THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN ERIDAY MAY 1, 2009 FRIDAY,MAY 1,2009 SPORTS 3B KANSAS (31-15) PITCHING Another road test for the Jayhawk pitching staff. Oklahoma is a tough environment, and with windy conditions almost inevitable, the starters will have to keep the ball down to avoid the score from getting away from them. Walz Sophomore right-hander T.J. Walz has had no problem with letting balls leave the yard, let alone opponents making contact. Walz has set and tied his career high in strikeouts during his last two outings with 10. ★★★☆ Last season, Oklahoma and OFFENSE Kansas combined for 68 runs in Kansas' three-game sweep of Oklahoma. That's an average of 23 runs scored for each game. With the way the offense has Matt Bristow/KANSAN Afenir been going, the Jayhawks could be in for some trouble if they get caught up in a scoring barrage. Senior catcher Buck Afenir has been in this situation a couple of times throughout his career, and might have to carry the Jayhawks on his shoulders. ★★★☆ MOMENTUM Kansas salvaged its season with the double header against Nebraska. But Nebraska isn't Oklahoma, and Kansas will be away from the friendly confines of Hogland Ballpark, where its record is 21-3. The Jayhawks have been tested in hostile situations before at Texas A&M, so there is some experience. Coach Ritch Price seems to be able to know how to get his teams to rise to the occasion, so regardless of the outcome, expect three very close and competitive games. Sophomore outfielder Brian Heere catches a fly ball during the Jayhawks' tuesday game against Chicago State. He said he has seen the younger players mature a lot this season. Josh Bowe BASEBALL (CONTINUED FROM 1B) however, is the production from the bottom of the lineup. Price has harped on his bottom order needing to contribute, and freshman first baseman Zac Elgie, senior first baseman Preston Land, and sophomore outfielder Casey Lytle have all done their part. "The reason we're swinging the bat better is we have our team batting average up over .300." Price said. "It's a byproduct, I think, of the experience the young guys have gotten. Now they're not playing like freshmen." Sophomore outfielder Brian Heere has seen the young players like himself grow throughout the season. He said the maturation of this season's team has led to the success. The problem is they're going to have to sustain it to finish well this season. "Being on the road, you can easily get down on yourself," Heere said. "It's going to take maturity to keep your head up if you're struggling or just to grind through it. Hopefully we'll peak at the right point." Edited by Melissa Johnson Big 12 standings
ConferenceOverall
1. Texas A&M13-829-15
2. Oklahoma11-733-12
3. Texas12-8-130-11-1
4. Kansas State10-7-133-11-1
5. Kansas10-831-15
6. Missouri11-1025-21
OKLAHOMA (33-12) Andrew Doyle is the ace of the PITCHING and is coming off eight strong innings against Baylor, allowing two runs and helping the No. 9 Sooners sweep a team Kansas went 1-2 against. Closer Ryan Duke is as solid as they come in the Big 12, with 10 saves and an ERA of 2.96. He'll lock up any game the Sooners lead after eight. Duke ★★★★☆ OFFENSE Senior first baseman J.T. Wise is a beast in the middle of the lineup for the conference's highest-scoring offense. Wise leads the Sooners with 15 home runs and his .381 average is good for second on the team. While Kansas is lacking for Wise double-digit homer power past Tony Thompson, Wise has two teammates with more than 10. MOMENTUM Derby in 2002. — Tim Dwyer Two weekends ago the Sooners were swept in Austin by the Texas Longhorns, who the Jayhawks memorably swept to open conference play. Last weekend they went on the road again and knocked off Baylor in three straight before falling in their midweek contest to No. 9 Arkansas in extras. The Sooners are 19-3 at home and it will take a big effort from the Jayhawks to take this series. Bob Baffert looks to win his fourth Kentucky Derby "He has the fight in him," he said. ASSOCIATED PRESS LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Bob Baffert had so much success in his early years at the Kentucky Derby he thought it would go on forever. Three wins in six years will do that. Then karma caught up and sent him into a humbling slide. He's hoping to change his luck Saturday, when he saddles Pioneerof the Nile, the early cosecond choice in the morning line. The colt is Baffert's first serious contender since he won his third HORSE RACING Baffert hit rock bottom in 2001 after Point Given, sent off as the 9-5 favorite, was second turning for home and wound up fifth. His other horse, Congaree, led with a quarter-mile to go only to get beaten by four lengths. For the first time in a while, so does Baffert. Louisville feels like home to the Southern California-based trainer. He met Jill, his second wife, at Baffert's drive sustained him when the lean times hit. Three of his richest clients died, cutting off his flow of good horses and money to spend at the sales. Churchill Downs and now their 4-year-old son, Bode, returns with them. He is back at the Derby this year with his first starter since 2006, when he ran three horses and none finished better than ninth. If Pioneer of the Nile wins Saturday, Baffert would tie fellow Hall of Famer Lukas and H.J. If he wins, Baffert said his thoughts would be of everyone who helped him get there, including his aging parents watching