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SPORTS
1B
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
WWW.KANSAN.COM/SPORTS
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2003
Softball team hits the road plays tourney in San Diego
By Steve Schmidt
sschmidt@kansan.com
Kansan sportswriter
For the next two weeks, the Kansas softball team will see a lot of California and its teams while trying to continue one of its best starts ever.
The Jayhawks will start play today in the Campbell/Cartier Tournament in San Diego, when they take on Sacramento State at 5:30 p.m. The game was originally scheduled for noon, but rain in San Diego has postponed action. The Jayhawks' schedule game against UC-Santa Barbara on Saturday has been canceled.
Kansas at Campbell/
Carter Classic
San Diego,
Calif.
Today:
Sacramento
State, 5:30 p.m.
Saturday:
San Diego State,
12:30 p.m.
Fresno State,
3 p.m.
Sunday:
Cal State-
Northridge,
9 a.m.
So far, Kansas' season could be described as a dream. The team left the Triple Crown Invitational in St. Augustine, Fla., last weekend with a 4-0 record. After rain canceled the final day of play on Sunday, the Jayhawks were handed a second place finish based on the total number of runs scored. Four Kansas players were named to the all-tournament team, and Sylvia Pfeiffer won offensive MVP and Kara Pierce defensive MVP.
In fact, all four opposing teams that Kansas will play are from California.
With the revised schedule, Kansas will now play San Diego State at 12:30 p.m. tomorrow followed with a contest with Fresno State at 2:30 p.m. The Jayhawks will cap off the tourney with against Cal State-Northridge at 9 a.m. on Sunday.
Sacramento State (4-3) has been a roll as of late, putting up a 4-1 record at the Cal-Poly Mustang Roundup in San Luis Obispo, Calif. If the 'Hawks hope to avoid getting stung by the Hornets' play, they will have to shut down centerfielder Lindy Winkler, who leads the team in batting average .462), hits (12) and stolen bases (3).
The Aztecs of San Diego State (2-3) recently went 1-2 in a three-game series against Cal State-Northridge.
Meanwhile, Fresno State's 1-4 mark may be deceiving. Three of those defeats came at the hands of ranked opponents, all Big 12 teams — Nebraska, Texas A&M and Texas.
After dropping two of three in the Stacy Winsberg Memorial Tournament in Los Angeles, Cal State-Northridge (3- 3) leveled out its record after recording two victories against San Diego State last weekend.
The Jajhawks will continue their tour of the Golden State the following week when they travel up the coast and compete from Feb. 21-23 in the Softball by the Beach Tournament, hosted by UC-Santa Barbara.
Attack of the 'Clones
Jayhawk gathering scheduled for game
By John Domoney
jdomoney@kansan.com
Kansan sportswriter
Sunday will mark a celebration of Kansas basketball as a bevy of former Jayhawk players and coaches will return to Allen Fieldhouse for a reunion commemorating the 105th year of Kansas basketball.
Opponent: Iowa
State
Time: Noon
Sunday
Place: Allen
Fieldhouse
TV: ESPN+,
Channel 13
Radio: KJHK
90.7, KLZR
105.9, KLWN
1320
In the midst the celebration and ceremonies, there is a basketball game to be played as the Iowa State Cyclones (12-8 overall, 2-7 Big 12 Conference) will make a trip to Lawrence to face Kansas (18-5, 8-1) at noon on Sunday in Allen Fieldhouse.
The Jayhawks enter the game tied with Oklahoma State for the top spot in the Big 12 Conference with 8-1 conference records. Texas and Oklahoma loom only a game behind in the race for the conference crown.
Kansas coach Roy Williams said Monday that the second half of the conference schedule will separate the teams as this is one of the closest races in Big 12 history.
"That's where it's won or lost and that's what is going to happen as we go down the home stretch."
"A lot of times in years past, there's been one team that has separated themselves," Williams said. "And right now, no one has separated themselves."
The Cyclones and Jayhawks met earlier this season with the Jayhawks beating the Cyclones on 83-54 on 6. in Ames.
SEE BASKETBALL ON PAGE 6B
Kristen Feller/Baylor Lariat
Kansas senior guard Kirk Hinrich stuffs an open-court dunk Tuesday in Kansas' 79-58 victory over Bavlor.The Jawhaws return to action Sunday against Iowa State.
Women take on Tigers try to cure scoring blues
By Ryan Greene
rgreene@kansan.com
kansan.sportswinter
The Kansas women's basketball team has had a week to recuperate from Saturday's 89-47 defeat at Texas and is now ready to take part in the Border War series.
Opponent: Missouri
Time: 1 p.m. tomorrow
Place: Allen Fieldhouse
Radio: KJHK 90.7
Kansas (9-12 overall, 2-8 Big 12) is looking to halt a three-game losing streak against its most bitter rival Missouri (12-9, 6-4) at 1 p.m. tomorrow at Allen Fieldhouse. Coach Marian Washington said the benefit of having a week to prepare would be apparent when her team hits the floor.
