THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
MONDAY, APRIL 9, 2007
SPORTS
9B
BASEBALL (CONTINUED FROM 1B)
"Sometimes this ballpark will come back and get you," Afenir said. "It can help you out but it'll can come back and bite you. The wind plays a big part in this ballpark."
For the Jay hawks offense, however, the wind didn't play nearly the factor that it did for the offensive powerhouse Long horns. Although the Jayhawks out-hit their opponents 11-7, they didn't
a four-run fifth.
Afenir's leadoff double and freshman third baseman Robby Price's RBI single with two outs highlighted the inning. A pair of walks from
benefit off any home runs.
"It's been tough to deal with, no doubt about that. We're real close to winning three of the four series we've played."
RITCH PRICE Baseball coach
Kansas instead used nine singles, two doubles and a pair of walks to hang with the Longhorns and even hold the lead for a half-inning after
starter Joseph Krebs and a costly Longhorn error gave the Jayhawks the 5-4 lead.
"They've been awesome lately." Marks said. "The way they've been battling back for us, the pitching staff,
when we've been struggling. That last guy came in and shut the door a little bit, we didn't have any left. But I can't say enough about the offense the last couple
of weeks."
The Jayhawks' bats have been able to keep them in games lately. Sunday's loss marked the third time the Jayhawks have dropped a series by one run on the third day.
"It's been tough to deal with, no doubt about that," coach Price said. "We're real close to winning three of the four series we've played. At the same time, we've only won one game each series now."
Sophomore closer Paul Smyth (2-2) took the loss on Saturday after surrendering the Longhorns final run in the top of the eighth. His 2 1/3-inning appearance marked his second loss in as many weeks.
Despite the series loss and temperatures in the mid-30s, more than 1,000 fans showed up to watch the series decider.
Texas 6, Kansas 5
Texas 010 030 110 — 671
Kansas 000 041 000 — 5111
Joseph Krebs, Randy Boone (5) and Preston Clark; Andy Marks, Paul Smyth (7) and Dylan Parzyk. W — Boone 1-5. L — Smyth 2-2. S — None. 2B — UT: Russell Moldenhauer; KU: Erik Morrison, Buck Afenir, HR — UT: Kyle Russell, Nick Peoples, HBP — UT: Peoples; KU: John Allman.
Records — Texas 28-10, 9-3 Big 12
Conference; Kansas 18-20, 4-8.
Although a good chunk of the fans were clad in burnt orange. Price and his players said they were grateful for the ones bundled up in Kansas gear.
"The fans have been fabulous," Price said. "I saw the enthusi
Kansas 14, Texas 6
Winning Pitcher: Andres Esquibel (5-3): 3.2 IP, 3 R, 3H, 2BB, 2K
Losing Pitcher: Adrian Alaniz (8-2) 3 IP, 6 R, 6 H, 2 BB, 2 K
The Jayhawks (18-19, 4-7) returned the big inning the Longhorns hung on them in game one in the middle of game two, and then some.
The six-run Kansas fourth was just the beginning of the 14-6 blowout.
Barely above freezing for the fourth Jayhawks game in a row, the 20 runs between the two resulted in a three-and-a-half hour long game. Scoring in all but one inning, the cold-weather team looked smoking hot Friday.
asm in the crowd last night and I couldn't believe those people could sit through that for how cold it was yesterday."
— Alissa Bauer
Kansan senior sportswriter Alissa Bauer can be contacted at abauer@kansan.com.
》 FAILURE TO COMMUNICATE
Baseball enters crucial part of season
Don't hit the panic button just yet, Kansas baseball fans.
The Jayhawks' 18-20 overall record and 4-8 Big 12 Conference record is certainly no reflection of their 43-25, 13-14 record from a year ago. It's simply reality that when a team loses seven players to the professional ranks and eight seniors, it's going to experience setbacks.
Without a core of seniors, Kansas' juniors, sophomores and freshmen have been forced into the lake filled by last season's senior
BY SHAWN SHROYER
KANSAN SPORTS COLUMNIST
SSHROYER@KANSAN.COM
roles held by a class. This transition has been especially tough on coach Ritch Price's offense.
coach Price said. "It seems like we have two or three guys in our lineup who are struggling at any one time and usually if you're solid one through nine somebody can pick you up."
Saturday's 6-5 loss to No. 7 Texas was Kansas' eight one-run loss of the season, dropping the lavhawks to 2-8
in one-run games this season. Last season, Kansas was 10-3 in one-run games.
