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SPORTS
WWW.KANSAN.COM/SPORTS
1B
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
MONDAY, APRIL 28, 2003
Baseball team drops 2 of 3 to Baylor
Scott Revnolds/Kansan
Freshman second baseman Ritchie Price tags up at first base. He made the play during the fourth inning in Saturday's game against Baylor. Kansas lost Saturday's game 11-3.
By Daniel Berk dberk@kansan.com Kansan sportswriter
The Kansas baseball team learned this past weekend just how tough the Big 12 Conference is. The fayhawks lost two of their three games against No. 21, Baylor.
Kansas claimed the series opener, as junior Ryan Kninpschild took
See page 4B for more baseball photos.
Knippschild took the mound and registered his eighth victory of the season, improving his season record to 8-3. Knippschild pitched eight innings, striking out three batters and allowing seven hits and three runs. Junior Brandon Johnson pitched a perfect ninth inning, marking his seventh save of the season.
The game entered the sixth inning in a 0-0 deadlock, but Baylor broke that tie and scored three runs. Kansas responded with two runs. With runners on second and third, senior designated hitter Kevin Wheeler hit a single up the middle and scored them both.
After a scoreless seventh inning. Kansas took the lead in the bottom of the eighth.
SEE BASEBALL ON PAGE 8B
Softball series emulates season
Kara Pierce, Mesa, Ariz., junior, pitches against Baylor. The Jayhawks fell to the Bears 4-0 Saturday afternoon.
Lindsev Gold/Kansan
By Steve Schmidt
By Steve Schmidt
sschmidt@kansan.com
Kansan sportswriter
The Kansas softball team concluded its regular season with an up and down series that was a microcosm of the team's season, which also had plenty of highs and plenty of lows.
and play the Jayhawks shut out No. 7 Nebraska, (33-12, 9-7 Big 12) 1-0 on Friday and beat Baylor 4-1 on Saturday only to close out the season with a 4-0 loss to the Bears yesterday.
In the weekend's first contest, Kansas senior pitcher Kirsten Milhoan was able to neutralize Nebraska's high-powered hitting attack, a role she's played her whole career with the 'Hawks.
After giving up a double and single on the first two pitches of the game, Milhoan settled down and only allowed five hits. The lone senior gave joint credit to her teammates after the huge upset victory.
"I'm so proud of the team today," she said. "They were intense the whole time. The odd thing is up to the conference we had been playing that way all season."
The only run of the game came off a rocket homer to left field off the bat of freshman second baseman Jessica Moppin in the second inning. The shot
was her 11th of the year, tying for tops in the Big 12.
Going into Saturday's game against Baylor (29-27, 3-15 Big 12), Bunge wrestled with the decision of whether to let junior pitcher Kara Pierce start.
Pierce did get the nod after injuring her shoulder in Texas a week ago. It turned out to be a wise choice as the junior threw a three-hitter and shut out the Bears to improve her overall record to 16-12.
In the first inning freshman shortstop Destiny Frankenstein scored when sophomore first baseman Lindsey Weinstein reached first on a bunt after a throwing error from the Baylor catcher Stephanie Pomes. Freshman third baseman Nettie Fierros provided more insurance in the fourth inning with a home run to right field.
See page 4B for more softball photos.
"I never expected when Nettie got her she would be one of our leading home run hitters and she's got six right now."
She also scored the fourth and final run in the fourth from third baseman
YESTERDAY
KANSAS 0- BAYLOR 4
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 - R H E
Baylor 0 0 0 4 0 0 0 - 4 8 1
Kansas 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 2
Pitchers:
Kansas: Kirsten Milhoan [7]
Kansas - Kirsten Milman (7)
Baylor - Baker Decker (4/13, Cristin Witek (2/2, 3)
Win - Decker (8-6)
Save - None
Loss - Milman (10-9)
SATURDAY
KANSAS 4-BAYLOR1
KANSAS
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 - R H E
Baylor 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 - 1 3 2
Kansas 0 0 1 0 0 2 X - 4 6 1
Pitchers:
Kansas - Kara Pierce (7)
Baylor - Cristin Vittak (6)
Win- Pierce (16-12)
Save- None
Loss- Vittak(12-15)
after freshman right fielder Heather Stanley hit a single in the sixth. Junior center fielder Mel Wallach scored the third run after Fierros drove her home in the same inning with a single. She reached base on a double.
There's a great chance that the layhawk faithful didn't remember that double because they were too busy talking about a catch she made a half-inning before.
SEE SOFTBALL ON PAGE 8B
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 -R H
Baylor 0 0 0 0 1 4 1 4 1 11 15
Kansas 0 0 1 0 0 2 2 0 -5 8 2
Pitchers:
YESTERDAY
KANSAS 5-BAYLOR 11
Pitchers
Kevin Wheeler (5/23), Don Czyz (Jojun Shorn)
(8) Brandon Johnson (1/13), Ryan Jakubovich (0), Pat Holmes (0), Kemmy Falconer (1/13), Eric Peterson (1/23)
Baylor-Mark McCormick (3), Abe Woody (3/23), Zane
Win-Woody (5-0)
Save-Carlson (6/2)
Woody (5-0)
Golfers stress relaxed attitude
By Paul Kramer
pkramer@kansan.com
Kansan sportswriter
By Paul Kramer
Whether it's watching movies, playing practical jokes, or watching the Final Four from The Hawk, the guys on the team try to have as normal of lives as every other student. The only difference is in addition to a full class load, they compete
If one watches the teams warm up today at the Big 12 Championship at Southern Hills Country Club in Tulsa, Okla., the Jayhawks will not be hard to pick out.
