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WEDNESDAY, MAY 7, 2008
BASEBALL
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Success kept in check
Senior pitcher's trek from West Coast hasn't affected personality
BY TYLER PASSMORE
tpassmore@kansan.com
As this weekend approaches, it will not only mark the last Border Showdown for this year's senior class, but the last home series all together. One senior who looks to have an impact in the series is senior Andres Esquibel; but it was the path that led him to Kansas that has had a greater effect.
"My freshman year I went to San Diego State. I didn't want to leave California," Esquibel said. "Then I went to a Junior college and there have been three or four guys come here from there. I started talking to coach Price and I decided to take a trip out here and now that I am out here, I love it."
The Vista, Calif., native traded in palm trees and ocean for snow and wind. Esquibel lettered all four years at his high
school in Vista, and Esquibel was a two-time All-Palomar Conference selection and he was also chosen to play in the California North-South all-star game as a senior. While Esquibel put up numbers that gave the impression that his transition into the division I college level has been seamless
out there, there's nothing out there, it's all flat. It's cold, you're not going to have the ocean or anything else," Esquibel said.
becoming acclimated to the environment is a different story.
It's not that bad, it is actually really fun. I have adjusted to it really well because it's a great college town. I mean there is nothing like this in California."
"I pretty much got the same response out of everybody. 'What are you doing
"I can never see myself sitting in an office everyday. I could never do it."
ANDRES ESQUIBEL Senior pitcher
In his first season as a Jayhawk last year, Esquibel appeared in 25 games. In those 25 games, Esquibel went 7-3 with a 4.66 ERA and compiled 50 strike outs.
"There's not one person. It has probably been my family: my mom, dad, grandma, grandpa, uncles." Esquibel said. "My dad,
Esquibel has carried that success into his senior season and has continued to play well alongside the surging team. With the success he has had over the last
"I have adjusted to it really well, because it's a great college town. I mean there is nothing like this in California."
ANDRES ESQUIBEL
Senior pitcher
seven years, it would be easy to get carried away and rest on his previous success. Not Esquibel, however. As calm and poised as he is on the mound, his mannerisms off the field should come as no surprise. Esquibel is a family man and gives credit to those closest to him. The easiest way to learn
about Esquibel is to pose the question about who has been the most influential person in his life, and it is not a professional baseball player.
grandpa and uncle have coached me ever since I was 8 years old and I have always tried to show how they have helped me. I also just always to try and set a good example for my two brothers."
As the season comes to a close, Esquibel seems to have a shot to play baseball at the next level. If he is
unable to pursue baseball, he has a different career plan in mind. Instead of trying to get a desk job and get cooped up in a small cubicle, he knows he would have to stay around the game that he loves and have the ability to work with kids.
"Ive thought about this a lot and it would have to be a teacher and coaching." Esquibel said. "I can never see myself sitting in an office everyday. I could never do it."
With seven regular season games left, there is still time for Esquibel to leave a bigger impression on the team he left California for. The effect he will make after those seven games, nobody knows. One thing is for sure though: in whatever he does he should be successful. Whether that is throwing fastballs or teaching the next great major league star, only time will tell.
— Edited by Daniel Reyes
Andres Esquibel, senior pitcher, throws a pitch during Tuesday's game in Hoglund Ballpark. Esquibel hopes to continue play baseball after graduation.
KANSAN FILE PHOTO
》 BASEBALL
Kansas aims to continue winning streak
BY SHAWN SHROYER shrover@kansan.com
Maybe it's the warmer weather. Maybe it's the magic of Hoglund Ballpark. Maybe it's — as senior left fielder John Allman
said Sunday — the synergy. Whatever it is, Kansas is on a roll.
The Jayhawks (29-22, 8-13) have won four straight and are on a nine-game winning streak at home. Despite those trends, Kansas must finish the regular
Sophomore pitcher Schaeffer Hall celebrates after closing out the bottom of the seventh. Hall pitched seven innings, giving up no runs on five hits against Missouri on April 29.
Jon Goering/KANSAN
season strong if it wants to reach the postseason.
"That's our goal right now — to get into the tournament," Allman said. "As you know from a couple years ago, anything can happen after you get there."
