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University Daily Kansan / Monday. April 6, 1992
SPORTS
'Hawks split series with No.10 Cowboys
Bv Jerry Schmidt
Kansan sportswriter
The Kansas baseball team took a giant step towards getting back into the Big Eight Conference race this weekend by splitting a four-game road series with conference leader Oklahoma State. The Jayhawks capped the series yesterday by beating the No. 10 Cowboys 9-3.
After the the first two games, the chances of splitting the series seemed slim for the Jayhawks, who had not won in Stillwater, Oka., in 10 years.
and beat the Cowbys 3-1, despite having only two singles.
Kansas coach Dave Bingham said Kansas's chances at making the conference's post-season tournament were in jeopardy before the victories.
"We're in a survival mode," he said.
"They win two wins for a chance at
a championship."
The 'Hawks are now 10-15 overall and 4-8 in the conference. The back-to-back victories marked the first time in 18 years that Kansas accomplished the feat against Oklahoma State.
"To get them in their own yard gives us a lot of confidence," junior first baseman John Wuycheck said. "It shows anyone can win on any given day."
Wuycheck provided the offensive
spark for the Jayhawks yesterday.
He was 2-for-4 with two home runs and four RBI. It was his second four-RBI game of the season.
Bingham said Wuycheck had rebounded nicely from an early confer-
"John had a tough stretch starting with K-State," he said. "You could tell he was coming out in the fourth game against Nebraska."
Wuychecheck now has six home runs on the season. His three-run home run in the top of the seventh turned a 4-3 Kansas lead into a four-run cushion.
Wuycheck had five RBI in Kansas' battle against the Corniluskers on March 18.
Junior designated hitter Kent Mahon
got things rolling for Kansas yesterday, when he belted a solo home run in the top of the third dinner. The Cowboys responded in the bottom of the onning on an RBI-single by Manny Gagliano.
Oklahoma State scored two more runs in the bottom of the fifth inning on a two-run home run by Sean Hugo put the Cowboys on top 3-1.
Wuycheck hit his first homer of the afternoon in the top of the sixth inning to pull Kansas to within a run. Junior right fielder Rory Tarquino later evened the score at three with an RBI-single in the same inning.
a four-run seventh inning for the Jaya-hawks proved to be the difference. Freshman second baseman DAN Rude had an RBI-double before Wuycheck's
three-run homer. Kansas added two more runs in the ninth.
Once again junior pitcher Jimmy Walker was at the top of his game against tough competition. After a strong performance against No. 1 Wichita State on Wednesday, Walker pitched 7 1/2 innings yesterday for the victory. Walker, now 4-2, gave up three runs on six hits.
Junior Junior Bacon picked up his first save of the season by holding the Cowboys scoreleader for the 1/1 innings. He struck out two hitters and walked one.
"Joel looks real good in the relieving position," Bingham said. "Hehad some nasty stuff. His slider was outstanding."
Tarquinio, Mahon and freshman
Big Eight Standings
Oklahoma State 6-2
Oklahoma 6-2
Nebraska 3-1
Missouri 5-7
Kansas State 5-7
Iowa State 3-5
KANSAS 4-8
Josh Igoh each had two hits on the day. Tarquino had two RBI.
The Jayhawks will travel to Springfield, Mo. tomorrow to play two games with the Southwest Missouri State Bears. Tomorrow's game begins at 4 p.m. and Wednesday's game will start at 3 p.m.
Chris Brady, Salina senior, attempts to pin opponent Brice Tiberghien from Missouri. Brady won the match by half a point, or a wawr
Judo club combines practicality with fun
By Cody Holt
Kansan sportswriter
When Hikaru Murata came to Kansas from Japan in 1986 he brought the national sport of his homeland with him.
Murata, who competed in judo in Japan and now teaches it at Kansas, founded KU's Nipon Kempo club in 1975, specialized area of Nippon Kempo.
