6B
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
NEWS
THURSDAY, APRIL 28. 2005
Fly away home
Jeff Roberson/THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Jeff Roberson/THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Chicago Cubs' Corey Patterson watches his walk-off home run fly out of the park during the ninth inning against the Cincinnati Reds yesterday in Chicago. The home run gave the Cubs an 8-7 victory.
Exhibition play eye-opening
SOCCER: 3-0,2-0
face Hoosiers, Boilermakers, recognize strengths and weaknesses
BY MATT TORNOW
mtornow@kansan.com
KANSAN SPORTSWRITER
The Big 12 conference champion Kansas soccer team competed in two spring exhibition games in Indiana last weekend.
The team's first stop was in Indianapolis on Saturday where the Jayhawks flew past the Purdue Boilermakers, 3-0. Junior forward Caroline Smith, sophomore forward Lacey Novak, and Jenifer Thomas, a transfer player from Texas Tech, scored the goals for the Jayhawks.
Overall, the Jayhawks are 2-1 in spring play. After three games the team is finding out what kinks to work out before next season.
On Sunday, the Jayhawks traveled to Bloomington, Ind., and took on the Indiana Hoosiers. There the Jayhawks suffered their first defeat of the exhibition season, 2-0.
"Playing three games has
Playing these games has been good for us because it has allowed us to make some adjustments so that we are ready to go in the fall."
Jenifer Thomas transfer player from Texas Tech
been good for us because it has allowed us to make some adjustments so that we are ready to go in the fall." Thomas said.
Thomas is excited to be a part of the Kansas soccer team after playing for Texas Tech last year.
"I'm looking forward to next season because of the success this team had last fall, and I'm excited to have an opportunity
RESULTS
Kansas has completed three of its five spring exhibition games. The final two games are against Kansas City-area boys' teams.
April 2 Kansas 2 Minnesota 0
◆ April 23
Kansas 3 Purdue 0
to be a part of it," Thomas said
to be a part in Junior goalkeeper Erin Ferguson said the spring season was helping the team recognize its strengths and weaknesses and release built-up energy.
"I believe we are coming together very well, both on and off the field," she said. "The games gave us a chance to release all the pent-up energy on someone other than ourselves."
Kansas went 18-5-0 last season, which gave the team its first Big 12 Championship. