4B SPORTS
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2009
SOFTBALL Team starts practicing for home invitationals
The Kansas softball team took the field at Arroca Ballpark yesterday for its first ball practice. The team began preparations for the two tournaments it will host in October — the Jayhawk Fall Invitational Oct. 3 and the KU Fall Invite Oct. 10 and 11.
"I am really excited to finally see the entire team together for the first time," coach Megan Smith said in a press release. "The players worked extremely hard during individual workouts and they have adapted well to our new philosophies. We will continue to focus on fundamentals for the first few weeks of team practice as we prepare for our fall games."
Seven starters return to the team, which opens its fall season against Emporia State and Central Missouri State Oct. 3 at home.
— Brianne Pfannenstiel
CROSS COUNTRY Men's, women's teams rank nationally in poll
Kansas can add two more to its list of ranked teams.
Both the women's and the men's cross-country teams have been ranked in a poll just released by the U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association. In the preseason poll the women's team is ranked ninth in the Midwest Region and the men's team is ranked tenth.
So far this season both teams have lived up to their ranking — the men's team finished first in both of its races and the women's team finished first and a close second.
ADMINISTRATION Athletics to raise money for cancer cure research
In an effort to raise money to aid in the fight against cancer, Kansas Athletics has announced it will again partner with the Emily Taylor Women's Resource Center as part of the Jayhawks for a Cure campaign.
The first event of the year will take place Oct. 11 when the soccer team faces Colorado at 1 p.m. Fans wearing pink will be admitted to the game for $3, instead of the usual price of $8, and donations will be accepted at the door. The annual WBCA Pink Zone game will take place when women's basketball hosts Kansas State Feb. 7 in Allen Fieldhouse. Last year more than 7,000 fans attended the game. Other teams, including swimming and diving and volleyball, will also host events.
The campaign, which raised more than $15,000 last year, will benefit Lawrence Memorial Hospital and the KU Cancer Center.
—Brianne Pfannenstiel
Additional events will be announced throughout the year. To learn more about the Jayhawks for a Cure campaign, fans can visit www.kuhtletics.com/jayhawksforacure.
NFL
Denver Broncos receiver Brandon Stokley runs off the field after the Broncos defeat the Cincinnati Bengals 12-7 Sunday in Cincinnati. Stokley scored the winning touchdown on an 87-yard pass reception.
Players agree to donate brains after their deaths
Samantha Anderson
BRONCOS
BOSTON — Three active NFL players are joining former players in agreeing to donate their brains after death to a Boston University medical school program that studies sports brain injuries.
The donations by Matt Birk of the Baltimore Ravens, Lofa Tatupu of the Seattle Seahawks and Sean Morey of the Arizona Cardinals were announced Monday.
Despite big play, Broncos need help
Associated Press
Associated Press
BY ARNIE STAPLETON
ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — With the euphoria of the "Immaculate Deflection" subsiding, the Denver Broncos returned to work Monday determined to fix plenty of problems that were exposed in their victory at Cincinnati.
"We certainly didn't do everything we wanted to do the way we wanted to do it," coach Josh McDaniels said. "But we did do enough things well enough for us to be in it late in the game and give ourselves an opportunity to make a play."
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Before Brandon Stokley's 87-yard touchdown catch on a deflected pass with 11 seconds left gave the Broncos a farfetched 12-7 win over the bewildered Bengals, Denver's offense failed at every turn.
Kyle Orton had thrown for just 156 yards, Pro Bowl receiver Brandon Marshall and top draft pick Knowshon Moreno were a step slow and the bumbling offense failed to take any heat off Denver's defense.
Five times the Broncos went three-and-out.
Marshall looked mechanical and was unable to gain his usual separation. He dropped the first pass thrown his way and let a deep pass slip through his hands before finishing with four catches for a paltry average of 6.8 yards. He missed almost all offseason while recuperating from hip surgery, protesting his pay and serving a suspension.
Moreno, who injured a knee in the preseason, gained just 19 yards on eight carries, and it appeared as though Orton thought he was still in Chicago at times when he got happy feet way too quickly behind Denver's stout offensive line.
Guard Ben Hamilton false started, center Casey Wiegmann held and Orton took a sack on sequential plays to move them out of kicker Matt Prater's field goal range.
"That whole series was bad football." McDaniels said.
And it finally caught up to them. Denver's refurbished defense finally bent, allowing the Bengals to drive 91 yards for the go-ahead score on Cedric Benson's 1-yard TD run with 38 seconds left.
Carson Palmer was suddenly comfortable in the pocket without the Broncos blitzing, and McDaniels said the fatigue factor probably caught up with them on that drive.
"We weren't on the field enough offensively to prevent that," he said. "We've got to have to ball for more than 26 minutes offensively if we want our defense to hold up as the game goes on. We've got to play better complementary football on
both sides."
All the foibles faded, however, when Stokley cradled cornerback Leon Hall's deflection at midfield and raced untouched into the end zone with the longest winning play from scrimmage in the final minute of a game in NFL history.
The Broncos aren't ready to relegate the play to franchise lore just yet. McDaniels said it holds too many lessons.
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MLB
Associated Press
Philadelphia Phillies second baseman Chase Utley, top, and New York Mets' Anderson Hernandez collide as Hernandez steals second in the seventh inning of the second game of a baseball double-header Sept. 13 in Philadelphia.
Martinez reminds fans he's still got the goods
BY DAN GELSTON Associated Press
PHILADELPHIA — Pedro Martinez was considered finished. Then he put on the Phillies pintrips and made everyone remember how good he once was.
And still is.
The 37-year-old is healthy and pitching like his old Cy Young self and giving the Phillies every reason to believe he can keep this going the rest of September — and October.
Martinez tossed six-hit ball and threw 130 pitches in eight shutout innings, leading NL East-leading Philadelphia to a 1-0 win over the New York Mets and a doubleheader sweep on Sunday night.
"I came here with the mentality that, in the last quarter of the season, I could help this team when it matters probably the most," he said. "I think today was a good example of what really mattered — to give the bullpen a rest, to help your teammates when you're needed."
Ryan Madson worked a scoreless ninth for his eighth save after Brad Lidge finished the opener, won 5-4 by the Phillies.
Martinez (5-0) was still going
The fans roared when Manuel jogged back to the dugout with Martinez still on the mound.
"I was keeping him in anyway," Manuel said. "I had to see what he was going to say."
Tim Redding (2-6) was just as effective over six innings and retired 14 straight at one point, allowing only Chase Utley's RBI single in the first inning.
strong when he hit 90 mph and fanned David Wright for the first out in the eighth and officially made it his longest outing of the year.
In the opener, Kyle Kendrick (1-1) pitched into the eighth and Victorino and Ben Francisco each homered.
Lidge, temporarily demoted from his Phillies closer role this week, gave up two runs in the ninth but finished for his 29th save in 39 opportunities.
The Mets were mathematically eliminated from playoff contention.
"I have a lot of respect for them, regardless of what happened, why I'm not with the Mets," Martinez said. "It doesn't matter anymore. It's all business. I just have to let it go."
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