4B
SPORTS
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
1
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 1, 2009
Jayhawks leave men on base
BASEBALL
Team struggles with stranded runners, wants more batting productivity
Weston White/KANSAN
tdwyer@kansan.com
BY TIM DWYER
Sophomore Tony Thompson grounded out to short to end a scoreless Kansas first inning and strand two men on the base paths. It was a theme for the day.
Thompson stranded five runners in the game, which was the most for a Kansas squad that left 11 runners on the bases, including seven in the first four innings.
"We've got to get it done," coach Ritch Price said. "Literally the whole problem we've got going right now is that we're not being productive with runners in scoring position."
Sophomore third baseman Tony Thompson stranded five runners in Tuesday's game against Northern Colorado.
The problem wasn't solved
Tuesday night against the Northern Colorado Bears.
Until a walk-off home run off the bat of Nick Faunce clinched the game for Kansas, it had left a runner on base in every inning. In five innings, runners were in scoring position when the third out was recorded. Price said there was a reason behind the team's offensive woes.
"I'm worried about the number of non-competitive at-bats that we have." Price said.
Price said the
Price said the weak at bats were a product of coming out flat. The Jayhawks had no life early in the game, going down by as much as three and scoring only one run through seven innings against
Northern Colorado starter James Quisenberry, who came into the game with an ERA more than 9.00 and left with an ERA a run and a half lower.
"We came out really flat," said senior first base president Preston Land,
But although the Jayhawks were unable to fix one haunting offensive problem, they took giant leaps to take care of another.
"I'm worried about the number of non-competitive at-bats that we have."
Kansas finishes many games in pressure situations - 17 of the
who hit the gametying single in the ninth. "It's not something you want to happen, especially in a midweek game against a team that is capable of beating you. You want to come out with a lot of enthusiasm and get on them."
Jayhawks' 26 games have been decided by three runs or less, and only one of their 10 losses has been decided by that margin.
The layhawks need to see hitters step up and take care of business with the game on the line and were unable to do so this weekend.
Seniors Land and Faunce answered the call for Kansas on Tuesday.
Faunce, in the midst of an 0-for-11 slump, roped a double to left field that started an eighth-inning rally to tie the game at six.
In the bottom of the ninth when his number was called again, he one-upped himself, sealing the victory with a two-out blast to left field.
No runners were left on base.
Edited by Chris Horn
BASEBALL (CONTINUED FROM 1B)
Price said he was disappointed with the team's lack of energy in the early innings.
Northern Colorado junior starter James Quisenberry baffled the Kansaslineup throughout the game. The soft-throwing left-hander kept the Jahawks from doing damage until Quisenberry was chased in the eighth inning.
And that's where the fun started for Kansas.
After scoring just one run in those first seven innings, the Jayhawks erupted for seven in the final two, doing damage against the Bear's bullseen.
Junior second baseman Robby Price smashed a single right past the Bears' diving second baseman, tying the score at four and shifting all the momentum to Kansas.
"He works the count 3-1, and the guy knows he's got to throw a fastball now," Ritch Price said. "He razors the ball into right field."
But then senior closer Paul Smyth gave up two long home runs, and it looked as though Northern Colorado was ready to pull off the upset.
Coach Price put senior first baseman Preston Land into the game during the top of the ninth inning for defense. As Land watched the Bears celebrate with an almost certain victory, he wanted to make sure he made a play when he came to the plate with his team down a run and two outs.
"Try to put the ball in play there, make hard contact." Land said of his approach during the at-bat.
Land proceeded to hit a line drive into the ground that kicked off the Northern Colorado shortstop. The left fielder then displayed the ball in the outfield, which allowed sophomore outfielder Jimmy Waters to tie the game at six.
"I hit the ball hard on the ground and it took a lucky bounce." Land said. "Anytime I can just get on
box score
Northern Colorado 0.00 3.00 0.12 -613 -841
Kansas 0.00 1.00 0.34 -814
Northern Colorado AB R H BBR
Hilker SS 5 0 1 0
Raudenbush RF 3 0 0 0
Borzillier PH 2 0 0 0
Mees 1B 4 2 1 1
Sandberg DH 5 1 3 1
Hegstad LF 5 1 1 0
Budde C 3 1 1 1
Berge B 4 1 2 2
Santaucci 3B 2 0 1 1
Berggren CF 4 0 2 0
Totals 37 6 13 6
Kansas AB R H RB
Narodowski SS 5 1 3 2
Price 2B 4 0 2 1
Brunanks CF 2 0 1 1
Heere PH 1 0 0 0
Afenir DH 5 0 0 0
Thompson 3B 5 1 2 0
Lytle RF 5 1 1 0
Lincoln C 4 0 0 0
Waters PH 1 1 1 1
Eligie 1B 3 1 1 0
Land PH 1 1 1 0
Marasco LF 1 0 0 0
Faunce PH 4 2 2 3
Totals 41 8 14 7
E — Northern Colorado; Hilker 21(5); Hegstad (3); Berge (7), Kansas: Price (2)
2B — Northern Colorado; Sandberg (3); Hegstad (6); Berge (5), Kansas: Thompson (10);
Faunce (7)
3B — Kansas; Narodowski (1)
HR — Northern Colorado: Mees (7); Sandberg (11); Budde (1) Kansas; Faunce (2)
Pitchers
| Northern Colorado | IP | H | R | ER | BB SO |
| :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- |
| Quisenberry | 7.2 | 8 | 3 | 2 | 3 |
| Scott | 0.0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Willman L (1-3) | 1.0 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 0 |
| Kansas | IP | H | R | ER | BB SO |
| :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- |
| Selik | 4.2 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 1 |
| Murray | 1.2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Blankenship | 1.0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Boyer | 0.2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Smyth | 1.0 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 0 |
|
T-3:13. A-611.
base to help the team win is a plus."
Land didn't have to wait too long on base before Faune's home run to dead-center cleared the wall. It was Faune's first walk-off home run in his career at Kansas. He said it was a joy for him to get mobbed by his teammates before he even crossed home plate.
"They're all there for you," Faunce said of his teammates waiting at home plate as he rounded the bases. "To celebrate it, it's just a good feeling to perform in that kind of situation."
Not only was it Faunce's first
walk-off home run for his career, but it was also the first walk-off game at Hoglund Ballpark this season.
Kansas has had to watch teams like Arkansas and Texas A&M celebrate walk-off victories on their home fields. Land said it was a relief to be able to experience that and not watch it.
"When you're in that situation it's huge and everyone's happy," Land said. "It's a huge amount of enthusiasm and huge moral boost for the team."
— Edited by Heather Melanson
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BIG 12 BASKETBALL Missouri's Anderson signs seven-year extension
COLUMBIA, Mo. — Mike Anderson has agreed to a new seven-year contract and will remain Missouri's men's basketball coach.
The announcement Tuesday night caps a whirlwind couple of days for the school and Anderson, who had been mentioned for coaching vacancies at Georgia and Memphis.
The university said financial details of the new deal would be announced later. Anderson previously earned a base annual salary of $850,000.
Anderson coached Missouri this season to a school-record 31 wins and its first NCAA tournament appearance since 2003.
Associated Press