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University Daily Kansan / Friday, April 17, 1992
SPORTS
'Hawks look for life against Sooners
By Jerry Schmidt
Kansan sportswriter
Kansas junior catcher Jeff Niemeier said a week ago that it was not time to push the panic button.
However, if the Kansas baseball team is to make the four-team Big Eight Conference tournament in May, this weekend's five-game series could determine if that button will be pushed.
"Two wins would keep us in the race," Kansas coach Dave Bingham said. "But we'll approach the series with the idea of getting them all."
Kansas will play host to the Sooners in a fourgame series starting at 7 p.m. tonight. The teams will play a doubleheader at 2 p.m.
tomorrow and a single game at 1 p.m. Sundav.
The top four teams in the conference make the tournament, which will be May 15-17 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, 27-15 overall and 8-4 in the conference, is tied with Oklahoma State for the conference lead. Kansas is 21-17 overall and 4-8 in the conference. The Jayhawks have conference series remaining with Iowa State and Missouri.
Bingham said he thought tonight's game might set the tone for the rest of the series.
"We need to get off on the right foot," he said.
"A win on Friday would take the pressure off."
Oklahoma is fresh of a victory against No. 3 Wichita State. The Sooners beat the Shockers 3-2 Tuesday in Wichita. Oklahoma coach Larry Cochell said a bad outing this weekend could
ieopardize his team's title hopes.
"Every game is important," Cochell said.
"One bad weekend can put you in a bad situation."
A Kansas victory tonight would be a victory well-earned. The Jayhawks will be facing one of the better pitchers in the conference in junior right-hander Casey Mendenhall. Mendenhall is 7-1 on the season with a 2.99 ERA. He has 6 strikeouts and 24 walks.
"He can throw three pitches for strikes," Cochell said. "He has a fastball, change-up and curveball."
Kansas will counter with junior Jimmy Walker on the mound. Walker, 5-2, was scheduled to pitch against Southwest Missouri State on Wednesday, but rain washed that plan
away.
Walker has a 3.57 ERA and has won three of his last four starts, including a no-decision against Wichita State on April 1 in which he pitched 9 1/3 innings, giving up four hits and one run.
Bingham said sophomores Chris Corn and David Meyer would start tomorrow's double-header with senior Curtis Schmidt scheduled for Sunday.
The Jayhawk pitching staff must deal with one of the top hitters in the country this weekend. Senior second baseman Brian Eldridge for Oklahoma has posted some incredible numbers so far this season. He is hitting .397 with 20 home runs and 62 RBI. His 20 homers tie him for the national lead in that category.
Baseball standings
| | Big 8 | Overall |
| :--- | :--- | :--- |
| Oklahoma State | 8-4 | 30-10 |
| Oklahoma | 8-4 | 27-15 |
| Nebraska | 5-3 | 24-14 |
| Iowa State | 6-6 | 16-14 |
| Missouri | 7-9 | 21-15 |
| Kansas State | 6-10 | 22-20 |
| Kansas | 4-8 | 21-17 |
Games this weekend
Games this weekend
Oklahoma at Kansas, Nebraska at Missouri,
Iowa State at Oklahoma State, Benedictine at K-12
Philp Meiring/KANSAN
Illinois State University heptathlete Jannette Whitcomb takes a rest after winning the 800-meter run at the Kansas Relays heptathlon.
Cold wind does not dampen spirits at Relays
Kansan sportswriter
By Chris Jenson
Cool temperatures and rain are expected to continue through the week.
"Iheard the weather was supposed to be in the mid-m70," Nebraska decathlete Rick Schwieger said. "But I don't think it got above 65."
The second day of competition at the 67th annual Kansas Relays was marked by cold and windy weather yet the teams were strong enough to dampen the spirits of the athletes.
Schweiger finished second in the decathlon, but he also qualified for the Olympic trials. He finished the competition with a score of 7,680. He needed 7,680 to qualify for the trials.
Former Kansas State decathlete Steve Fritz won the event with 7,952
points, also qualifying for the Olympic trials.
Schwieger had nothing but praise for Fritz after the competition.
"He was one of the reasons I chose the Kansas Relays," he said. "It's a great benefit to have him in the meet."
Schweiger said he and Fritz had been friends for several years and that he
"He's a great athlete," he said. "I
that he will probably make the U.S.
team."
