12
Monday, May 4, 1987 / University Daily Kansan
Sports
Huskers. bad field position doom the Jayhawks
By CRAIG ANDERSON Staff writer
LINCOLN, Neb. — For number two ranked Nebraska, Saturday was just another day at the office as they rolled over Kansas 54-2.
The only victory for Kansas was the opening coin toss, but even that turned out to be disastrous for the Javahawks.
Fred Sadowski/KANSAN
Nebraska cornerback Tim Jackson stands over Kansas freshman running back Frank Hatchett after the Huskers stopped a Kansas sweep for a loss. Hatchett's 46 yards rushing was a bright spot in the Jayhawks' 54-2 loss Saturday to Nebraska.
The Jayhawks took the kickoff at their own 12-yard line. Kansas then went to the three-plays-and-punt offense, which has plagued them for most of the 1987 season. Nebraska took over the ball at the Kansas 41 and six plays later was in the end zone on a three-yard touchdown run by fullback Micah Heibel. The same field position pattern was repeated two more times in the first quarter as the 'Huskers jumped to a 17-1 lead.
("Nebraska) plays the 80-50 rule real well." Kansas coach Bob Valence said. "They make you go 80 yards, and they go 50. You can't give a good team like Nebraska that good of field position."
It was a cold, overcast day in Lincoln with few surprises. Kansas and Nebraska left the game much the same as they began it — the Jayhawks still looking for answers and the "Huskers holding serve as they one step closer to their showdown with number one ranked Oklahoma.
"We were caught in the second phase of some push and shove," Valesente said of the penalties. "I see some inconsistency on the penalties being called. That didn't lose the game for us though."
Once again an ineffective offense and a horrendous amount of penalties paralyzed Kansas. Kansas had only 138 yards in total offence, which was almost negated by 104 yards in penalties. It was the second straight game that Kansas had over 100 yards in penalties.
The Kansas offense did little, if anything, to overcome the penalties. The Jayhawks first 11 offensive possessions netted 50 yards and 10 punts. Kansas couldn't sustain a drive until late in the fourth quarter when they marched 51 yards in nine plays against the Cornhusker's fourth team defense. The drive ended when freshman Kansas quarterback Kevin Verdugo threw his second interception of the game.
For the game, Verdugo completed nine of 23 passes for 64 yards. Verdugo had only two pass completions that were over ten yards, both in the fourth quarter. He said the Nebraska pass rush did pressure him some.
"The rush wasn't that fast, but it was consistent," Verdugo said. "They played hard throughout the game."
Valesente said he was happy with the effort that his team had given for
most of the game. But there was a period of four minutes in the fourth quarter when he felt his team was emotionally let down. Trying to head off the letdown, Valesente called a team meeting on the sidelines to kick off. After the game, he declined to talk about what was said during the meeting.
"I don't talk about team meetings," he said. "That is a private matter."
Senior fullback Mike Rogers said the meeting on the sidelines didn't include any yelling or screaming by Valesente, just some words about the
"He told us that we were letting down, and that we had to pick it back up." Rogers said.
In a game in which the final score offered little solace for the Jayhawks, players and coaches looked toward the little successes that they had accomplished.
The only score for Kansas came on a safety. Junior free safety Clint Normore blocked a Nebraska punt out of the end zone early in the fourth quarter. The blocked punt was the second of three safety blocks against safety Marvin Mattox blocked a punt for two points against Louisiana Tech.
"Nobody touched me, so I had a straight run at the ball." Normere said. "I had come close to blocking before, before, so I thought I had a chance."
Freshman tailback Frank Hatchett got a chance to play in the second half and displayed signs that he could be the Jayhawks running back of the future. Hatchett rushed for 40 yards in 12 carries. He also returned four kickoffs for 76 yards.
Valesente said he didn't know how Hatchett's performance against the 'Huskers would affect his playing time in the future.
"It's too early to tell right now," Valesente said at a post-game press conference. "Frankie Hatchett is an excellent running back. He got an opportunity to play, and he did well. He's got great speed and acceleration."
Hatchett said the loud Nebraska crowd of 76,053 didn't intimidate him. "It's fun to play up here," he said.