It's simply reality that when a team loses seven players to the professional ranks and eight seniors, it's going to experience setbacks.
But all is not lost when, through losing,
"We were so solid one through nine a year ago in our batting order and we've been really inconsistent,"
Case in point, on Saturday, junior left fielder John Allman, junior second baseman Ryne Price and senior catcher Dylan Parzyk went a combined 0-for-12.
Edited by Ashley Thompson
a team finds character and these young Jayhawks have matured.
Sophomore first baseman Preston Land was named preseason all-Big 12 by Baseball America, but after his batting average dropped
And after being benched last weekend for not hustling, junior right fielder Brock Simpson has responded by going 6-for-15 since then, giving the all-out effort that coach Price demands from his players.
Coach Price said Kansas needed five conference series victories to make postseason play and the Jayhawks have five remaining, so it's officially do-or-die time for his squad. But regardless of Kansas' record at the end of the season, make no mistake that Price still has the program headed in the right direction.
Shroyer is a Mound City junior in journalism.
near the Mendoza line, he soon found himself toward the bottom of the batting order.
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. — Joshua Clotterey completely dominated Diego Corrales on Saturday night, knocking down the former world champion twice in a unanimous decision in their 10-round welterweight bout.
Clottey (31-2) sent Corrales — making his debut at 147 pounds after moving up two weight classes — to the canvas with a left hand to the head late in the ninth round.
BOXING Clottey controls Corrales in welterweight match
With the spirit of last year's Big 12 Championship team still evident on this year's team, there still hope that the Jayhawks will turn their season around.
Corrales (40-5) survived the ninth but took a bloody left eye into the 10th and final round.
Midway through the 10th, Corrales dodged a Clotty left but stepped into his right and went down again. The former WBC and WBO lightweight and WBO junior lightweight champion got back to his feet, but it was over.
Clottey won 97-90, 98-89 and 100-87 on the judges' scorecards.
"Whenever they come around, they see us and they're always really supportive," Marks said.
He could have let the slide down the order get the best of him. Instead he's regaining confidence with every at bat, hitting .273 his last six games, and he's remained an asset on defense with a .992 fielding percentage.
USE KU CUISINE CAS
Before it expires
LARGE one-topping pizza for
$8.99
Call Us! 841-8002
view other specials and our complete menu at
kudominos.com
Following Saturday's loss, sophomore left-hander Andy Marks showed exceptional character.
Associated Press
Marks wasn't charged with the loss Saturday, but he did allow Texas to tie the game after his offense gave him a lead to work with. He had no obligation to field questions from the media, but he did so without dodging any,
Although last year's seniors have moved on, Marks said they hadn't forgotten their old teammates.
April 13/14th In the Bathroom, 13th at 7:30, 14th at 8:30, Alderson Auditorium, Kansas Union
kudominos.com
April 13th Panty-line Project,12-2, at Kansas Union
& Iowa Sun-Thurs 11am-1am, Fri-Sat 11am-3am
SUA Poetry Slam, 7pm, Hawks Nest (Kansas Union) Relationship Slant
April is Sexual Violence Awareness Month
Check out the Following Events:
Edited by Ryan Schneider
April 9-15th This is Not an Invitation to Rape Me photo display, Kansas Union
April 11th Kristen's Story, 7pm. 120 Budig Hall
April 17th Panty-line Project, 11-1, at GSP Residence Hall
April 9th
Panty-line Project, 11-1,
Wescoe Beach
April 19th
April 23-25th White Ribbon Campaign
answering each one candidly.
Sexual Violence Education and Support Services Room 400, Kansas Union
785. 864.3552 | www.etwrc.ku.edu/SVESS.shtml | kabell@ku.edu
Johnson County Clin-Trials FLU VACCINE STUDY
Johnson County Clin-Trials
is currently looking for healthy volunteers ages 18-40 to participate in a clinical research study involving an outpatient invesigational flu vaccine
Qualified participants will receive
- Compensation up to $700 for time and travel
- Study-related medical exams
- Study-related laboratory assessments
If you are interested or would like more information, please contact us at Johnson County Clin-Trials (913) 825-4400 www.jcct.com
LIBERTY HALL 644 Mass
749-1912
NOTES ON A SCANDAL (R)
2:00 4:30 7:00 9:30
THE LIVES OF OTHERS (R)
1:30 4:10 6:45 9:20
TODAYS TIMES ON Y!!
Monday 2 for 1 burgers
$2.75 domestic gustos
Wednesday $2.50 domestics 35c Wings (after 6 pm)