A couple years ago Kansas made the Big 12 Championship in 2006 as a six seed, swept its pod, and beat Nebraska in the title game to clinch an NCAA Regional berth.
Entering this week with two Big 12 series to go, Kansas sits in seventh place in the conference and it must remain in the top eight to be guaranteed a spot in the Big 12 Championship. The Jayhawks control their own destiny, though, and — perhaps best of all for the
In the Big 12 standings, Kansas is a game behind Baylor and a game ahead of Kansas State, which are 10-14 and 7-14, respectively. Oklahoma and Texas Tech are currently out of the Big 12 Championship picture with 6-14-1 and 6-15 respective conference records.
boys in blue — five of their final seven games are at home.
Adding even more drama to the implications of Kansas' last two Big 12 series is the fact that they're against Kansas' two biggest rivals — No.15 Missouri, which is 11-10 in the Big 12, and Kansas State.
"I think our players are really looking forward to the challenge," Kansas coach Ritch Price said.
Tonight Kansas will host Oral Roberts (34-12) for its final nonconference game at Hoglund Ballpark this season. Sophomore left-hander Shaeffer Hall (4-2) will take the mound for Kansas after shutting out Missouri last Tuesday over seven innings at Kauffman Stadium.
But first thing's first.
"Both of us coming through this weekend was big for us and we'll try to do whatever we can to keep it going."
Hall surrendered only five hits to the Tigers and walked two while striking out four. Hall also earned his fourth victory of the season Saturday, pitching three innings of relief against Oklahoma.
Hall will face a Golden Eagle lineup that features seven hitters with averages
TONY THOMPSON Third baseman
above .300, including Brian Van Kirk who is batting .401. Van Kirk also leads Oral Roberts with 11 home runs while Ryan Groth and Juan Martinez have seven apiece.
Of course, Kansas displayed plenty of its power potential against Oklahoma.
The Jayhawks scored 39 runs, which were their most in a Big 12 series, and tallied 45 hits en route to sweeping the
Sooners. Allman led the charge, going 5-for-12 with five runs, four RBI and his fifth home run of the season. He was rewarded for his efforts being named Big 12 Player of the Week on Monday.
But Allman has been a consistent producer in the Kansas lineup all season.
The biggest difference for the Kansas offense last weekend was the production it got from its freshmen - third baseman Tony Thompson and designated hitter Jimmy Waters. The freshmen duo went a combined 11-for-21 with nine runs, 10 RBI and two home runs against Oklahoma.
"I just think both of us are getting
The Jayhawks will need to continue to swing searing bats because their pitching staff is still struggling to rein in opposing offenses. Kansas gave
comfortable up there." Thompson said. "Both of us coming through this weekend was big for us and we'll try to do whatever we can to keep it going."
KANSAN FILE PHOTO
Offense might be especially hard to come by this Friday when Kansas junior left-hander Nick Czyz (2-5) faces off with Missouri all-American right-hander and Wakarusa native Aaron Crow (10-0). Crow boasts a 3.08 ERA and had a 43-inning scoreless streak earlier in the season.
Senior catcher Ryne Price comes out to the mound to have a talk with starting pitcher Schaeffer Hall. Hall had four strickouts in seven innings in Kansas' 3-0 victory over Missouri on April 29 at Kauffman Stadium.
up 29 runs to Oklahoma as its team ERA swelled to 5.40. However, Kansas might catch a break with Missouri and Kansas State. The Tigers are sixth in the Big 12 in runs while the Wildcats are dead last.
"Obviously that Missouri-Kansas thing is a huge rivalry. It's going to be an intense weekend. There's no doubt about it."
Senior right-hander Andres Esquibel (3-4) and freshman right-hander T.J. Walz (4-0) will round out the Kansas weekend rotation.
RITCH PRICE Coach
The next weekend Kansas will shift its attention to in-state rival Kansas State. The first game of the series will be played in Lawrence before the series shifts to Manhattan for the final two games. When the dust settles, the loser of that series may find itself on the
outside looking in when the Big 12 Championship begins.
"Obviously that Missouri-Kansas thing is a huge rivalry," Price said. "It's going to be an intense weekend. There's no doubt about it."
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Edited by Russell Davies
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