/ SPORTS / MONDAY, MAY 2, 2011 / THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN / KANSAN.COM
BASEBALL
Relief pitchers give up 10 runs, Kansas swept by Texas Tech
BY MIKE VERNON
mvernon@kansan.com
The Jayhawks' relief pitchers gave up a ninth and 10th inning run in their 3-2 loss Friday, four runs in the sixth inning in their 9-4 Saturday loss, and five after the seventh inning in their 8-7 loss Sunday.
In 10 total innings, the Jayhawks relief pitchers gave up 10 runs to the Red Raiders.
The Texas Tech bullpen, unlike its opponent, stifled the Kansas batters in 14 1/2 innings, giving up five runs, all coming in Sunday's wild shootout. Junior closer John Neely pitched in every game this weekend and did not give up one run in four innings pitched.
"He was the difference in the series," coach Ritch Price said. "He picks up the win Friday night, bails them out Saturday when we have runners in scoring position, and then he gets out of another jam in the eight inning that he inherited Sunday."
With the Jayhawks' back against
the wall after losing the first two games of the series. Sunday's roller coaster game gave both teams a wild ride until it's conclusion.
Freshman reliever Frank Duncan entered the game with Red Raiders on second and third base. Duncan got senior designated hitter Nick Popescu to hit into an inning ending double play, keeping Texas Tech from extending its 3-2 lead.
in the bottom of the seventh, the game tied at 3-3. Duncan put runners on the corners after hitting one, walking another, and throwing a wild pitch. The Red Raiders scored two after an RBI ground out and an RBI single down the right field line.
The Jayhawks entered the ninth inning down one run, and had not come back to win from an eighth inning deficit all season. With two outs and runners on first and second, freshman Tucker Tharp stepped into the batter's box with only two career hits for Kansas.
Tharp's third hit ever for Kansas was also his first career home run for Kansas, giving the jayhawks a 7-5
lead in the ninth.
"It was exciting to finally get a chance. You want to prove to everyone that you can do well and come through for your teammates when it matters." Tharp said. "I wasn't too nervous, I was just trying to get the ball in play and advance the runner; huckily it worked out for me."
Junior closer Colton Murray took the two-run lead into the ninth, and once again the spotlight fell back on the bullpen. Murray let a runner get on first and second with one out after throwing a wild pitch and walking a batter. After getting the second out of the inning, Murray gave up an RBI single to make it a one-run game.
Murray then threw 12 balls in his next 15 pitches, giving three Texas Tech batters a free base. The game-winning run was scored after Murray threw four straight balls to freshman right-felder Andrew Wheeler.
"Today his command just wasn't good," Price said. "When you've got a lead like that, you've got to make them swing the bat."
Murray blew a 2-1 lead Friday as
well, giving up a ninth inning solo home run to the first batter he faced.
The Iayhawks fall to 20-24 overall and 9-12 in Big 12 play Kansas falls from fifth to seventh in the Big 12 standings after the weekend.
"We could have won another series and been 11-10, and that would have moved us to fourth place." Price said. "Now we going to have to play great against Oklahoma and Kansas State to finish the deal now"
The guys who get the call in baseball's most nerve-racking situations, the relief pitchers, could not come through for Kansas in tight situations all weekend. On the other hand, Texas Tech's bullpen showcased their toughness in the Red Raiders sweep over the Jayhawks.
"Its the hardest inning there is to pitch in baseball. It's the ninth inning." Price said.
Edited by Emily Soetaert
Lauren Pape/THE DAILY TOREADO Reid Redman slides into first base during the fifth inning of the game against Kansas at Dan Law Field Sunday. The Jayhawks fell to the Red Raiders, 7-8.
Lauren Pape/THE DAILY TOREADOR
ROWING
Jayhawks finish fourth in Big 12 Championship
BY LAUREN DRUMMOND
ldrummond@kansan.com
The Jayhawk rowing team competed in the Big 12 Championship this weekend at Wyandotte County Lake in Kansas City, Kan.
The team got off to a strong start, by placing second in each of its first Novice Eight races. Texas answered, however, by winning all six remaining races to claim its third consecutive Big 12 title. Kansas ended up finishing fourth out of the four teams that competed.
The day began with the Second Varsity Four race, which was not worth any points toward the championship. The teams had to deal with a strong headwind as they made their way through the 2,000-meter course. Texas won, with a time of 8:45.5 and Kansas took third, with a time of 9:05.1.