on television back in Nogales, Ariz. "I've won all these major races, but the Derby is totally different because it's so emotional," he said. "It's almost like a report card of life, that maybe you did something good." "Dick" Thompson for second-most Derby victories at four. He desperately wants to make the grade again. SOFTBALL (CONTINUED FROM 1B) right field, plating two more runs to extend the Jayhawk lead to 3-0. Pitcher Rhiannon Klesing provided her own run support, getting A&M on the scoreboard with her solo home run in the fourth inning. But from then on Valerie George and her rise ball were too much for the Aggies to handle. After throwing six scoreless innings against Wichita State on Tuesday, the senior hurler struck out four and allowed only two hits to A&M batters on Thursday. George worked her 16th complete game of the year en route to her 10th victory. "I came into the game not thinking about it being my last at home," George said. "I just wanted to come out and have a strong performance, especially for myself and the other seniors." Bunge wasn't the only one bidding farewell to Arrocha, as George and her four fellow seniors played their final home game as well. The victory over Texas & MK, 29-19 overall and 6-9 in the Big 12, was important for the Jayhawks, as it bumped them into a tie for sixth place in the Big 12. They also hold the tiebreaker over the Aggies. With a sweep this weekend against Iowa State, Kansas could be in even better shape for post-season consideration. "We've had some ugly losses there the past couple of years," George said. "But it's their senior weekend, so we want to go down there and rain on their parade." PGA Business aside. Bunge was full of emotion after the game as she reminisced about her 13 seasons at the helm of Kansas softball. "It's going to be a dogfight," Bunge said. "We need to match their intensity on senior day. Today's win only matters if we take care of business this weekend." Bunge was also focused on matching the energy of the Cyclones. "I've got a lot of great emotions and great memories from this place," she said. "It feels good to go out with a win." Edited by Grant Treaster Quail Hollow has less grass, big stars ASSOCIATED PRESS That thick rough lining the fairways is gone, too. CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A bank's name in the tournament title isn't the only thing missing at Quail Hollow. "There's definitely a different setup," said Jim Furyk, a past winner of what is now the Quail Hollow Championship. "We've come here a lot of times where the rough has been very deep, thick. It's been a huge premium on accuracy. And the rough is very low this year, as low as I've seen it, and probably as low as I've seen it in almost any tour event I've ever played, outside of Harbourtown. "Obviously, it's a different style." Besides, tour players never agree on everything. Quail Hollow — previously known as the Wachovia Championship, with no mention of Wells Fargo — established itself as one of the premier courses on the PGA Tour when it made its debut in 2003. Players love coming to this tournament, which shows in a field that has attracted Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, Geoff Ogilvy, Sergio Garcia, defending champion Anthony Kim and a host of other stars. "This is one of those tournances that probably has a little bit more of a green light to kind of mess around with the setup and see what's best and what's not, because the players like the course so much." Furyk said. Those who hit it straight off the tee tend to prefer thick rough that will punish those who are more wild. The power players would rather see shorter roughs to allow them to escape from errant tee shots. Phil Mickelson will be playing for the first time since the Masters, against Masters champion Angel Cabrera and runner-up Chad Campbell. The other Masters runner-up, Kenny Perry, is missing because he's serving as grand marshal at a Kentucky Derby parade in his native state. There was a buzz on Wednesday, rare for a pro-am round. Then again, how often do fans get to see the No.1 player in golf and a three-time MVP from the NFL in the same group. That would be Woods and Peyton Manning, playing a pro-am together for the first time since Bay Hill four years ago. "Ran the wrong route," Manning said to himself after yet another errant shot into the gallery. Woods took a few days after the Masters to reflect on what he did wrong, and he said it took a reminder from those around him that even without a green jacket, life isn't awful. In four tournaments since returning from knee surgery, he has a victory and two top 10s. Woods won in 2007 under thicker conditions, and he didn't say which way he preferred that it play. Not that it matters. The lowest score still wins, and Quail Hollow has produced some big winners — David Toms, Vijay Singh, Furky, Woods and Kim. The greens are quick, which remind him of Augusta. As for the lack of rough? "I've never seen it this short," he said. Need Credits? Enrollment Station at The Wheel May 5th,6th,7th for Neosho County Community College Come enjoy a hot dog and talk about classes 1:30 to 4:15 This weekend start things off right. FRIDAY $3.50 Double Bacardi & UV vodka drinks $2.50 Domestic Bottles $2.75 Premium Bottles SATURDAY $3.50 Double Skyy, Jim Beam & Captain Morgan drinks $2.00 Big Beers BAR OPENS AT 2 PM ON FRIDAY! LAWRENCE WWW.JAYHAWKCAFE.COM 1340 Ohio • 843-9273