SPORTS
CHIEFS SUCCESSFUL IN DRAFT PICKS
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
PAGE 3B
WWW.KANSAN.COM
SNEAK A PEEK AT
2008 BASEBALL
PAGE 10B
THURSDAY,MAY1,2008
FASTBALL
PAGE 1B
Pitcher poised for season's final games
Despite changing line up, Nick Czyz remains strong as a weekend starter
Junior pitcher Nick Czyz throws a pitch against Texas A&M Saturday afternoon at Hoglund Ballpark. Coach Ritch Price said he has seen Czyz mature as a player in Czyz's three years at Kansas.
BY SHAWN SHROYER
shroyer@kansan.com
Weston White/KANSAN
Tuesday night Shaeffer Hall took the mound for Kansas, serving as a reminder of the Jayhawks' original 2008 weekend rotation.
That weekend rotation included Hall, a sophomore left-hander, and junior left-hander Sam Freeman. The same weekend rotation later featured sophomore left-hander Wally Marceliel and was eventually supposed to be anchored by junior left-hander Andy Marks, who was recovering from an injury.
It's the same weekend rotation that traded those lefties for two right-handers; senior Andres Esquibel — who had previously been a staple of the Kansas bullpen — and freshman and invited walk-on T.J. Walz.
Junior closer Paul Smyth was even slated to start a Sunday game a couple weeks ago, but a relief appearance earlier in the weekend nixed that plan.
With so much commotion surrounding a simple three-man rotation, it's easy to forget the arm that's been there all along — that of junior left-hander Nick Czyz. Even as tumultuous as Kansas' pitching situation has been — a 5.26 team ERA, for instance — it's hard to imagine just how bleak it would be without Czyz as the cornerstone of the staff.
Every Friday night, Czyz strolls to the mound, knowing he's matched up with the opponent's ace. Some pitchers aren't mentally tough enough to handle that responsibility. There was a time when Czyz himself wasn't. But this year he welcomed it and is on the brink of flourishing as a Friday-night starter.
"It's been awesome," Czyz said. "You get to go toe-to-toe with, honestly, some of the best pitchers in the nation. You kind of get to see where you're at on a weekly basis."
After appearing in 17 games his freshman season — including a victorious five and one-third inning effort in the 2006 Big 12 Championship game against Nebraska — Czyz was a frontrunner to head Kansas' pitching rotation as a sophomore. He is also the younger brother of Don Czyz, who was an all-American his senior year, which increased the hype surrounding Nick. However, the lofty expectations never came to fruition.
Despite a 4.60 ERA and 62 strikeouts in 72 and one-third innings, which were all second best on the team, he also had a 4-8 record, a 1.77:1 strikeout-to-walk ratio, a 1.58 WHIP and he averaged just more than five innings per start.
Part of the problem was his throwing shoulder — which wasn't at full strength most of the season — but his maturity was also a factor. He took losses hard, sometimes declining to talk to media.
A year later, Czyz is hardly the same pitcher. His velocity has increased from the 84-86 mph range to 88-91 mph and
he's gained the confidence in his play to pitch inside to hitters. Not only is his arm sound, but his mind is too.
"It takes incredible maturity to pitch on Friday night," Kansas coach Ritch Price
In the past, Price said he's had pitchers who weren't willing to accept the challenge of being a Friday-night starter, but Czyz has.
said. "You know it's going to be a 2-1 or 3-2 ballgame, you know you're pitching against a potential high draft pick and it takes great maturity and great competitiveness to want to be that guy."
"I think it's about time I take that
pressure on," Czyz said. "I'm a little disappointed that it took this long to do it.
SEE BASEBALL ON PAGE 4B
WOMEN'S GOLF
Emily Powers is one of three individual players who qualified to compete in the NCAA Golf West Regional in Lincoln, Calif., on May 8-10. Powers has competed in 11 events this year, with eight first place finishes. If Powers qualifies in the West Regional, she will advance to the NCAA Championships in Albuquerque, N.M.
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Jayhawk advances to regional while team finishes 10 in Big 12
BY JOSH BOWE
jbowe@kansan.com
jbowe@kansan.com
After completing the 2008 Big 12 Tournament this past weekend, sophomore Emily Powers qualified for the NCAA Golf West Regional Tournament.
Each regional tournament includes 21 teams and three individuals who have qualified to compete.
Powers, who's from Quincy, Ill., has been the Jayhawk's top golfer, finishing the year with a 75.53 scoring average and playing in all 11 events this spring. She was the top Jayhawk finisher in eight tournaments this year and was second on the team in the other three. Powers also has on her résumé finishing in the top-10 in five tournaments, with her best being a second place finish at the Kitahara Inviational in Fresno, Calif.
Coach Erin O'Neil wasn't surprised by the success of Powers.
The Jayhawks as a team failed to qualify for the West Regional. They finished in 10th place at the Big 12 Championship, dashing all hopes.
in February.
"I knew coming in that she would be an impact player," O'Neil said.
With a team that lacked seniors, Powers not only raised her game on the course, but she raised her leadership skill as well by leading a young Jayhawk team.
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Powers will compete in the West Regional at Lincoln, Calif., on May 8-10. To advance to the NCAA Championships in Albuquerque, N.M., Powers must finish in the top two of single contenders.
Edited by Mandy Earies