THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN SPORTS
FRIDAY, MAY 6. 2005
PAGE 1B
WWW.KANSAN.COM
BASEBALL
National exposure
Series to be televised on ESPNU
BY KELLI ROBINETT
krobinet@kansan.com
KANSAN SPORTWRITER
The Kansas baseball team will be the newest benefactor of the NHL lockout this weekend. All three games of its series against No. 3 Texas will be televised on ESPN networks.
Friday and Saturday's 6 p.m. games will be aired live on ESPNU, and Sunday's noon match-up will be shown on tape delay on ESPN2. But the University of Kansas isn't profiting from the national exposure in the way one might think.
While the Kansas football team brings in hundreds of thousands of dollars for each televised home game, and the sports basketball team gets millions of dollars from ESPN every
year, the University isn't making a dime from this weekend's games.
The University doesn't require compensation from television networks for baseball games because national exposure is enough of a reward, said Jim Marchiony, associate athletics director of external affairs.
"At this point of our baseball program, we're not at a point where we can demand a rights fee," Marchiony said. "We're just thrilled to be able to get this exposure and showcase the team to a national television audience."
Senior pitcher Mike Zagurski agreed, because the Kansas baseball team has never played a home game on national television.
"This is a great opportunity for a program like ours that isn't an elite team," he said. "Playing one of the best
Price
teams in the country, on national TV, it just doesn't get any better than that."
ESPN normally televises only the College World Series and select regional playoff games. But with no NHL games to show due to the league's lockout, the
network has televised several college baseball and softball games during the past few weeks. The Big 12 Conference has been featured more than any other conference during that span.
Marchiony said one possible reason for the increased focus on the Big 12 was because the SEC, a baseball-rich conference, wanted rights fees for televised baseball games, while the Big 12 didn't.
Coach Ritch Price said he didn't
mind playing on ESPN without receiving a rights fee and thought the Big 12 was using good strategy.
"The Big 12 has had games on the last four weekends," Price said. "Every player in America looks forward to the day they can play on ESPN."
He also said that the televised games would do wonders for the Kansas baseball program, and that he had sent e-mails to every high school recruit in his database informing them that Kansas would be playing on ESPN.
The television attention should also help attendance at Hogglund Ballpark.
"I expect to see over 2,000 fans for each game," Price said. "If you watch College Gameday before football and basketball games, you can tell college fans love that atmosphere and enjoy the games that much more."
Edited by Azita Tafreshi
Momentum on the rise
BY ALISSA BAUER
abauer@kansan.com
KANSAN SPORTWRITER
Kansas will look to its threegame winning streak to provide the momentum it needs to defeat No. 3 Texas in front of a national audience this weekend. ESPNU and ESPN will broadcast all three games live from Hoglund Ballpark.
Freshman pitcher Tyson Corley releases the ball while freshman second baseman Damon Sublet prepares to run Wednesday night in Wichita. Sublett eventually scored, but the Jayhawks went on to win the game 5-3.
The Jayhawks (31-20, 6-11 Big 12 Conference) enter tonight's contest against the Longhorns (38-9, 13-7 Big 12) after turning the tables on a dwindling season this week. A 7-0 loss to Kansas State last Friday seemed to motivated Kansas to improve. It has not lost since and could continue that trend while being showcased on the number one sports network.
Zach Strauss/KANSAN
"It's tremendous exposure for our program. And the reality is that it is another step forward for us," coach Ritch Price said. "If we can play well on national TV, then obviously it's going to help us continue to improve the program."
The embarrassing loss to the Wildcats in the series opener was followed by a pair of victories, resulting in the Jayhawks' first conference series victory of the season.
This moved Kansas out of the cellar and to the ninth spot in the Big 12 in time for the Jayhawks' third consecutive victory, against Wichita State.
Although the game against the Shockers was a nonconference game, the victories may have given Kansas momentum heading into tonight's game.
"There is something to be said about winning." Price said after the victory against Wichita State on Wednesday. "It all builds momentum for the weekend."
Momentum may be the name of the game this weekend, as the Jayhawks prepare to do whatever it
SEE MOMENTUM ON PAGE 6B
FOR THE WEEKEND
JOE BANT
jbant@kansan.com
KU baseball offers more than cheap hot dogs
People will try to sell you on the quarter hot dogs, and they'll have a point. A hot dog for a quarter? You can barely get a gumball for a quarter anymore. That's four for a dollar, 12 for $3 if the supplies hold, and that's the normal price of one. The possibilities alone inspire indigestion, and there's nothing better than parking yourself on a bleacher on a warm spring evening to watch your team play ball and having a ketchup-and-mustard-slathered hot dog while you do it. It's part of what makes America's pastime live up to that hallowed namesake. Sure, a frosty brew would be nice, but hey, you work with what you have.
