THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 18, 2007
SPORTS
BIG 12 FOOTBALL
9B
Red Raiders shift focus to academics after busy spring
BY ADAM COLEMAN
DAILY TOREADOR
LUBBOCK, Texas — After numerous practices and the Red-Black Spring Game, the Texas Tech football team is looking forward to
some on time before the summer.
Monday's practice marked the end of spring workouts, and with the end of the semester approaching, senior safety Joe Garcia said this part of the off-season gives him
"Everybody (is) a little bit behind, so we catch up, knock those grades out and we get a little bit of a break."
Black game and previous practices. The practice also was used to help some of the second- and third-string players add reps. This spring, some players, like senior cornerback Chris Parker and sophomore running back Baron Batch, have been unable to
and his teammates a chance to concentrate on academics.
"Right now, just finish up school," Garcia said. "Everybody (has to) work on their studies. Everybody (is) a little bit behind, so we catch up, knock those grades out and we get a little bit of a break, and come back for the summer."
At Monday's practice, the team walked through plays from the Red-
JOE GARCIA Texas Tech safety
participate in practice because of injuries.
Tech coach Mike Leach said many players had a chance to work Monday, and as a result, the last practice of spring turned out well.
"We got a lot of people
involved," Leach said. "Today's focus was that (we) have a good practice and then let our (third string) get a little bit of work."
Besides studying, some players plan to continue to work on their techniques at their respective position.
Junior quarterback Graham Harrell said he plans to help the quarterbacks and receiving corps
continue to gel together.
"More than anything, I think we just have to continue to grow as a unit, as a team," Harrell said. "We'll throw some (passes) our own. We just have to continue to get on the same page as the receivers and all the young guys. If we continue that, we're going to be really good."
The seniors have been through many spring practices throughout out their career, and the completion of Monday's practice marks their last as a member of the Tech football team.
Overall, Garcia said the final practice of the spring turned out to be a good way to end leading into summer workouts.
"I thought it was good," Garcia said. "I thought it (went) really well. We had intensity out there (these) last days. It was fun."
Leach said the team improved this spring, but there are still some areas to work on before the 2007 season starts.
"I think we accomplished some things," Leach said. "I think we can improve, but we'll steadily do that and continue the best you can."
Around the wicket
Matt Dunham/ASSOCIATED PRESS
England's lan Bell hits a shot for four during the Cricket World Cup Super 8s match between England and South Africa at the Kensington Oval in Bridgetown, Barbados, on Tuesday.
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MLB
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Pujols continues to struggle as St. Louis falls to 6-7
Pittsburgh Pirates' Adam LaRoche celebrates with teammates Jack Wilson, left, and Jason Bay after hitting a three-run home run in the third inning of a baseball game against the St. Louis Cardinals on Tuesday in St. Louis.
Cardinals swept by Pirates
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Tom Gorzelanny and Matt Capps combined on a four-hitter and Adam LaRoche hit a three-run homer in a 6-1 victory against St. Louis on Tuesday that gave the Pittsburgh Pirates a two-game sweep.
"They're the big dogs in our division, and it's good to get out there and shut them down," Gorzelanny said. "If we can keep doing that, you're going to be seeing a lot of good things out of us."
The Cardinals' 6-7 start is the worst by a World Series winner since the 1998 Florida Marlins were 1-11. St. Louis completed a 1-3 homestand, scoring 10 runs in a victory over Milwaukee and totaling five runs in the losses. After going
49-31 last season, the NL's secondbest home record, the Cardinals are 1-6 at Busch Stadium.
After So Taguchi doubled with one out in the ninth and Pujols walked, Capps came in and struck out Scott Rolen and Preston Wilson.
"I'm glad we're going away then, so we can play better," said Albert Pujols, who was 0-for-7 in the series and is batting.160."I've seen what this team can do."
son. "It's exciting that I have gotten off to this kind of start."
In his first game at Busch Stadium since striking out the Tigers' Brandon Inge for the last out of the World Series, Adam Wainwright (1-1) gave up five runs — four earned — and eight hits in six innings. He has allowed 11 earned runs in 17 2-3 innings against the Pirates, a 5.60 ERA.
Gorzelanny (2-0) fell just short of his first complete game in 15 major league starts, allowing one run and four hits in 8 1-3 innings with two strikeouts and three walks. He faced the minimum through four innings, benefiting from a pair of double plays, and had a 12-inning scoreless streak before the Cardinals scored in the fifth on a pair of hits and Gary Bennett's sacrifice fly.
"Everyone expects to do well, and that's what I expect," said Gorzelanny, the Pirates' minor league pitcher of the year last sea-
"I threw a lot of pitches over the plate, just bad, bad pitches," Wainwright said. "I'm really getting tired of telling all the media folks that it wasn't good because I feel like I've been doing that a lot lately. So results-wise, it finally caught up to me."