--- THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN THURSDAY, APRIL 5, 2012 PAGE 7 BASEBALL Uptick in errors as conference play arrives MAX LUSH mlush@kansan.com It's no secret: The Kansas baseball team (12-16, 2-4) is struggling this season. If the pitching staff holds the opposition to only a few runs, the offense struggles to scratch a run on the scoreboard. If the offense scores runs in bunches, the pitching staff allows runs in bunches. All season long, the Jayhawks have struggled to put together a game where both pitching and hitting produce. But the Jayhawks have been able to rely on their strong defense to make plays — at least until lately. Entering this week, Kansas was tied for 10th in the country with a .979 fielding percentage. In other words, the Kansas defense completed a play without committing an error 97.9 BAD GAMES March 9, 2012 vs. Stony Brook in Minneapolis, Minn. 2 errors Junior infielder Kevin Kuntz loses his glove as he runs into senior infielder Zac Eligie and gets tangled up as they both run to catch a foul ball during Tuesday evening's game against Creighton at the TD Ameritrade Park in Omaha Neb. where the Jawhaws lost 3-7. March 21, 2012 vs. Southern Utah in Lawrence 3 errors, allowed 10 runs March 23, 2012 at Baylor in Waco Texas 2 errors, allowed 10 runs ASHLEIGH LEE/KANSAN March 24, 2012 at Baylor in Waco Texas percent of the time. 2 errors, 9 runs allowed This season, the Jayhawks have committed just 22 errors in 28 games. But since Big 12 play started March 23, the Jayhawks have committed seven errors in eight games. Kansas committed another error Tuesday night, falling to Creighton 7-3. The error dropped the team's fielding percentage to .978. Despite only having one official error, the defense appeared shaky in other moments of the game. They rank second in the Big 12 in fielding percentage by Kansas State. "We're doing really well," freshman outfielder Dakota Smith said of the defense. "It's just one or two plays that happened." Smith dropped a fly ball, allowing two runs to score in the first inning on Kansas' only error of the game. In the eighth inning, junior catcher Alex DeLeon allowed a runner to score on a past ball. Later in the same inning, the defense allowed a runner to score from third attempting to get another runner out in a rundown. "We booted the one crucial play in center," coach Ritch Price said. "At the same time we have a past ball in the eighth inning with Poppe on the mound. It's inexcusable not to catch that ball." Junior shortstop Kevin Kuntz is one of the defensive leaders of the team. Fields 97.4 percent of balls hit towards him cleanly. He said the team needs to play with confidence on defense. "We have to keep practicing." With a team that features 15 players in their first year of eligibility, mistakes will happen in the field. The players and coaches said it's important to move on from the mistakes and to learn from them "One of the things we preach to our players when you make a bad play is: Live for the opportunity to redeem yourself", Price said. Price said he left the Tuesday's game in Omaha, Neb., upset with how his team played in every aspect. But Price knows that in baseball mistakes will happen, but mature players will figure out away to pick themselves and their team up later in the game. The Jayhaws will look to pick themselves up this weekend when they travel to Stillwater, Okla., to take on the Oklahoma State Cowboys in a three-game series. Edited by Jeff Karr MLB Posey hits first RBI at park since injury ASSOCIATED PRESS SAN FRANCISCO — Josh Donaldson started to show signs in the final exhibition that he might be a reliable replacement to Scott Sizemore. after all. Donaldson hit two homers and drove in five runs off Yusmeiro Petit, and the Oakland Athletics avoided a Bay Bridge Series sweep with an 8-1 victory over the San Francisco Giants on Wednesday. Sizemore tore a ligament in his left knee during Oakland's first fullsquad workout this spring training, ending his season and thrusting Donaldson into the starting third baseman spot before a game had been played. Donaldson finished 4 for 5 in the finale, pushing his batting average up to .270. ASSOCIATED PRESS An otherwise quiet ending for San Francisco this spring training still had a bright spot. Buster Poster, receiving rousing ovations from fans every time his name was announced, cleared another milestone with an RBI single in the first. Both were firsts at AT&T Park for the 2010 NL Rookie of the Year since a brutal season-ending collision at home plate last year with Florida's Scott Cousins. Posey had been 0 for 2 with two walks in Monday night's exhibition in San Francisco. He also added a double in the fourth in the last spring training game. A sun-soaked day at San Francisco's cozy waterfront ballpark still belonged to an unproven slugger from across the bay. After a so-so spring training, Donaldson smacked a two-run shot to left in the second to put Oakland ahead 2-1. He followed with a three-run homer to deep left-center in the third off Petit for his only long balls this spring training. Originally a first-round draft pick of the Chicago Cubs, Donaldson was traded to Oakland in a deal for pitcher Rich Harden in 2008. Donaldson's latest go-around in the Bay Area figures to last a little longer than his first. San Francisco Giants' Buster Posey hits an RBI single off Oakland Athletics starting pitcher Tommy Milone during the first inning of their exhibition baseball game in San Francisco, Wednesday, April 4. 