THE PRESSURE IS ON Track and field will compete at Drake Relays and Cardinal Invitational this weekend Athletes have another chance to qualify for regionals in their respective events.
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FRIDAY, APRIL 27, 2007 WWW.KANSAN.COM
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
SPORTS
PAGE 1B
BASEBALL
Last-ranked Kansas needs weekend win
BY ALISSA BAUER
While Kansas sat in the rain waiting to start play against border rival Missouri on Wednesday, Oklahoma was watching it pour for the second consecutive night in Texas before its scheduled game against Texas Arlington.
The fact that both games were eventually called off could prove quite beneficial for the layhawks, (20-25, 6-12 Big 12 Conference) who enter this weekend's series against
the sooners (27-15, 7-8) needing a series victory
With neither team playing since last week end, Kansas won't be denied the upper hand by canceling its second midweek game in three weeks.
The Jayhawks are hoping cancellations have the same effect on Oklahoma.
Though they've won just two of their last five, the Sooners took the series victory from Kansas State last weekend. After dropping the first game to the Wildcats, the Sooners scored 32 runs, taking the series.
"Our first four weeks we swung the bats really well,but we didn't pitch that well.Now we're getting the pitching."
The last time Kansas took on Oklahoma, the Jayhawks rolled over them, 7-2, during their tear through the Big 12 Tournament in Oklahoma City last May.
RITCH PRICE Coach
Price noticed that on Friday nights after his team didn't play, his guys had trouble at the plate in the opening game of the series.
"It makes it tough," coach Ritch Price said about continuously missing midweek contests. "One of the things that happens in midweek games is keeping your batters up with velocity. You play those midweek games to stav weekend-ready."
Kansas isn't nearly that hot this time around, but the team refuses to stay down. They've gone 1-4 in their last five games, but still earned a victory against Texas Tech in their last game, avoiding the series sweep.
KANSAN FILE PHOTO
Despite 12 conference losses and holding down the last place spot, the Jayhawks have not been swept in a Big 12 series this year.
Kansas will face the Sooners this weekend after its midweek game was rained out. Last time Kansas faced Oklahoma, the Jayhawks won 7-2 in last season's Big 12 Tournament.
"They've done a really nice job." Price said of his guys staying level headed during the rough stretch.
SEE BASEBALL ON PAGE 6B
》 DO THE DREW
Second no-draft year shows poor coaching
BY DREW DAVISON
KANSAN COLUMNIST
DDAVISON@KANSAN.COM
It looks like Kansas will go another year without having a player drafted in the NFL draft. Yes, Jon Cornish might get selected in a late round (sixth or seventh), but it's not likely. It might benefit Cornish to slip through the cracks, so he can sign as an undrafted free agent with whichever team wants him.
Last year, Charles Gordon and Charlton Keith went undrafted
and both are currently on NFL rosters; Gordon is with the Minnesota Vikings and Keith recently signed with the Oakland Raiders. But, if Kansas goes
coach Mark Mangino's recruiting classes? He'll get a few good, but never great, players.
Mangino has done a good job of finding diamond-in-the-rough players such as Gordon and cornerback Aqib Talib, but he hasn't brought in high-profile recruits that would turn KU into an elite program. Entering year six of the Mangino era, it doesn't seem likely he will, either. But, this wouldn't have been a problem if a coaching change had been made when it should have — back in 2004.
This isn't a knock on Cornish. He was the best player on the team last season and he deserves a lot of credit. But it's hard to project him as a lock to play in the NFL. Cornish ran the 40-yard dash in 4.62 at the Scouting Combine and 4.51 at the Pro Day at Kansas. To cut it at the NFL as a special teams player, which is Cornish's best shot, he needs to improve his speed. Experts have Cornish as a guy that is good, but not great, at a lot of things.
two years without an NFL draft selection, red flags should be raised.
In 2004, there were a lot of college football coaching changes
— Steve Spurrier took the helm at South Carolina, Urban Meyer replaced Ron Zook at Florida
"This wouldn't have been a problem if a coaching change had been made it when it should have back in 2004."
and Charlie Weis went to Notre Dame, to name a few It was similar to this year's college basket ball coaching carousel.
Funny, doesn't that sound like
Mangtno kept his job after a 4-7
season. The "best" 4-7 season in Kansas football history was what some fans called it. People were ecstatic that the Jayhawks were somewhat competitive and lost football games by one touchdown instead of three touchdowns like they were accustomed to in the Terry Allen era. Mangino got the pass because he took the team to a bowl game the year before, too. But this was the year Kansas could have brought in a well-respected coach and good recruiter — such as Zook.