"It's fun to play up here,
"I look at it as a challenge."
Something Kansas didn't want to challenge Saturday was the abilities of the Nebraska ska turnovers, Dana Brinson and Rod Smith. Brinson came into the game averaging almost 50 yards a return. Smith had 17, 26. Each had returned a punt for a touchdown in earlier Nebraska games.
"We wanted to keep them from touching the ball by kicking the ball out of bounds as far downfield as possible," said Kansas punter John Brehm. "I had good success doing
that in the second half.'
Brehm replaced punter Rich Rieth, who had trouble in the first half getting distance on some of his pants. In the second half, only one of Brehm's six pants was returned. For the game, Brinson and Smith combined to return four punts for 21 vards.
In addition to dodging the Nebraska punt returners during the game, Kansas missed on the traditional handshakes between opposing coaches and players after the game. Jayawk players sprinted directly off the field as the final seconds ticked off the clock.
"There were no hard feelings between between our team and Nebraska University and I told Coach (Tom) Osborne that after the game," Valesente said. "I asked our team to leave the field early because of the four minutes in which I already mentioned. I didn't think our team deserved to mingle around after the game."
Kansas quarterback Kelly Donohoe is sacked by Nebraska defensive end Mike Croel. Croel sacked Donohoe for a 10-yard loss in the third quarter of Saturday's game.
Pitchers shut down Panthers for victory
By DARRIN STINEMAN Staff writer
The Kansas pitching staff allowed no earned runs and just seven hits in 15 innings at Saturday as the Jayhawks defeated the Neosho Community College Panthers 21-1 at Hoglund-Maupin Stadium.
Sophomore Steve Renko, senior Mike McLeed, and freshman Steve McGiness each pitched five innings, striking out 16 batters and walking four. The only Neosho run of the day was an unearned run in the fifth inning off Renko, who started the game for Kansas.
Kansas pitching coach Wilson Kilmer said he was most pleased with the control of the Jayhawk pitchers.
"They threw strong today," he said. "They didn't give away many bases."
Excessive walks have been a problem for the Kansas pitchers this season, especially for McGinniness. After walking the second batter he faced, the right hand from Flymouth, Neb., breezed through the rest of the final five innings. McGinniness struck out seven, gave up just two hits, and didn't walk another batter.
"I finally felt like I had control of my pitches, for the most part," he said. "I felt like I had pretty good stuff, but I didn't think I had the pop on the ball I've had in the past."
It was understandable that McGinnis 'fastball was't as fast Saturday as it normally is. The temperature at game time was 45 degrees, and it hovered around that mark for the entire day.
entire day.
"It was cold to begin with," McGinness said, "but when I was pitching I really didn't notice being cold."
Kilmer said the wildness McGinnis had displayed earlier in the season was the only thing that kept him from being an effective pitcher.
"He's got good stuff, but he's had a habit of walking people and creating problems for himself. He will not walk people, he's going to be tough to beat."
The offensive leader for the Jayhawks was junior Jon Pattin, who had three hits in six at-bats. He doubled and scored in the seventh inning, hit a two-run home run in the 10th inning, and singled in two runs in the 13th inning.
The Jayhawks' next game is scheduled for Tuesday against Crowder (Mo.) Community College.
Twins win 5-3 in playoff game with Tigers
Victory tonight would give Minnesota its first chance at World Series in 22 years
The Associated Press
DETROIT — Kirby Puckett and Greg Gagne homered, moving the Minnesota Twins within one game of their first World Series in 22 years with a 5-3 victory over the Detroit Tigers last night.
The victory broke a traveling jinx for the Twins — the worst road team in playoff history — and gave them a 3-1 advantage in the best-of-seven series.
Bert Blyleven, 15-12 and the winner of Game 2 at Minnesota, will go against Doyle Alexander, 9-0, Detroit's opening game loser, in
Detroit's Darrell Evans cost his team two runs with his baserunning and fielding.
Evans was picked off third base by Twins catcher Tim Laudner in the sixth inning with the Tigers trailing 5-3. The Giants rejoined Juan Bergereg threw a wild pitch.
in the eighth, Eyans, the Tigers' regular first baseman, made an error at third base as the Twins added their insurance run.
