Inside Sports
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
Sports
Clemson's Rick Barnes is set to replace Tom Penders as head coach of the Texas men's basketball team.
O'Meara wins
Mark O'Meara birdied on the final hole to capture the win at another storied Masters.
Monday
April 13, 1998
Section:
B
Page 1
SEE PAGE 4B
SEE PAGE 5B
Kansas Tennis
The men's team lost on Senior Day, and the senior women went out with a victory.
Page 1
SEE PAGE 3B
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Kansas center fieldier Clint Wyrick runs home in the seventh inning. Despite tying yesterday's game at 4-4 in the seventh, Texas Tech went on to win 7-4. Photo by Steve Puppie/KANSAN
Miscue throws weekend series
Texas Tech takes game after miss in ninth inning
By John Blakely Wilson
Kansan sportswriter
Kansas (17-18) has been close to knocking off nationally ranked teams, but small miscues in close games have stopped the team. After losing 18-3 Friday, Kansas bounced back to a 4-1 victory Saturday but yesterday's loss turned the weekend into another losing series.
Kansas pitcher Mark Corson picked up a dribbler and gunned the ball to second base, looking for a force play in the top of the ninth inning of a 4-4 game with nationally ranked Texas Tech (29-13).
Shortstop John Nelson did not have his eyes on the ball and it sailed by his glove into center field. Texas Tech scored on the play. Kansas allowed three more runs in the inning, losing 7-4.
"We walked too many, struck out too much and made defensive mistakes." Kansas coach Bobby Randall said. "We can't dwell on those things -- baseball is a game that is played over a season, not just one game."
Rusty Philbrick started on the mound Sunday, working six and two-third innings and allowing three runs. Third baseman Sparky Wilhelm had three hits, finishing the series with seven hits in 12 at bats. Poor defense again plauged Kansas. Nelson had a rough game with four errors.
"We have to find a way to step up in close games with all the ones we've lost." Wilhelm said. "Great teams win close games."
The Jayhawks were defeated Friday night behind an outstanding game by Texas Tech catcher Josh Bard and third baseman Keith Ginter.
Bard, whose older brother is Kansas assistant coach Mike Bard, hit three
home runs and a triple while driving in eight runs. The younger Bard spent last summer catching for the United States Olympic Team and was Big 12 Freshman of the Year in 1997.
"We spent a lot of time out on the diamond working on hitting growing up," Bard said. "I still want to get him out every time he comes to the plate against us."
Ginter, a consensus All-American last season, went 6-for-6 and scored five runs in the game.
Pitchers Brian Schriner, Chad Shuster and Josh Bailey combined to give the Jayhawks one of their best pitching performances of the year Saturday. Schriner started and worked six and one-third innings, allowing Texas Tech's only run of the game. Shuster worked one inning, and Bailey picked up his first save in an inning and one third.
Catcher Josh Dimmick and Wilhelm led the Kansas offense with two hits and one run batted in each. Dimmick also had a solo home run.
The Jayhawks play a home-andhome series with traditional power Wichita State on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Kansas first baseman Randy Case catches the ball as a Texas Tech player runs toward the base. The Jayhawks were defeated yesterday 7-4 at home. Photo by Steve Puppie/KAN SAN
Strong winds don't blow Kansas regatta
By Marc Sheforgen
msheforgen@kansan.com
Kansan staff writer
It was parent's weekend for the Kansas women's rowing team, and the Jayhawks did not disappoint, fighting through strong winds to capture two first-place finishes at Saturday's Kansas Regatta.
The Varsity Eight and the Varsity Lightweight Eight docked with smiles on their faces after holding off Kansas State. Texas and Creighion.
Coach Rob Catloth was especially pleased with the victory in the final race of the day, the Varsity Eight. Kansas had lost to K-State last fall and again last week in Iowa. Saturday it was all Jayhawks, as they trounced the Wildcats by more than five seconds.
"We won the premier race of the day," Catloth said. "It was like winning a Big 12 Championship for us."
Coxswain Nikia Rosenberger said the victory was especially rewarding because the rowers had been struggling with focus and mental toughness during previous races.
"Today everything was there," Rosenberger said. "Everything was clicked."
Amy Hathaway, who rowed in the lightweight four, said that the team's stamina was improving as a result of good winter workouts.
"Our boat keeps on improving every race we have," Hathaway said. "We're feeling more confident and comfortable every time out."
Saturday's regatta was scheduled to be held on the Kansas River, but had to be moved because the river was overflowing and there were too many tree branches obstructing the course. Instead action took place at Clinton Lake's Bloomington Park.
