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THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
16A
THURSDAY,APRIL 3,2003
Jayhawks lose in spite of effort
By Steve Schmidt
sschmidt@kansan.com
Kansan sportswriter
Forget the Kansas softball team's troubles with the Big 12 Conference. Yesterday afternoon, Wichita State of the Missouri Valley Conference proved it was all the Jayhawks could handle and a little bit more.
After sweeping visiting No. 23 Kansas 8-2 and 4-3, the Shockers (25-11) got the
Wichita State tallied 12 runs in the first game. This time it was Kansas, a team known for its home run power, that threw bad pitches leading to out-of-the park blasts.
attention of the Jayhawks (21-11) and showed they could wave their own wheat.
Freshman Allison Horst added a home run in the sixth inning, which added extra insurance, as Wichita State tacked on three more runs during the inning.
home runs with 28.
Still in the midst of the Wichita State offensive extravaganza, Kansas freshman second baseman Jessica Moppin hit another home run, her 10th of the year, in the fourth inning. She finished the game going 2-for-3.
Kansas junior pitcher Kara Pierce took
Shocker senior Jody Lupo hit a homer in the second inning as part of a four-run inning that ripped the game wide open. The home run broke the Wichita State school record of single-season team
The second contest had a much better start for the Hawks. After a walk, a wild pitch and a barrage of singles, Kansas started the game scoring two runs in the first.
2023.11.25 星期四
the loss, dropping her to 13-7 on the year
thegainsscoringtwo
After freshman catcher Melaney Torres scored via a walk and a stolen base in the third, Kansas led 3-1 in the middle of the third.
Wichita State, with an array of singles of its own, tied the game 3-3 in the bottom of the third.
The defining moment of the game came in the bottom of the fifth. With the bases loaded, Wichita State senior Audrey Walters scored after freshman Julie Darling was hit by a pitch from Kansas senior Kirsten Milhoan. Milhoan fell to 8-4 overall.
Next up for Kansas is a two-game weekend trip to play Texas Tech at 4 p.m. Saturday in Lubbock.
- Edited by Julie Jantzer
Upgrades, repainting to benefit Relays
By Chris Wintering
cwintering@kansan.com
Kansan sportswriter
The Kansas Relays is one of the biggest track and field meets in the country, and now it is going to look like it.
During the past four months, crews have worked to renovate the area in and around Memorial Stadium for the 76th Kansas Relays, which will be held April 16 to 19.
"With the setting at the foot of the Campanile hill, the MegaVision video board and the amenities of Memorial Stadium, we have many natural advantages over other meets," said Kansas Relays Meet Director Tim Weaver.
The improvements include renovating the throwing field adjacent to Memorial Stadium and repainting the track
This is the first time since the new surface was laid down during the fall of 1999 that the Hershberger Track has been repainted.
The fields adjacent to the east side of Memorial Stadium have been completely redesigned and now feature two concrete, curbed shot put areas, a regraded field and a new hammer throw and discus cage.
"The restriking of the track has made a tremendous difference that everyone who enters the stadium will immediately notice." Weaver said. "It looks like a brand new surface."
The renovations were made possible by the donations of the Ash Grove Charitable Foundation and several track and field alumni.
Kansas track and field and cross country coach Stanley Redwine said he was thankful to these foundations.
"These facilities' improvements are yet another way that the Kansas Relays help the track teams recruit national-caliber athletes and give them first-rate training venues when they get here," Redwine said.
Scrimmaging for confidence
Edited by Todd Rapp
Brandon Baker/Kansan
Above: Dan Coke, Moore Haven, Fla., running back, and Ronnie Amadi, Alief, Texas, defensive back, practice defensive plays. Coach Mangino said the defense was beginning to understand its role.
Right: A football player takes a moment for a drink to cool himself during football practice. The team practiced yesterday as part of its spring-season training.
By Jesse Newell jnewell@kansan.com Kansan sportwriter
Courtney Kuhlen/Kansan
The Jayhawks' third open practice resulted in their first 11-on-11 scrimmage, as the team split to give fans their first look at a true game simulation.
With uniformed referees calling the game, coach Mark Mangino focused his offense and defense on making plays in goal-line situations.
"We just wanted to put them in a tough spot, have them face adversity and see how they fight through it."