Gagne, the Twins shortstop, made
a first-inning error that cost his team a run, but so did Tigers right fielder Larry Herndon. And Herndon's fifth-inning fluff proved to be the difference as the Twins, 2-4 during the season, beat Tigers left-hander Frank Tanana, who contributed to his own downfall with a playoff record three hit batsmen.
Frank Viola, the Twins' opening-game starter, was the winner, although neither he nor Tanana was around at end. Viola was pitching on three days' rest, and he suddenly seemed to run out of steam in the fifth and sixth innings after retiring 12 in a row in one stretch.
While the Twins had a 29-52 record on the road this season, which is the worst of any division or pennant winner in history, and had won only nine road games since the All-Star break, they had baseball's best record against left-handed pitches. And they took advantage of the latter.
Puckett hit a solo homer in the third, and Gagne had one in the fourth. Between the two of them, they were 2-for-23 in the first three playoff
games. The Twins scored another run off Tanana, 15-10 during the season, with the help of Herndon's error in right field and a sacrifice fly by Gary Gaetti in the fifth. Minnesota chased Tanana with a run on pinchhitter Gene Larkin's RBI double in the sixth.
The Tigers scored their unearned in the first, got another in the fifth on Kirk Gibson's RBI single, then cut the lead to one run on pinch-hate Dave Bergman's RBI single. Viola left in that innning, to be picked up once again by the Twins' 'bullpen, which already had a victory and save in the series.
Steve Lombarddozi made it 8-3 with a two-out single in the eighth.
Berenger, who saved Game 2 with 1 2-3 scoreless innings, worked 2 2-3 more scoreless innings in Game 4 before giving way to Jeff Reardon, who worked the ninth. Reardon, who was the winner in Game 1 and loser in Game 3, earned his first postseason save.
Tannan had yielded only one run in his previous 24 innings' work, but the homer by Puckett, who had 28 dur
In the next inning, Gagne put the Twins ahead 2-1, hitting a 1-1 pitch from Tanana with one out. The hit was only the second in the playoffs for Gagne, but both have been homers. Gagne had 10 homers during the season.
The home runs brought the total by both teams to 12, one short of the playoff record. The Twins have seven, two short of the playoff mark for one team.
The steady leak continued in the fifth when the Twins scored an unearned run against Tanaan. Puckett led off with a single into right field. The ball took a big hop and went by right-fielder Herndon for an error as Puckett went to third. Puckett scored on a sacrifice飞 by Gaetti. The RBI was Gaetti's fifth of the playoffs.
the season, doubled that yield with one out in the third innning. Puckett, 1-for-13 in the first three games, hit Tanana's first pitch to him into the left field seats, and the score was tied 1-1
The Tigers cut the Twins' lead to 3-2 in the fifth.
Giants steal game from Cards, win 6-3
The Associated Press
"They looked like the Gashouse Gang today, and we looked like a bunch of leadfoots," St. Louis Manager Whitey Herzog said.
The Giants ran St. Louis out of windy Candlestick Park 6-3 yesterday, sprinting to a 3-2 lead in the National League playoffs.
The Giants, who stole just 125 bats to St. Louis' 248 this season, swiped three in the first four innings. That's much better for Cardinals have stolen in the series.
SAN FRANCISCO — The San Francisco Giants played their game and beat the St. Louis Cardinals at theirs, too.
"We couldn't get them out with a cannon." Herzog said.
Kevin Mitchell hit a home run and drove in two runs, and Jose Uribe's two-run single sparked a four-run
rally in the fourth inning that made it 6-3.
"We don't have the speed like they do," San Francisco Manager Roger Craig said. "But we got some hits and runs, and we found some ways to steal bases today, and maybe we can again Tuesday."
This best-of-seven series was billed as a power-versus-speed matchup, and the Giants had both.
The Cardinals finally contained Jeffrey Leonard, who went 4-for-4 after hitting home runs in the first four games, but could not control
Joe Price pitched five innings of shutout relief. He allowed one hit and did not allow a runner past second after relieving Rick Reuschel, who made his fourth straight poorest.
"It was a super day," Price said after his first appearance in the
playoffs. Price struck out six and walked one.