Following the regatta was a barbecue sponsored by the University of Kansas Athletics Department. Rowers, parents and other spectators gathered to feast on sandwiches, potato salad, baked beans and soda.
Next for the Jayhawks is a regatta at Kansas State this weekend.
Wind winds down doubleheaders with losses
Kansas sophomore Christy McPhail swings at the ball during the first game of a doubleheader against Oklahoma. Photo by Steve Puppe/KANSAN
Kansas softball team battled the elements, Sooners, Cowboys
By Laura Bokenkroger
Kansan sportswriter
The Kansas softball team has struggled in close games this season, dropping 18 games by two runs or less.
In two doubleheaders against Oklahoma and Oklahoma State this weekend, the Jayhawks dropped three of four games.
Battling a strong wind yesterday afternoon at Jayhawk Field, Kansas was swept by the fifth-ranked Oklahoma Sooners.
The first game was a pitchers' duel between Kowal and Oklahoma hurler Lana Moran.
The Jayhawks were held to two hits in the shutout. Oklahoma scraped out a run on four hits in the top of the fifth innings for a 1-0 win.
Kansas fell 1-0 in all three.
in the second game, despite the wind slowing fly balls, both teams managed to pick up more hits.
"The wind was a huge factor," said Kansas coach Tracy Bunge. "It was not a hitters' day. The wind makes it tough to swing the bat. It wears you out."
Both teams struggled to string the hits together, sending the scoreless game into extra innings.
The Sooners loaded the bases in the top of the ninth. Oklahoma catcher Ashli Barrett hit a shot to center field scoring the winning run for Oklahoma, despite a perfect throw by Kansas center fielder Julie True.
"It was frustrating because we had the
opportunity to win, but we just didn't get the key hit." Bunge said.
"We're playing a lot better," True said.
"We competed with the fifth-ranked team in the country, and in a way, it is a confidence builder."
Both of Kansas' opponents last weekend were nationally ranked teams, and True said keeping the games close proves that Kansas was a good team.
Against No. 8 Oklahoma State, the Jayhawks split their fifth consecutive doubleheader in April.
In the first game Saturday, the Jayhawks were unable to score despite posting seven hits, including a two-hit performance by left fielder Sara Holland and shortstop Michelle Hubler.
Pitcher Jessi Kowal gave up only one run on six hits, but it was all the Cowgirls needed to win 1-0.
In the second game, the Jayhawks scored in the first inning when Hubler hit an RBI single to right field, bringing Holland home for the lead.
Kansas pitcher Christy McPhail held the Cowgirls scorele through five innings. McPhail gave up the no-hitter in the sixth inning, and walked two batters to load the bases.
Kowal came in to pitch, and the Cowgirls picked up a run to tie the game.
The Jayhawks play Wichita State at 3 and 5 p.m. tomorrow at Jayhawks Field.
Kansas took the lead again when third baseman Sarah McCann hit an RBI single to center field that scored right fielder Jennifer Funkhouser.
Holland picked up an RBI to score second baseman Lezli Leathers, putting the Jayhawks up 3-1. Kowal gave up only one hit in the seventh to secure the win for the Jayhawks.
By Angela Johnson
The Kansas wind blew at the K.T. Woodman Track Classic Saturday, but the Kansas track and field team wasn't blown away by the competition.
Track teams perform well in Wichita
At Cessna Stadium in Wichita, the Jayhawk men took the top team honors against Kansas State and Wichita State. Kansas took the lead after seven events and never looked back. Kansas finished with 147 points. K-State with 141 points and Wichita State with 105 points.
Kansan sportswriter
Coach Gary Schwartz said that the athletes had to compete, regardless of the wind.
"You don't call off a football game because it's cold and snowy," Schwartz said. "An athlete has to compete in all kinds of situations and all kinds of weather conditions. That's the mark of a quality athlete."
The Kansas men dominated in the triple jump and the 3,000-meter run. Ricardo Ameczuca and Jerry Pullins finished first and second in the 3,000-meter run. Ameczuca, Acambaro, Mexico sophomore, won with a time of 8:44.70. Pullins, Middletown, R.I., senior, finished at 8:46.10.
Lester Smith, St. Louis junior, leaped 50 feet to win the triple jump, and Marc Scheid, Overland Park senior, took second with a jump of 48 feet, 5 inches.
Scheid was the winner in the men's long jump. His personal record of 25 feet, 2 inches is only one and one-half inches
See WIND on page 2B
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