"It has come at a really good time," Washington said. "We have been changing our practice schedule around and going pretty early at 5:30 or 6 in the morning, trying to give them the rest of the day to rest up a little bit."
One Jayhawk who needed the rest was sophomore guard Blair Waltz, Waltz, who was suffering from back pain, went
Brandon Baker/Kansan
SEE WOMEN'S ON PAGE 6B
With a week of rest since their last game, the Jayhawks have practiced before they take on the Tigers tomorrow in Lawrence. Sophomore guard Blair Waltz was able to recuperate from recent back pain.
SPORTS COMMENTARY
Jonah Ballow
jballow@kansan.com
Bohl's past calls for inspection
Is it possible to make a $255,000 mis-
take?
In June 2001, Bob Frederick, Kansas athletics director, resigned and the University of Kansas Jured Al Bohl from Fresno State to fill the position. The University signed Bohl to a $255,000, five-year contract.
After Bohl accepted the position, he was linked to questionable financial transactions at Fresno State. The new allegations range from basketball players receiving money from agents to paying a former Fresno State statistician to write players' course work — both during Bohl's tenure.
The NCAA is expected to investigate the allegations, but even before that time arrives, Kansas had better take notice.
In yesterday's Topeka Capital-Journal, Hemenway addressed the issue.
"I've heard people express concern that maybe there were conflicts in the athletic department," Hemenway said. "I think athletic departments are very much in the public eye and, as a consequence, they get a lot of scrutiny ... I don't know whether things are being blown out of proportion or if there are some serious things that need to be attended to."
The man who hired Bohl, Chancellor Robert Hemenway, needs to make sure this situation does not get out of hand.
Guess what?
This situation does need attending, and Hemenway should take a close look at the possible negative implications of keeping Bohl around.
The respectability of the University is at stake and could be tarnished by one man. If the allegations against Bohl and Fresno State are true, Bohl should be fired.
In his second year at Kansas, Bohl has tried to make strides in resurrecting the football program. After Bohl fired Terry Allen with three games left in the season, Mark Mangino became the man who would supposedly rebuild the program.
The decision to fire Allen was questionable and started a rocky relationship with men's basketball coach Roy Williams. Williams had a close relationship with Allen, and, at a 2001 press conference, Williams said he was "disappointed and sad" about the decision to fire Allen.
Williams is one of the most important figures in Lawrence. Keeping him happy is a must for the University.
More reports came out yesterday, accusing Bohl of creating a salesmanlike persona around the campus. This personality flaw seems to be affecting his status with media and coaches alike, which could create future problems.
SEE BALLOW ON PAGE 6B
LSU to give baseball team experience for Big 12
Sophomore pitcher Kenny Falconer throws during Tuesday's home opener.
Brandon Baker/Kansar
When the Kansas baseball team opens its conference season in a little more than a month, it will have something many other teams in the Big 12 Conference will not have — big-game experience.
By Daniel Berk
dberk@kansan.com
Kansas sportswriter
The Jayhawks will travel this weekend to Baton Rouge, La., to take on the Louisiana State Tigers, who are ranked eighth in Baseball America's poll.
Sophomores Blake Gill and J.C. Holt lead LSU (4-0 season). Both have batted better than .400 in the team's first four games of the season.
Kansas comes into the series with the Tigers after defeating the Western Illinois
Leathernecks to improve its record to 6-3. The Jayhawks will send senior Kevin Wheeler to the mound to pitch the first game of the three-game series. He will be followed by juniors Josh Duran and Ryan Knipschild.
"We are going to play what might be the best offensive ball club in the nation this weekend," coach Ritch Price said. "We are going to need solid contributions from all of our pitchers, including our bullpen."
Pitchers who are expected to see some time out of the bullpen are juniors Chris Smart and Brandon Johnson and freshman Eric Peterson. Johnson is coming off a solid performance against the University of Arkansas-Little Rock in which he pitched six scoreless
"Being from Nebraska, I used to always watch LSU in the College World Series," Wheeler said. "They always had great fans there, and I am sure this weekend it will be crazy too. I am excited to see where we are at though, I feel like if we can play with these guys than we can really compete with the tougher teams in our conference."
innings.
Not only will Kansas have to deal with the talent of the Tigers, it will also have to deal with LSU's 8,000 fans.
Price said there were many things he wanted his team to work on this weekend while playing against one of the nation's best teams.
Price pointed out Kansas would have to work on the number of walks issued and said he hoped that the Jayhawks could throw more strikes and get ahead of the batters.
"I hope we can grow and mature a lot
this weekend," Price said. "In our conference there are five teams that are in the top 25, so we need to know that we can go on the road and win a big game."
Price also hopes he can continue to get contributions from the outfielders, who all are seniors.
"We are going to need the middle of our lineup to provide some power this weekend," Price said. "This should be fun for us, LSU is without a doubt one of the premier places to play in America."
— Edited by Amber Byarlay