The club sponsored its sixth tour-
nment on Saturday, the Kansas
Judo Association President Cup
in association II, at Robinson
Gymnasium.
The tournament attracted teams from across the Midwest, including teams from Oklahoma, Iowa, Nebraska and Missouri. In all, were 78 participants competing in 24
divisions.
Eight KU students from the club, which has about 30 students, competed in the tournament. Six of Kansas' entries placed in the top three, including two who won division championships.
Despite the fact that the club sponsors a judo tournament every semester, Murata said there were still a lot of misconceptions about the sport.
"Most people don't know what judo is," he said. "They get it confused with karate, but there is no punching or kicking in judo."
Murada said judo was a lot like American wrestling. He said a lot of people called it jacket wrestling because the participants wear gis, robe-like shirts worn during compete-
tition, which may be utilized when trying to throw an opponent.
Melissa Winkleman, Lenexa senior, and the only woman in the club, said judo combined three combative elements: mat work, throws and choking. She said the goal was to either pin the opponent or force them to concede.
She said that the sport was very physical.
"Judo was originated in feudal Japan," she said. "It comes from a fighting tradition. It can get pretty rough."
Winkleman finished second this weekend in what was her first tour- nament
"I'm just beginning to learn the sport," she said. "But I enjoy it, it's fun."
Kepper Mullett, president of the club, said judo could appeal to a student for a number of reasons. He said it was an excellent way to stay in shape and was very physically demanding.
Mullett, who took first place in the 156-pound men's senior division, said a lot of students with wrestling experience became involved with judo.
"It definitely has to be something you enjoy," he said. "But it also has practical applications for self-defense."
Murata said anyone could join the Nippon Kempo club at any time and there were no club dues. He said competitions were divided by age and weight, but many students join the club without ever competing in a tournament.
Duke one step away from elusive repeat
The Associated Press
MINNEAPOLIS — Success sometimes has a way of erasing the memories of how difficult it was to achieve.
For now, however, Duke is poised on the brink of college basketball history very much aware of what a battle it has been to get to the NCAA championship game.
Duke is 40 minutes from becoming the first team to repeat as national champion in 19 years. The trip to tonight's game against Michigan and the playoffs, which brought to the least, especially for a team that ran the regular season as No. 1.
"We feel fortunate to be here," coach Mike Krzewzski said. "Seton Hall, Kentucky and Indiana have been very tough games for us. Teams play at a high level against us and we expect the same from Michigan..."
Senior forward Brian Davis sprained his right ankle in Saturday's victory against Indiana and Krzyzewski said it was doubtful he would play in the championship game.
"If we lose it won't be because Brian
Davis is hurt, "he said. "You play who you have and if they win, they win."
Duke has not lost an NCAA game since the 1990 final, when UNLV beat the Blue Devils 103-73. That loss was avenged last year in the semifinals, when UNLV was denied a chance to repeat.
Duke, 33-2, has won its last three games, albeit not in the style Blue Devil fans and detractors have come to expect.
Seton Hall had stopped national player of the year Christian Laetner in the second half and was within six points late in the game. Kentucky was next and if you need details of that one you slept through 600 consecutive sports highlights shows. The Blue Devils' fifth straight Final Four appearance and a chance at defending came down to a miracle shot by Laetner as the overtime buzzer sounded.
The Wolverines were seeded sixth in the Southeast Region, the same number Kansas was when the Jayhawks won the national championship in 1988.
Stanford captures title
The Associated Press
LOS ANGELES — Stanford won its second NCAA title in three years yesterday with outstanding play by one veteran and one freshman.
Junior center Val Whiting had 17 points and 13 rebounds and freshman forward Rachel Hemmer had 18 points and 15 rebounds as the Cardinal defeated Western Kentucky 78-62. The victory margin matched the largest-ever in a women's NCAA championship game, achieved on three other occasions.
The Cardinal, 30-8, beat the Lady Topsters, 27-8, who were playing in their first-ever NCAA championship game, without hitting a basket in the final 9:59.
