8B
GAME DAY
THE UNIVERSITY OF DARLY KANSAN
FRIDAY, APRIL 13, 2007
KU TIP-OFF
WHAT'S AT STAKE?
Battling for last place in the Big 12, the Jayhawks will have to take the series from the Bears to switch them spots in the standings. Kansas is currently dead last in the race right behind Bavlor, but both hold the same 4-8 conference record. Coach Ritch Price has continually said that if his team could win five conference series they will make another trip to the NCAA tournament. If Price's statement rings true, the Jayhawks will need to win all of their Big 12 series from here on out.
STAR WATCH
Afenir
Sophomore catcher Buck
Afenir went 4-for-9 last weekend,
including a 3-
for-4 performance in his
first game as the designated hitter. He also drove in five runs and at .307, Afenir is one of three everyday starters hitting over .300.
QUESTION MARK
KANSAS WEATHER. Just being able to play is in question this weekend, as all four of the seasons are in the forecast. Rain, snow and sunshine are rumored for Friday, Saturday and Sunday respectively.
5 QUICK FACTS
3 — Coach Ritch Price is just three victories shy of becoming the third winningest coach in Kansas baseball history. Former coach Bobby Randall is currently third on the list, with 166 victories in seven seasons.
12 — Different Jayhawks have tagged at least one home run this season.
11. 02 — Sophomore left-hander Andy Marks is averaging 11.02 strikeouts per nine innings this season.
18 — The last time Kansas took on Baylor, the Bears were ranked No. 18 in the county.
100 — Percent chance of precipitation for today's series opener.
MUST-WIN SERIES
Kansas in do-or-die situation to make Big 12 Tournament
KANSAS VS. BAYLOR 4 p.m. Today, Hoglund Ballpark
Kansas 18-20,4-8 Big 12
OFFENSE
Kansas ranks seventh in the Big 12 with a .288 team average compared to Baylor's lock on the last place spot. All eight, minus the rotating designated hitter, of the Jayhawks starting position players have knocked out at least one home run, giving them a team total of 34. Kansas bats get particularly hot against Texas schools, as the 'Hawks scored 29 runs against No. 16 Texas A&M and outscored Texas 25-23 in their three-game series last weekend. The Jayhawks (167) walk more than the Bears (144), and strikeout less (277-286).
PITCHING
Sophomore lefty Andy Marks (3-3) is the only Jayhawk pitcher to register on the Big 12 Conference leader board. In 49.0 innings of work, the Sunday starter has sat 60 oapposing batters down on strikes. Marks has also given up the most home runs by far with 11, including three to the Longhorns in his last time out. The Jayhawks 5.13 ERA ranks last in the Big 12, and although the Kansas bats have blasted 34 home runs out, the Kansas pitchers have allowed 34 home runs to match. The strikeout to walk ratio is in favor of the 'Hawks, at nearly 3 to 1.
MOMENTUM
Kansas has not played a game in nearly a week. Unlike Baylor, who was able to get a midweek game in. Kansas' last two times out were more than respectable against national powerhouse and Big 12 leading Texas.The momentum coming off a 14-6 blowout victory last Saturday and nearly taking the series with a 6-5 loss Sunday,the Jayhawks have shown their ability to get hot and stay hot — even the in the cold.Temperatures this weekend are not forecasted to rise much higher than they were last weekend. The game times for the weekend were moved to 4 p.m.on Friday and 1 p.m.on Saturday to accommodate the frigid factor. That said, a cold-weather Kansas squad
Baylor 16-16,4-8
Saturday to accommodate the frigid factor. That said, a cold-weather Kansas squad will have an advantage over the warm-blooded Bears.
OFFENSE
Outside of a 22-1 thrashing of Texas Southern last month, Baylor's offense has been tame. In 35 games this season, Baylor is averaging 6.2 runs a game. Counting their 22-run outing, the Bears have scored in double-digits eight times, but just once during Big 12 play. It hasn't helped that Baylor's leading hitter, shortstop Beamer Weems, hasn't played in more than a week because of a hamstring injury. Weems leads the Bears with a .328 batting average, 40 hits, nine doubles, four home runs, 67 total bases, and a .549 slugging percentage. Outfieldder Aaron Miller is close behind with a .322 average, 38 hits, two home runs, 61 total bases and a .517 slugging percentage. He leads the team with nine doubles, 32 RBI and a .428 on-base percentage.
PITCHING
Baylor's lack of production on offense has put added pressure on the pitching staff and the results have been mixed. Baylor hasn't allowed more than eight runs to non-conference opponents, but it has allowed double-digit runs to Big 12 opponents four times. In their four conference wins, the Bears are allowing only 3.5 runs per game, but in their eight losses, they're allowing 9.6 runs per game. Of Baylor's weekend starters, only Kendal Volz (4-1) has a winning record. However, he has the worst ERA of the three at 5.35. Jeff Mandel (4-5) and Randal
Linebaugh (2-4), Baylor's other weekend starters, have 4.32 and 4.65 respective ERAs. Nick Cassavechia is the man out of the bullpen with a 2.28 ERA, .230 BAA and six saves. He also has 36 strikeouts to merely four walks.