Kansas sophomore Chris Walters improved from seventh place after the first day to finish fifth. He said he was impressed with his second day's performance.
the top three finishers at the Olympic trials will make the Olympic team
"I had a bad second day," Walters said. "I was slipping on the discing and I had a bad vaulting session. The cold weather didn't help much at all."
Walters said his second day of the decathlon usually was stronger than his first day, but this time it was the opposite.
Walters scored 6,764 points but had hoped to break into the 7,000 point range. He will compete in the men's halffinals and he wouldn't fatigue wouldn't be a factor for him.
"At Big Eights last year I did the decathlon and the pole vault on the same day," he said. "My legs may hurt a little bit, but that's all."
"I was hoping I would do better," he said. "If I could have followed with a good second day, I could have scored 7,000 easily."
And they're off!
Here's your guide to viewing the competition at the Kansas Relays.
Morning session: 8 a.m.-12:20 p.m.
Afternoon session Begins at 1 p.m. Last race runs at 5.07 p.m.
TOMORROW
Morning session 8 am - 11:30 am
Morning session: 8 a.m.-11:30 a.m.
Afternoon session: Begins at 12:30 p.m. Last race runs at 5:23 p.
Kansas Sports Information
Denise Brungardt, Wichita State, won the women's heptathlon with a score of 5,194 points. Jayhawks Sandy Wilder and Sarah McRey finished eighth and 12 respectively. Wilder scored 4,302 points and McRey scored
3,247.
The Relays will continue today at 8 a.m. with the women's two-mile run and the women's shot put. Today's first collegiate event will be the Billy Mills 10,000-Meter Run at 8:27.
Gorillas goape after Jayhawks' dual victory
By Cody Holt
Kansas sportswrite
After the No. 10 Kansas softball team shut out Pittsburgh State, 7-0 and 4-0, in a doubleheader yesterday at Jayhawk Field, coach Kalum Haack said he came away from a post-game chat with his team feeling confident about Kansas' hitting performance.
But what about the team's pitching performance?
"Our pitching was spectacular," said Haack.
Sophomore Stephani Williams and junior Jill Baila combined to limit the Gorillaz six hits, each pitch giving up three hits apiece through 12 innings. Williams recorded her 13th shutout of the year, improving her record to 21-2. Bailey pitched seven shutout innings in the second game, earning her fourth shutout of the year and improving her record to 12-2.
Bailey the hitting was the key to yesterday's victories.
"It's a lot easier to pitch when you have a four- or five-run lead," she said.
"Our bats have been kind of quiet latey, but today I think we got back on track."
In the first game, Kansas had 15 hits in 25 plate appearances. The Jayhawks loaded the bases in the bottom of the fifth with nobody out, when freshman Lora Richardson hit an infield single and brought fellow freshman Leah Rogers home, making the score 7-0. The game was called because the point spread was so wide.
In the second game, Kansas picked up where it left off when senior Christy Arterburn led off with a triple. Junior Shanna Cole promptly singled to right in Kansas' next at-bat, giving the 'Hawks a 1-0 lead. Kansas managed only three more runs and six more hits through the seven-inning game, but that was all Bailey needed.
Haack said he thought that his team would be very confident as it headed into this weekend's Big Eight Conference action.
"I feel real good about our hitting now," he said. "And I think the team is confident. These games should help us this weekend."
Kansas will play doubleheaders against Iowa State and Missouri this weekend at Jayhawk Field. The Jayhawks will play Iowa State at 2 p.m. and Missouri at 4 p.m. tomorrow and Sunday.
Loss puts Royals at 1-9
The misery continued at Royals Stadium for Kansas City as Keith Miller's two-base error with two outscans in the 10th inning last night allowed the only score in a 1-0 loss to the Oakland Athletics.
Kansas City, off to its worst start ever at 1-9, was victimized when Miller lost Willel Wilson's ball to left, Jamie Quirk, who had singled off reliever Jeff Montgomery (0-1), came around to score.
SPORTS BRIEFS
Dennis Eckersley pitched the 10th inning for his fourth save.
Stewart allowed a one-out double to George Brett in the second inning, a single to Gregg Jefferies in the sixth, and a bloop single to Brent Mayne in the seventh after walking Jim Eisenreich with two outs. Stewart had three strikeouts.
