out on the conference tournament.
Missouri sits sixth in the Big 12 with a 7-11 conference record and a 23-20 overall record.
Despite the difference in records, the Jayhawks and Tigers match up well according to statistics.
Missouri pitchers have allowed less earned runs, 180 to Kansas' 203. Kansas pitchers more bats. The Jayhawks have struck out 291 batters while the Tigers have struck out 252.
The Tigers hold a slight edge over the lavavhaws in offensive categories. They have a .272 team batting average and have scored 43 more runs overall. The Tigers have slugged 22 homers while the Jayhawks have hit 21, Kansas is more patient at the plate, walking 20 more times than Missouri this season.
Nothing would make a disappointing Kansas baseball season better than taking a series from its fierce rival who is bolting the conference for the SEC.
MLB
Toronto hands Texas consecutive losses, win 11-5
- Edited by Jeff Karr
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Blue Jays celebrate after beating the Rangers 11-5 on Wednesday. Encarnación brought in three runs after hitting a home run. Texas deals with their first consecutive losses of the season.
TORONTO — Promoted to the leadoff spot, Kelly Johnson provided the Toronto Blue Jays with some extra pop at the top of the order. Edwin Encarnacion, meanwhile, provided the same power he's been showing all season.
Encarnacion hit a three-run homer, Johnson added a two-run drive and Toronto beat Texas 11-5 Wednesday, giving the Rangers consecutive losses for the first time this season.
Blue Jays manager John Farrell flipped Johnson and Yunel Escobar in his lineup, bumping Johnson up to leadoff for the first time this season.
AP PHOTO
Johnson said facing the AI's top team was as much of a boost as the change in batting order.
"Sometimes you put a guy in a different slot and all of a sudden they have a different view and maybe a fresh start and it worked out today," Farrell said.
Johnson scored twice and Escobar had three hits in the two-hole, including a bases-loaded triple.
"Any time you play these teams that are really good, there is a different vibe and a different feel," Johnson said. "When you beat them and they beat them in a series, it gives you a big boost. It gives you a high."
Texas, which blew 5-0 lead and lost 8-7 on Brett Lawrie's walkoff
homer in the ninth inning Tuesday, has not won a series north of the border since sweeping a two-game set in April 2008.
"It looks real bad when you lose one you should have won the night before and then you've got to face a Ricky Romero," Rangers manager Ron Washington said. "I didn't really feel like he was at his best but we just couldn't hold their offense down. We had to score 12 today to win."
Joel Carreno, recalled from Triple-A Las Vegas before the game, pitched the ninth for the Blue lays.
Romero (4-0) won for the fourth time in five starts, giving up five runs and six hits in eight innings. The left-hander walked three and struck out a season-high six.
Matt Harrison (3-2) allowed eight runs — tying his career high — and eight hits over 3 1-3 innings. He has given up 15 runs over 8 1-3 innings in his last two outings.
"I've just got to do a better job ot putting guys away and not giving out free passes," Harrison said.
The left-handed Harrison retired six of the first seven batters before running into trouble.
Brandon Snyder put Texas ahead in the second with his first career homer, but Johnson gave Toronto the lead in the third with his sixth homer, a two-run drive.
reliever Scott Feldman with a sacrifice fly.
Then in the fourth, J.P. Arencibia hit a two-run double, Escobar tripled and Jose Bautista greeted
Texas closed in the fifth after Romero walked the bases loaded. Elvis Andrus hit a two-run double. Michael Young singled in a run and Napoli hit a sacrifice fly.
Encarnacion homered off Feldman in the sixth, his ninth of the season.
carry us," Johnson said. "We needed to answer back and he answered back big right there."
Rangers outfielder Josh Hamilton missed his third straight start because of a sore back, and Adrian Beltre sat out for the second straight game. Hamilton ran on the field and hit in the cage before the game.
lineup" Washington said. "They're quite important."
Napoli, who left Tuesday's game with vision problems in his right eye, visited a doctor before the game and was diagnosed with an ocular migraine, or a spasm in the eye. He started at first base and reported no problems.
"I hope to have them back in that
KU Summer School is the perfect opportunity to make progress toward the language requirement for your Bachelor of Arts degree!