"We watch movies in the hotel room," Marshall said. "Our favorites are Next Friday, Dumb & Dumber and of course Caddyshack."
Because of the team's philosophy of being loose and relaxed, it stands out in a sport dominated by quiet and reserved preparation. Coach Ross Randall said he believed in a family atmosphere that lend itself to players talking and helping each other before tournaments began.
SATURDAY
SEE GOLFERS ON PAGE 8B
The laid-back style aside, there is a sense of responsibility to the team and the University to play as well as they can in every tournament. And above all, they understand the importance of the Big 12 Championship. Marshall especially senses the urgency because this will be his last conference championship.
at an elite level of Division I athletics
IT'S IN THE BAG
KANSAS 3-BAYLOR 11
That feeling is passed on to younger players by team leaders — senior Chris Marshall and junior Tyler Hall. Marshall and Hall, the only upperclassmen on the team, lead by example.
Driver: Titleist 983 E
3-Wood: Titleist 980
Irons: Titleist 691 MG
Wedges: Titleist Vokey Tour wedges
Putter: Scotty Cameron Prototype
Ball: Titleist PRO-V1
Adding to the appeal of the two sophomores and seven freshmen on the team is the bond formed by weeks spent on the road.
Hall shares the sentiments, saying that the two have a mutual respect for each other and thrive on friendly competition. They compete in everything from putting contests to video games to grades.
"I don't like it when coaches are real tight," Randall said. "I think it helps them to play better and get along better when they are relaxed."
The duo not only complement each other as leaders, but they are best friends off the course. They lived together for two years, before Marshall moved by himself this year to focus on academics and his last season of college golf. He still considers Hall, who will be the best man at his August wedding, as close as a brother.
"Chris is a more vocal leader, who works extremely hard on his swing," Randall said, "while Tyler is more quiet and is a feel player who doesn't take as many (practice) swings as Chris."
Chris Marshall
"Tyler is by far my best friend," Marshall said. "I couldn't imagine playing college golf without him."
Tyler Hall
Driver: Taylor Made 580
3-Wood: Mizuno 3 Strong
5-Wood: Mizuno 300s
irons: Mizuno MP 30s / MP 29s
Putter: Odyssey White Hot
Ball: Titleey PRO-V1
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 - R H E
Baylor 2 0 0 0 1 6 2 0 - 0 11 13 0
Kansas 0 0 1 0 0 2 0 - 3 7 5
Senior Chris Marshall eyes the ball up close as junior Tyler Hall gives advice.
Courtney Kuhlen/Kansan
Pitchers
Pitchers:
Kansas - Kaitlyn Smart(5), Don Coyz(0), Kenny Falconer(2),
Wisconsin (1), Ryan Jakubov (1)
Baylor - Sean Walker (5/2/3, LaMotta (2/1), Tyler
Bullock) (1)
Win-Walker (8/4)
Save-None
KANSAS 4-BAYLOR 3
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 - B H E
Baylor 2 0 0 0 1 6 2 0 0 - 3 7 1
Kansas 0 0 0 0 2 0 2 X - 4 7 0
FRIDAY
Kansas - Ryan Kupcich (8), Brandon Johnson (1)
Baylor - Steven White (7/23), Zane Carlson (1/3)
Win - Knippschild (8-3)
Sauve - Jason Willett (6), Wade (5-3)
SPORTS COMMENTARY
Ryan Wood
rwood@kansan.com
Is this any way to treat one of your own?
University disregards tennis team
Judgingby the nightmare the Kansas tennis team has gone through this season, the Kansas Athletics Department appears to have forgotten that it cut only one of the two tennis teams in 2001. Women's tennis still exists at Kansas, hanging on by a thread with little to no support by the powers-that-be in the mismanaged department.
The sad thing is the women on the tennis team are part of the minority of Kansas athletes who have actually succeeded in Big 12 Conference play the last couple of years. Not so much this season
A new indoor facility should've been bumped to the top of the fundraising priority list the moment they learned Alvamar was closing down. It wasn't.
the team finished ninth in the Big 12 and fizzled in the conference tournament Thursday - but it's tough to succeed when you have to drive an hour and a half round trip every day for practice.
"I don't think we all realized how difficult it would be to make the drive," coach Kilmeny Waterman said. "It was so much time."
Alvamar Racquet Club, Kansas' former home for indoor practice and matches, shut down a year ago, causing department officials — notably former director Al Bohl — to do nothing but yawn.
"We need to fundraise money is what we've been told," Waterman said. "We're trying to find people who are interested."
Sounds simple, except when the department cut men's tennis in 2001, many former players got understandably pissed off. I'm sure they're not quite ready to fork over hard-earned cash after the department got rid of the men's team
So as a result, the nine women load a stretch van every day, leave Lawrence and head to various other locations in the Sunflower State. Waterman refuses to use the agonizing travel necessities as an excuse for her team's struggles, but I'll be happy to do it for her; that was a big reason these lavihawks underachieved in 2003.
Kansas's outdoor home — Robinson Courts — is terrible for the fans, but it is in Lawrence.
SEE WOOD ON PAGE 8B