8B = THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
SPORTS
MONDAY,APRIL 15,2002
CHRISTINA NEFF/KANSAN
Kansas sophomore Chris Smart pitches to a Texas Tech batter. Smart pitched the last two innings of Saturday's game, in which Kansas lost 5-2.
BASEBALL
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Tech came away with two runs and its first lead of the day, needing just six outs to take the middle game of the series.
But Wheeler's bat came through again. He led off the ninth inning with a home run down the right field line, sending the game into extra innings. His two-homer day gave him a team-leading seven on the year.
"He came inside with a couple of sliders." Wheeler said, "and the last one he came inside on I was just quick enough to get there."
Texas Tech seemed
unfazed by Wheeler's heroes. The Red Raiders scored three runs on four hits in the 10th inning and took back the momentum the Jayhawks had grabbed just one day earlier.
"I think that sometimes you get beat and sometimes you lose," Randall said, "and today we lost that game."
The Jayhawks pounded 17 hits and cruised to an easy 11-run victory Friday night, capping a three-game winning streak.
After Tech scored three runs in the second off pitcher Jeff Davis, the senior was able to shut down the Red Raiders. He pitched a
"I'd like to see us really respond and have a good game,"
Bobby Randall Head Coach
complete game, allowing nine hits and striking out five. The victory improved his record to 5-1.
"It seems like the hardest thing is getting through those first two or three innings." Davis said, "and once I do that it feels like I get in the rhythm of the game, find my focus and start throwing well."
Four Jayhawks had at least three hits, with Baty and freshman catcher Cole Armstrong both going 4-for-5. Kansas scored one in the second, five in the third and four in the fourth to run away with its only victory in the series.
"It's pretty frustrating," Spanish said. "Friday night, we played as well as we can play probably, and the next two games were sub par."
Kansas has a little time to get back on track. The Jayhawks travel to Wichita State tomorrow for a 7 p.m. game. They beat the Shockers 9-1 last Tuesday at Hoglund Ballpark.
"I'd like to see us really respond and have a good game," Randall said. "It would be a good boost for us."
Contact Wood at rwood@kansan.com. This story was edited by Molly Gise.
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SOFTBALL
comparing between them and us. It's always good to have a little positive reinforcement behind you."
reinforcement men Freshman pitcher Serena Settlemier held Texas Tech (12-32 overall, 1-11 Big 12 Conference) scoreless in the first inning. Shelly Musser set the tone for the rest of the game with a lead-off home to right center-field in the bottom of the first, giving Kansas a 1-0 lead.
The Jayhawks exploded in the second inning, scoring six runs as every Kansas batter went to the plate. The Jayhawks capitalized on Red Raider errors and ran the bases well.
"I think our kids just did a very good job of being heads-up, and we took advantage of them being a little bit flat, and they not covering bags," Bunge said. "And that's what good teams do, they take advantage. We did a very good job of that."
Kansas added two more runs in the bottom of the fourth for the 9-0 lead. Milhoan, who replaced Settlemier in the fourth inning, allowed one hit in the fifth. The mercy rule was enacted after five innings, and the Jayhawks took the 9-0 victory.
Bunge warned her squad that Texas Tech would be a different ball club Sunday, and the Red Raiders didn't disappoint.
Texas Tech pitcher Kristina Blair caused the Jayhawks to continually hit pop-outs into the infield.
CHRISTINA NEFF/KANSAM
Bunge said Blair was one of the Red Raiders' best pitchers.
Kansas junior Kristen Milhoan pitches to a Texas Tech batter. The Javhawks beat the Red Raiders 9-0 Saturday.
"She did a nice job throwing the ball in and out," she said. "We were just overstirring a little bit, hitting the balls up in the air. With this kind of wind, they're not going anywhere."
But the Red Raiders didn't have an answer of their own for Milhoan, who threw a two-hitter, gave up one walk and struck out three on her way to the complete-game shut out.
"I was about ready to pull her after the sixth inning and put Settlemier out there," Bunge said. "But she convinced me with about a two-minute oration why she needed to stay out there, that she could finish the ball
There was a question as to whether Milhoan would even pitch in the seventh inning.
game and get the job done. She did a great job."
good job.
"I knew that I was on, and I knew that I could finish," Milhoan said. "I trust my coach's judgment 100 percent. But if you are in that zone that you're only in 15 percent of the time when you're throwing, then you have to let the coaches know that."
Milhoan got help from senior second baseman Amy Hulse in the seventh.
seventh.
After committing an error in the field, Hulse led off the bottom of the seventh with a double over the shortstop's head. Hulse advanced to third on a bunt by senior shortstop Court
ney Wright and scored when Settlemier, who was pinch hitting, hit a ground ball to third base.
"That's Amy," Bunge said. "Amy has made a couple of big-time errors that have cost us and hurt us, but she somehow usually manages to find a way offensively to try to make up for it."
The Jayhawks play again Wednesday in a doubleheader at 5 p.m. against the University of Missouri-Kansas City in Kansas City, Mo.
Contact Brox at abrox@kansan.com This story was edited by Eve Lamborn.