Earlier, Dave Stewart (1-0) and Kevin Apient ket the bats silent
Appier had given up only two runs in 13 innings in his first two starts for a 1.38 earned run average. He lost his last start 1-1 at Seattle.
Although he nicked Mark McGwire with a pitch in the second, Appier did not give up a hit until Carney Lansford
singled in the fourth. Wilson tripped with two outwits in the fifth, but Mike Bordick grounded to Appier, ending the inning.
The Kansas women's basketball team has signed 5-foot-10-inch Charisse Sampson of Washington Prep High School in Los Angeles. Sampson is a first-tier Parade All-American and has been named Los Angeles City Player of the Year as well as Southern California Player of the Year.
Appier walked Rickey Henderson and Carney Lansford with one out in the sixth, but Henderson was thrown out trying to steal, and Jose Canseco fled to left.
'Hawks sign prep prospect
Kansas coach Marion Washington
signed Sampson was one of the top five
leaders in the game.
"But what really sets her apart and makes her one of the elite is her tremendous court sense." Washington said. "She has a real feel for the game."
Sampon has been selected to play in the Kodak All-American high-school game which will be televised Saturday on ESPN.
Relays will honor runner
The Kansas Relays will honor former Jayhawk Sheila Wesson in the welcoming ceremonies at 12:30Saturday afternoon at Memorial Stadium. Wesson, who competed under her maiden name — Calmese, was the first three-time All-American in Kansas track history. She was also the only female Kansas runner to win a national championship. Wesson won the 300-yard dash at the AIAU Indoor National Championships in 1978. She also was the 1977 Big Eight Conference outdoor champion in the 100 and 200 dashes.
Kansas State projects OK'd
Kansas State University has received approval to build an indoor practice field, new stadium press box and sky boxes.
The two projects will cost an estimated $6.6 million. Private donations will finance the building projects.
The Board of Regents approved construction yesterday while at the University of Kansas. The projects are expected to be finished by August 1993.
From staff and wire reports
Kansas tennis teams to tackle Iowa, Nebraska this weekend
Bv Lvlle Niedens
Kansan sportswriter
After having posted a 3-10 record in the tough portion of its Big Eight Conference schedule, the Kansas men's tennis team is looking forward to the conference meet April 24-26.
But Coach Scott Perealman said anticipation would not translate into a lack of focus for this weekend's home matches against Iowa State and Nebraska. Kansas, 18-6 overall and ranked No. 21 nationally, will face the Cyclones tomorrow and the Cyclones Sunday.
"I feel pretty good about this group," Perelman said. "I think they continue to be focused. The strength of this group is in how well they get along and how focused they are at the task at hand."
conference seasons. Iowa State is 0-4 in the conference. Nebraska is 2-2.
The Jayhawks will attempt to keep their undefeated conference record intact against two teams that have struggled throughout their
Kansas senior Patrick Hain said he was glad the tough matches with Oklahoma State, Oklahoma and Colorado were over because playing those teams right before the conference tournament would have added physical wear and tear on the team.
The Kansas women's team, 13-4 overall and 4-0 in the conference, also will face the Cyclones and Corn-huskers this weekend.
"We had a big challenge early in the season and overcame it," Han said. "I don't think that anybody is going to be overlooking these match-ups."
Perealman said he would rest No. 6 singles player Manny Ortiz toremow and play sophomore Brian Harin instead. Perealman said that Sunday No. 5 singles player Rhin Buth would rest and that Ortiz would play in Buth's spot while junior Brad Berrnth alplayed No. 6.
Kansas women's coach Michael Center said he was pleased with the team's recent performance. The Jayhawks, ranked No. 19 in the country, are coming off Wednesday's 8-1 dismantling of Kansas State.
"I think we’re getting some momentum coming down toward the end of the season, which I think any coach likes to see," Center said.
Center said he, too, would give some players rest this weekend, in particular No. 3 singles player Rebecca Jensen, who is suffering from shin splints, and No. 4 singles player Ana Gonzales.
The men's matches are scheduled to begin at 9 a.m. Saturday and Sunday, and the women's matches are scheduled for 2 p.m. on the same days. The matches will be held at the Allen Field House courts, but if poor weather interfeires, the matches will be moved to Alavamar Quaclet Club.