University Daily Kansan / Friday, March 20, 1992
SPORTS
9
Berblinger settles into lead-off role
By Jerry Schmidt
A change of scenery was all that Kansas second baseman Jeff Berblinger needed to cure his early-season hitting slump.
Kansan sportswriter
After starting the season with one hit in his first 17 at-bats, primarily hitting in the third spot of the Jayhawks' batting order, the junior from Goddard has hit .321 with five RBI and seven stolen bases since he was moved to the lead-off position seven games ago.
Berblinger will get a chance to solidify his place in the lead-off position when the Jayhawks play host to intrastate rival Kansas State today in their Big Eight Conference opener at Hogland-Maupin Stadium.
The two teams will begin a fourgame series this afternoon with a single game at 4 p.m. Tomorrow the two will play a doubleheader starting at 2 p.m. The series will conclude with a noon game Sunday.
Game times for today and Sunday's games were changed to avoid conflict with the starting times of the Kansas basketball team's game today and
possible game Sunday in the NCAA tournament.
Kansas baseball coach Ding Bingham said that switching Berlinger to the lead-off spot may have taken some pressure from him. Instead of worrying about driving in runs, Berlinger is able to concentrate solely on his atbat.
"Jeff plays with a lot of intensity and he gets frustrated," Bingham said. "He's done a great job rebounding from an awful start."
Berblinger, a second team all-conference selection last year, said the move had enabled him to do different things at the plate.
"Now I will need to get on base more," he said. "I will have more opportunities to swing earlier in the count because the pitcher will try to get ahead in the count and I will see more fastballs."
With his tendency to get on base, Berblinger has all the characteristics of a lead-off hitter. He set a school record last year with 81 hits.
This season he leads the team with 13 stolen bases. He has also been hit a team-leading 12 times by pitches and
has been walked 10 times.
Kansas enters today's game with a six-game winning streak and a 14-4 record, the best overall mark in the Big Eight this season. Kansas is ranked No. 35 in the latest Collegiate Baseball magazine poll.
The Wildcats come into the game on a roll of their own, winning six of their last seven games. They have a 16-8 record.
Kansas State state Craig Wilson, an All-American candidate at shortstop. Wilson is hitting a high-643 this season and leads the "Cats in hits, RBI, doubles, triples and at-bats. Wilson is the all-time school leader in career hits, total bases, doubles and at-bats at K-State. He is second on K-State's career list for total RBI.
Both teams are coming into the series with victories against the Arkansas Razorbacks. The Jayhawks beat Arkansas 6-5 Tuesday, after the 'Cats ripped the Hogs 11-7 Monday.
SUNGLASSES FOR EVERY STYLE
Rey'ban
Etc. Shop, DKNY,
Lev's'is
The 928 Mass.
Etc. 0:5:30 Mon-Sat Till 8 On thons
Shop 843-0611
Wilson was a third team All- America selection last year and was the leading hitter for the U.S. team at the 1991 Pan-American Games.
The Jayhawks had two relay teams make All-American time qualifications in competition yesterday.
The 200-meter freestyle relay team of Krista Cordsen, Ronda Lusty,
Aimee Brainard and Heather McRoberts finished 12th with a time of
1 minute, 38.98 seconds.
Sophomore Krista Cordsen had a solid day for Kansas. In addition to swimming on both relay teams, Cordsen placed 19th in the 200-meter individual medley with a time of 2.03:37.
Pranger will swim in the 100 butterfly day. She said that she used her butterfly leg of the 400 medley relay yesterday as a warm-up for today's competition.
The Kansas women's swim team is in 17th place after the first day of competition at the NCAA championships in Austin, Texas.
Barb Pranger and Heather McRoberts finished 15th with a time of 3:49.20.
SPORTS BRIEFS
But for the race she will have to deal
Kansas swimmers in 17th place at NCAA meet
Senior Barb Pranger will swim the final 100-meter butterfly of her college career today. She has been an All-America in the event for the past three years.
with an unexpected problem. Pranger was kicked in the eye in warm-ups yesterday and suffered a black eye. But she said that her injury should not affect her performance.
The 400-meter medley relay team of Kristen Carlson, Krista Cordsen,
"I tried to be more under control in the finals than I was in the prelims," she said. "But tomorrow I will try to go out faster."
The Kansas softball team will take its 12-2 record into Omaha, Neb., on Sunday for a game against Creighton.
Outdoor season starts for Kansas track
The Kansas track and field team will put their own version of the transition game into practice Saturday at the Sixth Annual Pink and Blue Alumni Meet at Memorial Stadium.
It will be the team's first outdoor meet of the season.
Softball team to play Creighton
It will be the team's first outdoor meet of the season. "The meet will be a transition from our indoor season to our outdoor season," said Kansas track coach Gary Schwartz.
Kansas was scheduled to play at Washburn yesterday, but the game was canceled because of rain and rescheduled for April 20.
rent track and field athletes.
The Ipoh School Indoor season last weeked at the NCAA Indoor Championships.
Shwartz said the meet would be low-key and feature Kansas track and field alumni in competition against cur-
FromKansan staff reports
The posters will be available at KU Bookstores in the Kansas and Burge Unions and at the Kansan business office.
dow: A poster can be yours for only $2.00!!
When: Today and while supplies last.
The University Daily Kansan would like to give the best fans in the nation the opportunity to support our Minneapolis-bound basketball team with the newest addition to the 1991-92 Jayhawk Basketball Poster Series. Complete your collection with our post-season posters!
Why: The poster will have this March Madness color design on the front, as usual, along with the NCAA tournament bracket on the back. This will allow you to show your support for the team while still being able to keep track of KU's victims on their way to Minneapolis!
First Donation
$10
Second Donation
$15
For Donating Plasma 816 W.24th St(Behind Laird Noller Ford) Open Monday-Friday 8am-6pm, Saturday 9am-1pm Help Yourself To Cash By Helping Others!
Hispanic-American Leadership Organization
Presents
Saturday, March 21st