But enticing as they are, quarter dogs aren't the reason you should go watch the Kansas baseball team square off against Texas at Hoglund Ballpark today. And they aren't the reason you should go Saturday and Sunday too. In fact, if you do go Saturday and Sunday for hot dogs — well, I hate to say it, but you'll be disappointed because that deal is today only.
The exposure's not the reason you should go to the games, either. Yes, ESPN is in town. Yes, the Jayhawks will be playing on a national television stage, so conceivably, you could end up on TV if a camera pans the crowd.
But who cares? Big frickin' deal. The reason you should go to this weekend's game is simple: to watch some quality baseball and to watch Kansas fight for its postseason life.
The Jayhawks have a 6-11 Big 12 Conference record, placing them at ninth in the league. At the end of the season, the top eight teams will be invited to play in the conference tournament with the opportunity to advance to the postseason. That means that right now the Jayhawks are on the outside looking in, and if they want to get in, they need to win, win, win, starting today.
The good news is Kansas finally has some momentum on its side. It posted a big victory Wednesday night, rallying in the ninth inning to defeat cross-state rival Wichita State. In conference, the team garnered its first Big 12 series victory of the season against Kansas State last weekend.
The bad news is replicating that feat against Texas is not going to be easy. The Longhorns are the No. 3 team in the country and among the best
INTRAMURALS
SEE BANT ON PAGE 6B
Missed shots kick soccer final into overtime
BY MICHAEL PHILIPS
mphillips@kansan.com
KANSAN SPORTWRITER
WOMEN'S ROSTER
Sudden death wasn't so sudden in the women's intramural soccer finals.
Emily Hirsekorn put in the winning goal. She was the only player on either team who was not a freshman.
Kappa Delta scored the winning goal during the 33rd minute of what was supposed to be a 20-minute game. The team defeated 9th Floor Ellsworth by a score of 2-1.
"It wasn't too tiring, because we play on a short field," Hirsekorn, Lenexa sonhomore, said.
Three-on-3 soccer is played with smaller goals, a reduced field and no goalies.
The first half hinted at a high-scoring game. Within the first few minutes, 9th Floor Ellsworth put itself on the board.
Kassia Meinholdt, Liberal freshman, was blocked on her
intramural 3-on-3 soccer championships: Women's rosters
It was the first tournament game for both teams, who got to the finals by forfeit when their opponents did not show.
Kappa Delta
- Emily Hirsekorn, Lenexa sophomore
- Molly Meisenzahl, St. Louis freshman
9th Floor Ellsworth
- Elyse Brisko, St. Louis freshman *
♦ Shea Fairchild, Maize freshman
*Sheila Parochio, Mariel M.*
*Kristin Flihler, Fernoria freshman*
Molly Meisenzahl, St. Louis freshman
Kristin Hartley, Empire Hospital
Alvaha Phillips, Mulvane freshman
Brittany Fellers, Salina freshman
♦ Krvstal Rhodes, Conway Springs freshman
Kassia Meinholdt, Liberal freshman
*Stephanie Dumolt, Leavenworth freshman*
first shot attempt, but got the ball under control and kicked the ball in the net from just feet away.
Meinholdt scored another goal just seconds later, but it was disallowed because she was standing in the crease in front of the goal, a rule violation.
Kappa Delta tried to retaliate by taking shots almost every time it touched the ball.
Brittany Fellers, Salina freshman, struck gold when she fired
from just steps in front of half-court.
"I like the long shots," Fellers said, "and I just decided to put one in."
The goal evened the score at one, and neither team saw many shots on goal for the rest of the half.
Coming out of the halftime break, 9th Floor Ellsworth dropped out of its man-to-man defense and had Meinholdt play
a defensive position.
Kappa Delta played with one defender back during the whole game.
In the first minute of the second half, Kappa Delta had two uncontested shots but did not convert on either.
The game took on a faster pace, with both teams trying to hurry their offenses.
The increased speed resulted in more shot opportunities for both teams, but no goals.
Ninth Floor Ellsworth scored on a kick from across the court, but the goal was disallowed. In 3-on-3 soccer, only goals made from halfcourt or closer count as points.
As the game approached the 20-minute mark, neither team was able to break the 1-tie.
The teams went to a three-minute sudden death period. Within the first minute, 9th Floor Elsworth had a breakaway.
SEE SOCCER ON PAGE 6B
Shea Fairchild, Maize freshman, passed the ball downcourt to Meinholdt. She held off on the shot opportunity for a split
Frin Droste/KANSAN
Elyse Brisko, St. Louis freshman, races after the ball flanked by Kassia Meinholdt, Liberal freshman. The girls played each other at the women's intramural championship game yesterday evening at the Shenk Sports Complex, located at 23rd and Iowa streets.
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