944 Massachusetts Street ★ 735 832 8228 Sizemore was acquired by Oakland last May in a trade with Detroit. He hit .249 with 11 home runs and 52 RBIs in 93 games with Oakland. He briefly played for the As in 2010 and hadn't done much since. GOLF More than one star at Masters ASSOCIATED PRESS As he approached the Sarazen Bridge to the 15th green Wednesday, the grandstand rumbled when fans suddenly rose in unison to see him walk by. Some of them held cameras as high as they could, clicked and hoped for the best. AUGUSTA, Ga. — Tiger Woods couldn't see the green through the trees, though that was only a minor obstacle. He choked up on a 5-wood and played a sweeping draw around the pines, over the water and onto the back of the green. Woods is worth watching at the Masters for all the right reasons. All it took was one win at Bay Hill two weeks ago for Woods to even remotely resemble the guy who once dominated golf. He won by five shots, and, just like that, was elevated to the favorite at Augusta National. "Everything is headed in the right direction at the right time," Woods said. But he's not the only star of this Masters. Rory McIlroy has all the traits of the heir apparent — an easy swing that produces enormous power, a U.S. Open title at age 22, a tennis star for a girlfriend, and an engaging personality something that Woods is not. In his last 12 tournaments, McIlroy finished third or better eight times, including two wins and a brief stay at No.1 in the world. "I'm in a great place," McIroy said. "I feel like my golf game is in great shape." There is so much anticipation about this clash of generations it's as if they were the only two players competing for a green jacket, much like the days of Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer. Far from it. "There probably hasn't been a Masters with more legitimate chances," Geoff Ogilvy said before heading out for a final practice round. "I can understand people seeing this as a two-man race, but it's never been further from the truth. There are more horses in this race than ever before." Luke Donald returned to No. 1 in the world three weeks ago by winning at Innisbrook. He is one of eight players among the top 20 in the world who have won this "And you've got a guy like Keegan Bradley", Ogilvy said, referring to the PGA champion who won the first major he ever played. "Nobody ever talked about a Masters rookie with a chance. There's more people in the conversation, isn't there?" year, a list that includes Woods and McIroy, along with Hunter Mahan (twice), Steve Stricker, Justin Rose and Phil Mickelson, a threat at Augusta even when he's not playing well. This season the Jayhaws reached their first NCAA Tournament since 2000 and made it to the Sweet 16 where they lost to Tennessee. However, their efforts were rewarded again as they finished No. 25 in the final USA Today/ESPN Coaches' Poll. This matches their ranking achieved earlier in the season. One conversation that was kept short Wednesday was Masters chairman Billy Payne refusing to discuss the all-male membership at Augusta National. The topic returned this year because IBM appointed Virginia Rometty its CEO, and the last four chief executives of Big Blue were invited to be members. "All issues of membership are now and have been historically subject to the private deliberations of the members," Payne said. Jayhawks slip to top 25 in post season polls Kansas finished the season 21-13 overall and 8-10 in conference play. The Jayhawks earned an 11 seed in the Des Moines Region. Kansas is one of three Big 12 teams to finish in the final poll despite seven being featured in the tournament. Junior guard Angel Goodrich and junior forward Carolyn Davis were named All-American Honorable Mention by the WBCA. Kansas will only lose senior Aishah Sutherland to graduation, but is expected to retain the other players and add two recruits including four-star point guard Lamaria Cole from Rudder, Texas. WOMEN'S BASKETBALL April 9 11am - 7pm April 10 8am - 3pm 785-597-0127 Perry Center Summer/Fall Enrollment Highland Campus Fall Early Enrollment For more course options, consider taking an online class. http://online.highlandcc.edu — Kathleen Gier http://online.highlandcc.edu April 13 12:30 PM April 20 12:30 PM May 23 8:30 AM or 12:30 PM June 19 8:30 AM or 12:30 PM July 11 8:30 AM or 12:30 PM Sign up at highlandcc.edu/pages/earty-enrollment or call 785-442-6020 Don't put your education on hold this summer. Enroll in classes at Johnson County Community College! - Extensive course selections - Flexible times and locations - Transferrable classes - Online registration Classes begin June 4. Beginning 8 a.m., April 9, call 913-469-3803 or register online at www.jccc.edu Johnson County Community College 12345 College Blvd.. Overland Park, KS 66210 ?