SEE DAVISON ON PAGE 6B
TENNIS
Tiebreaker decides first-round outcome
KANSAN FILE PHOTO
BY RUSTIN DODD
Avdeeva and sophomore Edina Horvath got the better of Baker and Irina Lykin in the No. 1 doubles match, winning 9-8 (5). But with the team score knotted up at 3-3, Avdeeva and Baker again hooked up in another epic tiebreaker to decide the team outcome. This time Kansas' No. 1 singles player was all out of magic. Avdeeva fell 7-3 in a second set tiebreaker giving Baker a 7-5, 7-6 (3) victory and Oklahoma a 4-3 win in the opening round of the Big 12 Championship.
KANSAS CITY, MO. — For the second time in three hours at the Big 12 Championship, Elizaveta Avdeeva found herself locked in a tiebreaker with Oklahoma's Gabby Baker.
After her team's season ended with a 4-17 record, Coach Amy Hall-Holt tried to put a positive spin on the close loss.
The match had an eerie similarity to the last match Kansas played against Oklahoma — Kansas fell 4-3 at Oklahoma on March 14. In both matches, Kansas won the No. 1 and No. 2 doubles matches to take the doubles point, but lost four out of six singles matches to lose 4-3.
This time, Kansas got an 8-6 win from junior Lauren Hommell and freshman Kunigunda Dorn at No. 2 doubles to compliment Avdeeva and Horvath's victory at the No. 1 spot.
As the match moved to singles, Kansas saw Hommell quickly go down, losing 6-2, 6-0. Then Horvath and Dorn were the next to fall. They lost 6-4, 6-1 at No. 2 singles and 6-1, 7-5 at No. 3 singles respectively.
"The girls put it out there in both singles and doubles," Hall-Holt said. "This," she said while looking around the Plaza Tennis Center, "Is what competition is all about."
The Jayhaws ended their season Thursday with a first-round loss to Oklahoma. Their record for the season is 4-17.
Kansas once again received a
0
Stephanie Smith also pulled out a win in singles for Kansas in a
SEE TENNIS ON PAGE 8B
lift from Yuliana Svistun at No. 5 singles. Svistun won 6-1, 6-0 in dominating fashion, giving Kansas their second point of the day.
Momentum builds as Kansas comes back home
SOFTBALL
BY EVAN KAFARAKIS
Home may be where the heart is,
but it's not where the wins are for the
Jayhawks this season.
After a long day in Nebraska on Thursday the Kansas softball team returns to Lawrence to conclude its 2007 season at home this weekend.
"It's frustrating not getting the home wins, but I love how we're playing on the road," coach Tracy Bunge said.
Kansas (31-18-1, 6-8 Big 12 Conference) will play No. 3 ranked Oklahoma (34-16, 7-7 Big 12 Conference) at 2 p.m. Saturday and 1 p.m. Sunday.
Being the final home series, the Jayhawks will recognize the seniors, pitcher Kassie Humphreys and first baseman Nicole Washburn, in a pregame ceremony.
"Right now, we're playing with confidence and I think we'll be able to give Oklahoma a run for their money," Bunge said.
The team is winless at Arroba Ballpark this season against Big 12 teams; though on the road the team is 6-1 against the Big 12 with victories against Nebraska (34-14, 7-5 Big 12 Conference) and Creighton (32-11-1, 13-3-1 Missouri Valley Conference).
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At 1:30 p.m. the team played in
GAME ONE:
Kansas 6. Nebraska 3
"Not many teams could handle what we went through and for us to get wins was important," Bunge said.
Two of the Big 12 top pitchers squared off in a close knit game that opened up late.
Lincoln, Neb., after the game was postponed Wednesday because of wet conditions. They then traveled to Omaha, Neb., to play one game against Creighton, which was originally a double-header.
Humphreys threw a complete game, struck out four batters and walked eight.
Senior pitcher Kassie Humphreys (16-10) gave up three runs on three hits, but got the offensive support the team has been lacking in recent weeks to give her the victory.
Squaring off against the Kansas offense was Nebraska's senior ace Ashley DeBuhr.
DeBuhr, who shut out the Jayhawks in their first meeting, threw for six innings and struck out seven Jayhawk batters.
Nebraska struck first in the sec-
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SEE SOFTBALL ON PAGE 6B