6B SPORTS
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THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
THURSDAY APRIL 30 2009
BASEBALL
Jerry Wang/KANSAN
Sophomore pitcher Brett Bochy hurls the ball during the Javhawks' April 26 game against Nebraska at Hoplund Ballpark. Bochy is second on the team in strikeouts despite pitching only 27 innings.
Pitching duo thrives in new roles
BY JOSH BOWE
jbowe@kansan.com
Brett Bollman and Brett Bochy have more in common than just a first name.
Both are right-handed pitchers, and both were expected to be significant bullpen contributors before the season started. Senior closer Paul Smyth predicted great things from the duo before the season started.
"I've kind of got the two Bretts in front of me," Smyth said back in February. "They're both very, very quality pitchers. I'm really looking for those two guys to link that sixth, seventh and eighth inning."
But a lot has happened since February. For one, Kansas is the surprise of the Big 12, standing in sole possession of fifth place and only a game back of second-place Oklahoma. That could change when the two teams contest a
THIS WEEKEND
Kansas vs. Oklahoma Norman, Okla.
Game 1: Friday, 6:30 p.m.
Game 2: Saturday, 2 p.m.
Game 3: Sunday, 1 p.m.
three-game series this weekend in Norman, Okla.
The pitching staff's roles have changed, too. Smyth has brown five saves this season and was shut down for a couple of weeks to help his sore throwing arm recover. Bochy, a sophomore, was expected to pitch the eighth inning, but he has seen action in just about every inning but the first. Bollman, a junior, is the Jayhawk's most effective midweek starter.
But despite holding down different roles than they expected, the two have thrived. Bochy is second
on the team in strikeouts despite only pitching 27-plus innings and is third on the team in appearances. Coach Ritch Price said Bochy's 4.88 ERA doesn't really do justice to his performance this season.
"His ERA is still really high because he had those two bad innings. When you're a relief pitcher, that just skews your stats off the charts, but we've been really pleased with his development." Price said.
Bollman is tied for first in victories with five, and his 1.70 ERA leads the team. Price decided to convert Bollman into a starter because he needed someone reliable to pitch midweek games.
Bollman was shut down for the season toward the end of last year because of arm fatigue. But more than halfway through his first full season as a starter, Bollman said the arm is coping with the change well.
"Last year, the main reason for the fatigue was that I was throwing pretty much everyday, if not back-
to-back days." Bollman said. "When you start, you get a few days off. You get rest."
Bochy has had to adjust mightily during his sophomore season. On some days, he might be asked to pitch five innings if a starter gets knocked out early.
Other times, Bochy enters the game with a slim lead to protect. Regardless of the situation, Bochy has handled himself well.
Bollman, with some help from Bochy, has spurred Kansas to a 16-3 record in midweek games. For many teams, that record can be a blemish on an NCAA tournament resume. But not this year for Kansas.
"I've had a lot of good guys here that have helped me out," he said. "Paul Smyth has really shown me how to deal with these situations and helped me prepare."
"Obviously, Bollman is why our midweek record is so good," Price said.
Edited by Andrew Wiebe
MLB
Cardinals take series from punchless Braves
St. Louis, 15-7, off to best start since 2006
BY CHARLES ODUM Associated Press
ATLANTA—Adam Wainwright overcame five walks and drove in a run during a four-run fifth innings, and the St. Louis Cardinals beat the weak-hitting Atlanta Braves 5-3 on Wednesday night.
The Cardinals won two of three in the series against the Braves, who have scored three runs or fewer in 11 of 15 games after scoring at least four runs in each of their first six games.
Wainwright (3-0), the Brunswick, Ga., native who began his career with the Braves, allowed seven hits and three runs — two earned — with five walks and two strikeouts in six innings. He gave up three runs in the first three innings, but the Braves couldn't hold a 3-1 lead.
The Cardinals are off to their best start since 2006, when they also were 15-7.
St. Louis, which blew a 1-0 lead in the eighth inning in Tuesday night's 2-1 loss to the Braves, protected the late lead in the final game of the series. With two outs and runners on first and second in the eighth, second baseman Skip Schumaker jumped to catch a soft liner by Omar Infante off closer Ryan Franklin.
Franklin recorded three outs for his seventh save.
Javier Vazquez (2-2) gave up nine hits and five runs with one walk in eight innings. He struck out eight — his fourth straight start with at least eight strikeouts.
Atlanta led 3-1 before the Cardinals scored four runs in the fifth on six singles, including five up the middle.
Wainwright, Albert Pujols Chris Duncan and Rick Ankiel had RBI singles,the last three with two outs.
Infante had three hits, including a run-scoring single in the second. The Cardinals tied the game at 1-all on Schumaker's RBI single in the third.
St. Louis, who began the day tied with Washington for the major league lead with 20 errors, had another bobble which helped the Braves take the lead in the third.
Casey Kotchman doubled at left and initially stopped at third on Jeff Francoeur's single to right. Cardinals right fielder Colby Rasmus couldn't cleanly field the hit, and Kotchman scored on the error for a 2-1 lead as Francoeur advanced to second. Francoeur scored on a wild pitch by Wainwright after moving to third on a groundout.
MLB Former Royals reliever dropped by White Sox
CHICAGO — Mike MacDougal has been placed on waivers Wednesday by the Chicago White Sox, who grew impatient with the hard-throwing righthander reliever's wildness and poor results.
The 32-year-old had been
designated for assignment on April 21 after compiling a 12.46 ERA in five appearances this season. In parts of four years with the White Sox, he was 3-6 with a 4.77 ERA.
Chicago is responsible for the rest of his $2.65 million salary.
MacDougal walked 58 walks, hit five batters and threw 16 wild pitches in only 88 2-3 innings after he was acquired from Kansas City in a 2006 trade.
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