After Stanford took its biggest lead, 65-44, with 10 to 10 play. Western Kentucky capitalized on turnovers and climbed back into the game with a 15-3 run. It cut the lead to nine on Kim Pehike's fourth three-pointer of the day and Trina Wilson's free throw with 2:23 left to play. The Cardinal made 13 of 17 free throws after hitting its last field goal.
Junior point guard Molly Goodenbour, a member of Stanford's 1990 championship team, was named the tournament's mostoutstanding player.
goodenbour. Whiting and Hemmer made the all-tourney team, along with Pehike and Virginia's Dawn Staley.
Goodenbour had 28 points and 12 assists in the Final Four and hit four key three-pointers in the Cardinal's 66-65 victory against top-ranked Virginia in the semifinals.
Pekhle finished with 16 points, and Lalang Lang added 18 points and 12 rebounds.
Leading 37-27 at the half, Stanford quickly padded its lead, moving ahead 59-35 on a three free throws by Christy Hedgpath with 13-20 to play. She scored 10 points during the spurt and finished with 17.
The Cardinal took charge of the first half with a 15-6 run that turned a 17-16 Western Kentucky lead into an eighth-point Stanford advantage with 4:20 left in the half.
Whiting and Hemmer controlled the inside, and the Lady Toppers could not hit from outside. They shot 28.6 percent from the field in the game.
Hemmer scored 10 of the Cardinal's first 18 points and finished the period with 12. She and Chris MacMurdo controlled the boards, combining for 17 rebounds.
SPORTS BRIEFS
Williams wins AP award
Kansas basketball coach Roy Williams was virtually unknown when he arrived at Kansas four years ago.
For his efforts, Williams was named The Associated Press' 1991-92 college basketball coach of the year Friday at a news conference in Minneapolis, site of the Final Four. It marked the third consecutive season that Williams had won a national coach of the year award.
Today, he is regarded as one of the top coaches in all of college basketball. Williams did nothing to disprove that notion this season, leading a team that lost four of its top six players from a year ago to 27-5record and a Big Eight Conference Championship.
Williams edged UNLV coach Jerry Tarkanian by 12 votes in the closest vote ever to win the award, which was determined before the NCAA tournament by a nationwide panel of sportswriters and sportscasters. Duke coach Mike Krzewski finished third in the voting.
Royals to open tonight
In addition to Williams, who became the first Big Eight coach ever to win the award, Duke center Christian Laetner will be head coach at Iowa University the year by AP at the news conference.
Kevin Appier will be the Kansas City Royals opening-night pitcher against the Oakland Athletics tonight at the Oakland Coliseum. Dave Stewart will
start for the A's.
The Royals have made themselves over since last season by not re-signing Danny Tartabull, trading away Bret Saberhagen and Kirk Gibson, releasing third baseman Kevin Seitzer, and signing first baseman Wally Joyner.
Experts favor the Chicago White Sox and the Minnesota Twins over the A's and Royals in the American League West.
The Kansas softball team began it's Big Eight Conference season by sweeping Nebraska and No. 6 Oklahoma State last weekend in Stillwater, Okla.
Kevin McReynolds, Gregg Jefferies and Keith Miller — all acquired in the deal with the New York Mets for Saber-hagen — will start for the Ravens.
Two break Kansas records at Texas Relays
Softball team sweeps
Kansas defeated Nebraska 3-2 in the first game and 2-1 in the second. Freshman Krissy Carpenter had an RBI in each game and junior Shanna Cole went 2-for-3 with a double in the first game. Junior pitcher Jill Bailey improved her record to 7-2.
Sophomore pitcher Stephani Williams held the Cowboys scoreleel in both games as the Jayhawks won 1-0 in each game. She improved her record to 15-2 and recorded 10 strikeouts in the two games.
From staff and wire reports
The No. 18 Jayhawk improved to 27
overall and 4 in the Big Eight.