"He looked like Rube Waddell today," Herzog said.
The Giants can earn their first World Series appearance since 1962 by winning game 6 Tuesday night in St. Louis. Dave Dravecky, who pitched a shutout in Game 2, will start for the Giants against John Tudor.
Craig promised before the game that his team would add a new dimension, and it showed immediately. Robby Thompson and Mitchell stole bases in the first inning and Jose Uribe stole another in the fourth after his two-run single.
But they did not forgo the power.
Mitchell singled Thompson home in the first and launched a solo home run in the third. The Giants hit 205 home runs to St. Louis' 94 during the
regular season and hold a 9- edge in this matchup.
An injury to St. Louis starter Greg Mathews, the winner in Game 1, opened the way for San Francisco. Mathews left the game after three innings because of a strained muscle.
Davis opened the fourth with a single of Forsch and raced to third when Will Clark followed with a hit-and-run single. A walk to Bob Brenly loaded the bases, and Uribe singled sharply to right for a 4-3 lead, chasing Forsch.
Mike Aldrete, leading the Giants with a 417 average, batted for Reuschel with runners in scoring position as the Giants tried to break the game open. Aldrete hit a sacrifice fly off Rick Horton, Uribe then stole third, and Thompson tripped to right-center. That made it 6-3.
KU volleyball places 2nd in Illinois tourney
The Kansas women's volleyball team placed second Saturday in the Southern Illinois tournament in Carbondale, Ill., ending a stretch of nine consecutive matches away from Lawrence.
Staff writer
By ROBERT WHITMAN
"Wyoming was the only team in the tournament with a winning record. I think they've defeated some top-20 teams." Kansas volleyball coach Frankie Albitz said. "They're a pretty good team, so I think we're getting better.
In the championship game on Saturday, Southern Illinois defeated Kansas 10-15, 15-8, 15-11, 15-11. In the first round Friday, the Jayhawks defeated Wyoming 15-11, 15-9, 15-9
In the finals against Southern Illinois, the Jayhawks played without 5-foot-11 outside hitter Judy Desch Albitz said Desch told her about an hour before the match that she had an upset stomach and that she felt dizzy when she stood up.
"Southern Illinois plays a really tough schedule, like we do. They ended the tournament with an 8-11 record."
Albizt had Desch and 5-9 outside hitter Shannon Ridway both had played well in the Wyoming match. But while Desch was unavailable for the championship match, Albizt said the team still could have won.
"We did had some nice digging. We had some long rallies, and we won some of them. The one I remember being the longest, we won."
"I felt like we could have won without her if we had rallied. On the good teams, when something like that happens, the team has to rally." Albitz said. "We have the potential, but we just didn't do it.
Albitz said outside hitter Jodi Oelschlager played well in the last two games of the championship match. Though she didn't play in the first game and played only briefly in the second game, Oelschlager had 46 attacks, known as spikes and dinks, the most of any Jayhawk. She had a .239 attack percentage, figured by the taking number of kills minus errors and dividing by the number of attacks.
Ridgeway and setter Monica Spencer were named to the all-tournament team.
Kansas continues its conference schedule with matches at 8 p.m. Friday against Iowa State and at 8 p.m. Saturday against Colorado. Both matches are in Allen Field House. The Jayhawks play host to Kansas State at 8 p.m. Oct. 20 in Allen Field House.
Ridgway, playing in all four games against Southern Illinois, had a .233 attack percentage on 43 attempts.
Dolphin replacements beat Kansas City 42-0
The Associated Press
MIAMI — The score was straight out of Joe Robbie's dreams, but the circumstances surrounding the first regular-season game in his new stadium yesterday were nightmarish.
Robbie had to drive past jeering pickets to watch the replacement Dolphins whip Kansas City 42-0 before a crowd of only 25,867, the smallest Miami attendance since Dec. 7, 1969, when 25,323 showed up
for a game against Denver.
Inside the new 74,993-seat facility, all grand-opening festivities were canceled because of the 20-day-old NFL players' strike.
The fans gave their loudest cheers for the Miami defense. The regular Dolphins ranked 26th in the league last year. The replacement defense registered the first Miami shutout since late 1855, allowed Kansas City just 132 yards total offence