FREN 110 Elementary French I
MTWRF 10:20-12:30 (JUN 5-JUL 27)
FREN 120 Elementary French II MTWRF 10:20-12:30 (JUN 5-JUL 27)
FREN 100 French for Reading MTWRF 11:30-12:30 (JUN 5-JUL 27)
French and Italian
FREN 230 Intermediate French I
MTWRF 10:20-12:30 (JUN 5-29)
East Asian Languages and Cultures
FREN 240 Intermediate French II
MTWRF 10:20-12:30 (JUL 2-27)
FREN 440 French Culture & Cinema
WTRRF 10:20-12:30 (JUN 5-29)
ITAL 230 Intermediate Italian
MTWAL 10:20-12:30 (JU 2-27)
CHIN 104 Elementary Chinese I MTWRF 8:00-12:30 (JUN 5-29)
CHIN 108 Elementary Chinese II MTWRF 8:00-12:30 (JUL 2-27)
KOR 104 Elementary Korean
MTWR 10:48-10:23 (JUN 5-29)
JPN 108 Elementary Japanese II
MTW 8:00-12:30 (JUL 2-27)
JPN 104 Elementary Japanese I
MTW 8:F0-12:03 (JUN 5-29)
KOR 108 Elementary Korea II
MTWR 8:00-12:30 JU-27 F2
German
ECIV 104/304 Eastern Civilizations
MTWRF 10:20-11:20 (JUN 5-JUL 27)
EALC 520 Entrepreneurship in East
Asia/Online only (JUN 5-JUL 27)
GERM 100
MTWRF 9:10-11:20 (June 5-29)
GERM 212
MTWRF 8:10-10:20 (JUN 5-29)
GERM 216
MTWRF 8:10-10:20 (JUL 2-27)
Spanish
SPAN 111 Intensive Elementary
MTWRF 10:20-12:20 (JUN 5-JUL 27)
SPAN 212 Intermediate Spanish I MTWRF 9:10-10:10 (JUN 5-JUL 27)
SPAN 212 Intermediate Spanish I
MTWRF 10:20-11:20 (JUN 5-JUL 27)
SPAN 216 Intermediate Spanish II MTWRF 9:10-10:10 (JUN 5-JUL 27)
SPAN 216 Intermediate Spanish II
MTWRF 10:20-11:20 JUN 5-JUL 27
SPAN 300 Development in Hispanic Culture/Online only in English (JUN 5-JUL 27)
SPAN 346 Transatlantic Hispanic
Cultures/Online only (JUN 5-JUL 27)
SPAN 322 Spanish Grammar/
Online only (JUN 5-JUL 27)
LEGAL
Disabled student takes case to Michigan court
LANSING, Mich. (AP) — A 19-year-old with Down syndrome took his case for high school sports eligibility to state lawmakers Wednesday, arguing that Michigan should join a growing number of states that consider age-limit exemptions for student athletes whose playing careers are delayed because of disabilities.
Under the current regulations, Eric Dompierre can't play high school football or basketball as a senior next school year because he had turned 19 prior to Sept. 1. However, he is asking the Michigan High School Athletic Association for a waiver because his disability caused him to twice be held back early in his school career.
Dean Dompierre said 23 other states allow waivers for students with disabilities. Eight states specifically provide for an age-eligibility waiver for students with disabilities, while 15 additional states allow for waivers from any rule if undue hardship to the student would occur. Athletic association officials confirmed the statistics.
Dompierre, who attends Ishpeming High School in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, testified in front of the Senate Education Committee Wednesday alongside his father, Dean.
When a senator asked whether he'd rather be there testifying or out on the playing field. Dompiere's response was immediate: "Be playing."
Association officials did not attend the hearing, but Executive Director John Roberts sent a letter this week to committee Chairman Phil Pavlov that points out Michigan is in the majority of states that don't allow exceptions to the maximum age. Even some states that do allow waivers have never granted one, Pavlov wrote.
"Something has to be done," the elder Dompierre said. "A solution is already out there."
For three decades, the MHSAA's bylaws have said rules can only be changed by a two-thirds vote of the superintendent and principals of the association's member schools. The letter said numerous meetings were held last year across the state to discuss the age-waiver proposal.
"We are aware of the responsibility to balance the needs of an increasingly diverse student population where the diagnoses of disabilities are exploding as the definitions of disabilities are expanding." Roberts wrote. "We believe these trends explain why local school administrators have continued to request a bright line with respect to the maximum age rule."
1
---
Associated Press
4
1