MOMENTUM
Baylor didn't put on an impressive show Tuesday, but the Bears enter Lawrence after a fairly successful five-game home stand where they went 3-2. Last weekend, Baylor took two of three from Oklahoma for its second Big 12 series victory, Tuesday, Baylor left 12 men on base and lost 6-3 to TCU. Since the beginning of conference play, Baylor has been swept every other weekend. Given that trend, the Bears are due to get swept again. One cause for Baylor's inconsistent play has been injury problems. Three starters have battled
starters have batted injuries all season.
BU
TIP-OFF
WHAT'S AT STAKE?
This series pits the Big 12's cellar dwellers against one another, but doesn't necessarily feature the two worst teams in the conference. Both Baylor and Kansas are talented, young teams that are coming into their own after navigating tough early Big 12 schedules. Both have already played No. 6 Texas and No. 15 Oklahoma State. Baylor has played No. 23 Oklahoma and Kansas has played No. 16 Texas A&M and No. 25 Missouri. The team that's grown up the most will get out of last place in the conference.
STAR WATCH
Freshman outfielder Aaron Miller has already stepped up as a leader for the Bears. Despite battling a groin injury, he hasn't missed a game all season. A cog in Baylor's lineup, he is near the top of every offensive category for the Bears and leads the team with 32 RBI and a .428 on-base percentage. In high school, Miller predominantly pitched and played first base, but he's flourishing as a full-time outfielder with only two errors this season.
Miller
QUESTION MARK
The biggest question for Baylor this weekend is whether its middle infield will be intact. Starting shortstop Beamer Weems hasn't played since April 3 because of a hamstring injury. That same day, starting second baseman Raynor Campbell re-aggravated his hamstring injury and, although he played last weekend, he was out of the lineup Tuesday.
5 QUICK FACTS
2 - The number of times Baylor has been swept out of four Big 12 series this season.
9 - The number of teams in the conference with a better team batting average than Baylor's 277 average.
20 - The number of triples by the Bears offense, which leads the conference.
251 - The number of strikeouts by Baylor pitchers, which ranks eighth in the conference.
JAYHAWK STATS
TOP 5 HITTERS BA R H HR RBI John Allman .349 27 44 1 27 Kyle Murphy .319 35 44 3 19 Buck Afenir .307 16 27 5 23 Ryne Price .296 34 37 7 22 Erik Morrison .296 28 42 6 31
SUNDAY STARTERS
TOP 5 PITCHERS W-L ERA IP K BB SV
Paul Smyth 2-2 1.65 32.2 29 8 5
Nick Czyz 2-5 4.41 51.0 51 23 —
Andy Marks 3-3 6.98 49.0 60 20 —
Wally Marceli 3-2 5.34 32.0 27 12 —
Zach Ashwood 3-3 6.08 47.1 43 25 —
Marks
Andy Marks Left-hander (3-3) vs. Kendal Volz Right-hander (4-1)
Volz
As evenly matched as Kansas and Baylor appear on paper, this series could very well hinge on the final game of the weekend. Marks comes into the series as one of the top strikeout pitchers in the Big 12, with 60 in 49 innings pitched. Marks, with a 6.98 ERA, has struggled to keep opponents from crossing home plate. Last weekend he allowed only four hits to Texas, but three were home runs. As for Volz, since joining Baylor's weekend rotation March 10, his starts have been erratic. In three out of five starts during that time frame, he's lasted no more than three innings, allowing 14 runs in 7.1 innings. The other two starts, though, he allowed only one unearned run and struck out 11 in 12 innings. Depending on which versions of Marks and Volz show up, Sunday's game could be a low-scoring affair or a scoring hopper
could be a low-scoring affair or a scoring bonanza.
BEAR STATS
TOP FIVE HITTERS BA R H HR RBI
Beamer Weems .328 21 40 4 28
Aaron Miller .322 20 38 2 32
Raynor Campbell .322 20 28 2 14
Chase Gerdes .288 27 32 3 21
Ben Booker .278 25 32 1 18
TOP FIVE PITCHERS W-L ERA IP K BB SV
Nick Cassavechia 3-1 2.28 23.2 36 4 6
Jeff Mandel 4-5 4.32 58.1 4 19 —
Randal Linebaugh 2-4 4.65 50.1 31 20 —
Kendal Volz 4-1 5.35 37 26 9 —
Wade Mackey 1-0 1.65 27.1 18 9 —