8B = THEUNIVERSITYDAILYKANSAN
SPORTS
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 24, 2002
BASEBALL
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Watchowski on the very next pitch.
"We might get beat, but we're not going to let a team rub our nose in it," freshman catcher Cole Armstrong said. "I don't think it was really frustration with the way we're playing; we're just not going to let a team come in and show us up like that."
Words were exchanged and both benches emptied, but order was quickly restored. Smart was ejected, and junior Pat Holmes pitched the final 1 1/3 innings, giving up two hits but allowing no earned runs.
Freshman pitcher Tyson Bothof (0-1) started for Kansas, but was relieved before he could record an out in the third inning. Four other pitchers threw for Kansas, but only Holmes could escape without giving up at least four runs.
"We had four straight games where we didn't pitch worth a squat." Randall said, "and when
"We had four straight games where we didn't pitch worth a squat, and when you do that, you give up 10 runs or more."
Bobby Randall Kansas baseball coach
you do that, you give up 10 runs or more."
Kansas travels to No. 19 Nebraska next for a three-game set starting Friday. As far as Southwest Missouri, Kansas won't see them anymore this season, and that could come as a relief. The Bears scored 55 runs in sweeping the two-game season series from the Jayhawks.
"They swung hard," Randall said, "and consequently, they hit them hard."
Contact Wood at
rwood@kansan.com. This story was edited by Kristi Henderson.
JILLIAN THORPE/KANSAN
Kansas centerfielder Lance Hayes is able to slide back onto first base before Southwest Missouri State first baseman Randyn Saner can tag him out. The first inning started well for the Jayhawks, but they weren't able to continue the momentum.
RANDALL
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evening, and some wonder if the losing teams Randall has produced are about to catch up with him.
"I want our players, I want our team, and I want our fans to have a winning program," Randall said. "We've had a little bit of that, but not enough."
Al Bohl, athletics director, has repeatedly said he wants every Kansas team in the Top 25. The Jayhawks topped out at No. 33 following their 10-0 start in March, but the team's Big 12 schedule has been brutal, and a Top 25 ranking is pretty much out of the question in 2002.
"We've had a lot of bumps in the road this year." Randall said. "Suprisingly, we haven't played in this last stretch as well as I thought we were going to."
Bohl would not comment on Randall's job security.
"I'm not going to talk about any personnel matters," he said. "Right now, we're just trying to support the baseball team like we have all season long."
Big Shoes to Fill
Randall replaced Dave Bingham, who went 249-225 in eight seasons in Lawrence. Bingham led his 1993 team to Kansas' lone College World Series appearance, and recorded two consecutive seasons of 40 or more victories. Bingham resigned following the 1995 season, and Randall, a native of western Kansas, was given his opportunity to return home. He was hired on Sept. 8, 1995, with expectations to uphold the winning reputation he earned himself while coaching the now-defunct Iowa State program. He garnered winning seasons in six of his 11 years in Ames.
But Randall has recorded just one winning season — a 31-25 mark in 1997, and has a 54-138
mark in the Big 12 in his seven years in Lawrence.
"What's really important is winning," Randall said. "In this league, that's a challenge."
Of course, the inclusion of the four Texas schools—all with strong baseball programs—into the Big 12 in 1996 didn't help Kansas cause either. Randall, though, says that the tough conference isn't a reason to lower standards.
"The strength of the league is a lot better," Randall said, "but there's still no excuses. The challenges are so much greater, but that doesn't mean that the expectations should be any different."
Kansas has never finished above .500 in conference play since the Big 12 was formed six years ago. The team's 14 conference losses this year assures another losing Big 12 season.
And Randall knows the painful symptoms that tough seasons can bring.
"As a coach," he says, "the los ing hurts."
Bringing in Talent
Randall's seven years at Kansas has not lacked successful recruiting.
A total of 18 Jayhawks have been picked up by professional teams since 1996, and five current Jayhawks — Cole Armstrong, Matt Tribble, Tom Gorzelany, Matt Van Alsburg and Dan Olson — bypassed minor league offers to play at Kansas.
Last season marked the loss of four seniors who went on to professional ranks, including shortstop John Nelson, who was taken in the eighth round by St. Louis, and left-handed pitcher Pete Smart, who signed as a free agent with the Milwaukee Brewers organization. So far this season, Smart is 1-0 with a 4.64 ERA for High Desert, Milwaukee's single-A affiliate.
"I think the way to tell how much talent a college team has is how many move up to the professional ranks." Smart said. "The last couple of years, we've had more move up and play,"
But the win totals, particularly in conference play, remained low. The 1999 Kansas team had six players that later played professional ball. They finished 14-40 that season, and won just four games in Big 12 play. Their record did improve significantly the next season, although they still finished below. 500 at 25-30
Five years have passed since Kansas last had a winning season, despite the respectable number of professional-bound players. Smart could offer no explanation.
"Things." he said, "just never really clicked."
Finishing Strong
But for now, the past seasons,
as well as the future ones, are not
on Randall's mind.
"In the middle of the season, college coaches are about one thing," he said, "and that's winning. We still have a lot of season left."
He said he had heard the talk surrounding his job security, and he'd done what he'd had to do to prevent it from being a distraction.
"I think as a coach it's something that you have to deal with," Randall said. "My thought has always been this: if you don't like what they say, don't read the papers."
The Jayhawks travel to No. 19 Nebraska to start a three-game set on Friday. With nine conference games remaining, Randall knows the time is now to stop the bleeding — if it's not already too late.
"It's one of the premier conferences in the country," he says, "but I still think we can do well."
Contact Wood at rwood@kansan. com. This story was edited by Justin Henning.
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