Mark Mangino Kansas football coach
"What we wanted to do was put our offense in a situation where the pressure was on them to get the ball in the end zone, and we wanted to put pressure on our defense to keep them out of the end zone," Mangino said. "That's an area of our game on both sides of the ball we need to improve from last year."
Mangino said he also
Mangino said he also wanted to see how his team would respond to a challenge.
lenge. "We just wanted to put them in a tough spot, have them face adversity and see how they fight through it," Mangino said.
said. The team had a scare early in the scrimmage when tight end Lyonel Anderson, after making a sliding catch, received a hard hit from defensive back Ronnie Amadi. Anderson stayed down for a few minutes but was able to walk off unassisted. He later returned to practice.
Before the scrimmage, Mangino spent much of his time instructing the offensive and defensive lines. With starters Justin Sands, Ton Damiani and Greg Nicks graduating in May, the offensive line is looking to gain experience during spring practices.
"We're really getting a little bit more confidence on the offensive line," Mangino said. "We have to just continue to stay the steady course."
The coach said it would take time for the new players to become accustomed to each other.
"The offensive line is a position that takes awhile to develop and get a continuity because it's the only place on the field where you have five guys right next to each other," Mangino said. "There's no place else on the field like that, so you need to get that chemistry and you need to get everybody on the same page."
On the other side of the ball, the defensive line continues to learn the defensive system.
Mangino said the defense was beginning to understand its responsibilities better but had room for improvement.
"We're not where we need to be just yet in that area," Mangino said, "but I think they're progressing well."
Edited by Todd Rapp
Veteran outfielders lead team
By Daniel Berk
dberk@kansan.com
kansan writer
kansan writersport
Price will not shy away from talking about the talent and ability that his team has in the outfield. He starts three upper-classmen — seniors left fielder Casey Spanish and center fielder Lance Hayes, and junior right fielder Matt Tribble.
Kansas baseball coach Ritch Price has been around the sport for a long time and has a good judge of talent and ability when it comes to college baseball players.
So far this season, all three members are batting more than 300 with Spanish leading the way with a 409 batting average. Spanish is leading the team in runs scored and is tied with junior first baseman Ryan Baty for most hits on the club with 52.
Bay for most men this year. "This is Casey's first year in the outfield, and he has adjusted real well," Hayes said. "At the plate, he is a phenomenal hitter who has been consistent all year for us, and whenever we need a clutch hit, he gets the job done for us.
Last season, Spanish failed to reach the .300 mark at the plate and finished the season batting .291. This season, Spanish has already surpassed his production in hits, triples, home runs and runs batted in. Also last season, Spanish started the season at shortstop, which is what he played in high school, moved to first base, and at the end of the season, he played a few games at second base.
Hayes' numbers are also up from last year. This year the senior from Mesquite, Texas, is batting .311 through 34 games. Last season, Hayes, the team's leadoff hitter, finished the season with a .252 batting average. Price said he was most impressed with Hayes' ability to make plays in the outfield, then find a way to
SEE BASEBALL ON PAGE 13A
Scott Reynolds/Kansan
Casey Spanish, senior left fielder, steals second base in the bottom of the second inning. Spanish connected for two base hits as the Jayhawks beat Southwestern Missouri State 12-7 Tuesday night at Hoglund Ballpark.
Baseball team hits wall, struggles to keep energy
The Kansas baseball team knew it would come back to earth sooner or later.
Come back to how a rebuilding college baseball team with a new coach should play ball. But for a while, almost 30 games, Kansas could do no wrong.
The Jayhawks swept nationalpower Louisiana State. They had players named national player of the week three times. They ascended to a multiple-week stay in several national polls. They became a Kansas sports topic of conversation other than Roy's boys during the spring not an easy feat.
But then, last week, Kansas struggled in being swept at Missouri to open its Big 12 Conference schedule. Reason for panic? No way, said first-year coach Ritch Price. Not even after the lav
Ryan Malashock rmalashock@kansan.com
hawks dropped two more Big 12 games this past weekend before breaking into the victory column against Oklahoma State, 10-8 Monday afternoon.
"I think that we've overachieved a bit to start the season," Price said. "We've got to keep in mind, we're 23-11. That's unbelievable. But we have hit a wall."
SEE MALASHOCK ON PAGE 13A