By Chris Jenson
Kansan sportswriter
Senior middle distance runner Cathy Palacios was not expecting to win the women's 1,500 meters at the U.S. Olympic trials, Texas, last weekend. But she did
Palacios said she did not expect to do well in the race because of the caliber of the competition. Also, it was early in the season when he had been sheered she was tired and was not feeling well.
"I got pushed back in the pack and tripped a couple of times," she said.
"But everything seemed to fall into place."
"The competition was just incredible," she said. "There were some phenomenal athletes."
Palacios finished the 1,500 in 4:22.28 and set a new Kansas record. The old record was set in 1980 by Michelle Brown with a time of 4:24.2.
He said Palacios and the rest of the Kansas track team impressed teams from across the country with a strong showing at the meet.
"For her to be running that fast at this time of the year is pretty excit- ting."
"People were making comments like 'It's good to see Karaas doing well.'"
Both the men's and women's teams competed in the meet, which was not
Although the men did not crown any
The two-mile relay team of senior Jason Teal, sophomores Dan Waters and Michael Cox and junior Jon Handy finished second with a time of 7.25.
champions at the Texas Relays, they had a strong showing.
Junior Julia Saul also had a good meet for the women.
Kansas will compete in the John Jacobs Invitational this weekend in Norman, Okla., and then play host to the 67th annual Kansas Relays April 15-18.
Saul ran a personal best in the 5,000 meters. She finished ninth overall but was the second collegian to finish. Noncollegiate athletes were allowed to enter the individual races at the meet.
Her time of 16.52.02 broke the school record by nearly seven seconds and provisionally qualified her for the NCAA Outdoor Championships. The
The athletes who have the best provisional marks but have not automatically qualified for the NCAA meet will be allowed to compete.
Sophomore Heather Berlin also had a solid meet for Kansas. She finished third in the javelin with a throw of 50.62 meters. It was her best throw of the year and increased her provisionally qualifying distance for the NCAA Outdoor Championships.
old school record was set in 1979 by Karen Fitz.
Kansas tennis teams strong in Big Eight openers
By Lyle Niedens
Kansan sportswriter
Kansas women's tennis coach, Michael Center, said the Jayhawks sent a message to the Big Eight Conference this weekend.
Kansas, ranked No. 17 in the country,
opened its conference season with a 5-4
defeat of Oklahoma State on Friday,
then pounded Oklahoma 0-6 Saturday.
"To beat those two teams kind of set the tone for the conference." Center said.
That tone began with a tough victory
against the Cowboys. Despite losses at No. 1 and No. 2 singles by Eveline Hamers and Nora Koves, the Jayhawks won winning two of three doubles matches.
"Everybody hung in there," Center said. "We didn't play as well as we could have, but I was real happy with everybody sticking together to help us win the match."
Center said Oklahoma was not as forceful a team as he had expected.
teams badly in this conference."
"We were much stronger than they were," he said, "I think I continued to fight."
Senior Rafael Rangel paced Kansas in its victory against the Sooners.
The Kansas men's tennis team also enjoyed a successful weekend in Oklahoma.
The No. 21 Jayhawks redeemed their only two conference losses last season by defeating Oklahoma State 6-3 Friay and Oklahoma 5-4 Saturday in the opening weekend of Kansas' conference season.
At No. 1 singles, Rangel defeated last season's conference champion, Michael Martinez, 6-7, 7-5, 6-3. He also
teamed with senior Patrick Han to win at No. 2 doubles.
Doubles proved to be the Jayhawks' salvation against Oklahoma State. Kansas swept all three doubles matches with a win; Colorado tied 3-8 with singles play completed.
Rangel said it was important to start the conference season on a positive note.
"Right now, we've got a little confidence going," Rangel said. "Hopefully we can keep it. If we would have started out 0-2, we probably would have felt like we had to make up some ground. This puts us in a better position."