Next came the Second Novice Eight race. Again, Texas claimed the victory with a time of 7:37.9 while the Jayhawks took second place with a time of 7:46.3.
which was more than 17 seconds ahead of Oklahoma, who placed third. In the First Novice Eight race, Kansas earned another second place finish with a time of 7:23, which was only five seconds behind the Longhorns, who took first. The five second gap was the closest any boat finished to Texas for the entire championship.
Coach Rob Catloth was happy with his novice teams.
After the first two races were complete, the Jayhawks found themselves in second place overall, with a total of nine points toward the championship. Texas lead with a total of 12 points, while Oklahoma and Kansas State were tied for third, with a total of four points each.
"Our novices are continuing to do well every week," said Catloth. "We're really excited about that group."
Kansas and Kansas State finished closely in the next two Varsity Eight races, which started with the Second Varsity Eight race. The Jayhawks placed fourth, with
a time of 7:16.5, only two seconds behind the Wildcats. With third place in the Big 12 Championship on the line, the First Varsity Eight race was very competitive between the Jayhawks and the Wildcats. Kansas State edged Kansas at the finish line, with a time of 7:02.5, compared with the Jayhawks' time of 7:03.5.
"With 500 meters left they were pretty much even," Catloth said. "A second isn't much difference, only about 10 to 15 feet after racing for 1.25 miles, so that was really close."
Kansas State held on to win third place in the final standings with a 67-point total which was 13 points ahead of the Jayhawks, who took fourth place with a collective score of 54 points. Texas won the Big 12 Championship, with a perfect score of 111 points. Oklahoma finished second with a total of 85 points.
All four teams qualified to compete in the Conference USA Championship May 14. in Oak Ridge, Tenn. In addition to being a
part of the Big 12 Conference, the Jayhawks, Longhorns, Sooners, and Wildcats are all also a part of Conference USA for rowing. Their competition will consist of Alabama, Tennessee, Tulsa, SMU, and UCF.
Catloth saw much improvement at the Big 12 Championship, and is excited for where his team is headed in the future. He hopes the improvement will show when the Jayhawks compete in the Conference USA Championship.
"We made up some time on Kansas State from last week as well as Oklahoma from earlier in the year," Catloth said. "We're pleased with that. We traditionally make an improvement in the last month of the season, and I think we're doing that. Our varsity boats closed a lot of time on K-State today, so I'm really excited and looking forward to the Conference USA Championship in two weeks."
Edited by Sarah Gregory
MEN'S BASKETBALL
Jayhawk Invitational gives look at prospects
BY TIM DWYER
tdwyer@kansan.com
Kansas is in hot pursuit of the class of 2012 shooting guard Shabazz Muhammad and class of 2013 shooting guard Chris Thomas.
After their performances in the Jayhawk Invitational finals, it makes a lot of sense. Muhammad finished with 36 points and Thomas countered with 35 points. Muhammad and DreamVision won the game and the tournament by a final score of 94-85.
But Muhammad and Thomas were far from the only Kansas recruiting targets in the field this weekend. Muhammad wasn't even the only one on his own team. Three teammates — Winston Shepard and Robert Upshaw in the class of 2012, Ishmael Wainwright in the class of 2013 — are also on Kansas' wishlist. Shepard, a Rivals.com four-star
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recruit, has drawn comparisons to former layhawk Julian Wright as a versatile. 6-foot-7 small forward with the ability to defend anything from shooting guard to a power
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Muhammad
in wade, robert Upshaw, listed at 7-feet, started the tournament with two straight games with double-figure blocks. Wainwright is a high school sophomore that more closely resembles an NFL defensive end, standing 6-foot-5 and 200 pounds.
f
Thomas
Also in the field were long time Kansas
desired recruit Perry Ellis, who led his team to the quarterfinals before bowing out, and Nino Jackson, a four-star 2012 point guard who said he is a Kansas fan. Jackson played in the tournament for the Compton Magic and threw down the dunk of the tournament with a breakaway 360 Saturday afternoon. Mitch McGary, a 6-foot-10 center who plays high school ball at Brewster, the alma mater of Thomas Robinson and Kansas signee Naadir Tharpe, also was in town for the tournament and took an unofficial recruiting visit Sunday after his team was bounced by Muhammad and DreamVision.
Edited by Erin Wilbert
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