SPORTS UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN Thursday, March 17, 1994 13 22 Senior refuses to let injury take him out of the ballpark By Andrew Gilman Kansan sportswriter Senior outfielder Ron Oelschlagger has overcome injuries he suffered as a sophomore at Arizona to bat, .387 for the Jayhawks. He has 20 RBIs in 16 games this season. When Ron Oelschlager graduated from Lawrence High School in 1990 as a three-sport star, he was recruited by Kansas, Missouri and Kansas State for football. But Oelschlager, a senior, said he thought he had more talent in baseball. But on April 14, 1992, during his sophomore year at Arizona, Oelschlager collided with a teammate while chasing down a fly ball in left-center field. "Those football guys work too hard," Oelschlager said, who is the starting right fielder for the Kansas baseball team. "Plus, I didn't want to get injured." The collision resulted in his spleen popping, eight broken ribs and the loss of part of his pancreas. The pancreas injury led to a blood clot that caused two-thirds of a kidney to die. "It was during an intra-squad game," he said. "It was the day after my birthday, and I was going after this ball. I guess the left fielder didn't hear me as I dove for it, and his knee hit me right in the stomach." The injury forced him to miss the rest of the season. summer and fall ball. Now, after spending three years at Arizona, he has returned to his hometown and regained his old form. --- As a freshman at Arizona Oelschlager batted. 338 and was named a "Collegiate Baseball" Freshman All-American. Baseball was where he always had excelled Even though the three-time high school letter-winner started at quarterback his senior season and led the Lions to a state championship in football, he batted .500 as a junior and senior in baseball. Despite his skill in baseball, Oelschlager could not have avoided the injury. An injury that he said took away his confidence and frustrated him. "In baseball, you have to play every day," he said. "I thought I could do it my junior year. The coach told me that it was technique and fundamentals, but I knew that it was because I hadn't played. I found out it was too difficult. I was frustrated." Frustration was something for which Oelschlager was not ready. I came in here and had success right away," he said. "No one pressured me, and no one messed with my swing. I just went up there and swung the bat. I just left technique behind and didn't think too much." But after his freshman year, Oelschlager said that too much was expected of him. the coaches told me I had a good freshman year," he said. "But they wanted me to do more. They wanted me to hit 400, and that caused me to think too much. I was trying to do what they were telling me, and my average went down. When you think too much then you're done for." Celschlager's junior year began slowly, and the situation did not improve, he said. "I started off badly," he said. "Then they didn't give me a chance. "When I took the field I hesitated on the first fly ball that went into the gap. Let it drop." He finished the year with less than 40 at bats and a batting average of.135 with questionable fielding. That's when he said that he was ready for a change. "I needed to get out of there," Oelschlager said. Now he's a Jayhawk, and he credits his chance to play to Kansas coach Dave Bingham. "I told him when I came back that all I wanted was a chance," he said. "I knew if I had the chance that I'd be able to do it." Bingham has given Oelschlager that chance, and now he's watching the right fielder produce. His .387 batting average is third best among Kansas regulars. He's second on the team with 20 RBIs and is seven for seven in stolen bases. "I was concerned with him coming in and being the new guy on the team, especially as a senior," Bingham said. "But he has done a great job of fitting in. Now, I think he has established himself, he's a great addition to our team." Oelschlager also has earned the respect of his teammates, including former Lawrence High teammate Darrvl Monroe. "I know he's really had to work hard and be patient," Monroe said. "I admire him for that. He's really picking up a lot of slack this year, he's one of the guys who has really stepped up." Junior starting left fielder Josh Igou agreed. "You know if there's a飞 ball to right and there's two outs, you can start walking toward the dugout," he said. "Ronnie is sure about himself and he has a real strong character." All the while Oelschlager attributes his comeback to Bingham. "When I came back to Kansas he told me, I'm going to stick with you," Oelschlager said. "That took a lot of pressure off me, and made me respect him even more. "He knows his players, and he understands the mental aspects of the game. Now it's all clicking for me." 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KU M• In, 8-8, Fn, & Sat. /-9, Sun, /-0 (303) 4230654 (Weston I-70 Through Denver. Take Exit 267 on Kipling St. Go South 1 Block) Of University Residence Halls The Association of University Residence Halls announces Dr. Caryl K. Smith Leadership Scholarship This award will be presented to one student currently living in the University of Kansas Residence Hall system. The recipient will have demonstrated outstanding leadership and service within the residence halls throughout the year. Eligibility - The scholarship will be open only to students who will be returning to the Halls for the 1994-1995 academic year. - RAs,SSAs,CDs,GRHDs,APCs are ineligible for the award. - All applicants are required to submit an application to the AURH office by Tuesday, March 29, 1994. Applications are available through the AURH office or your complex director. If you have any questions, please call the AURH office at 864-4041.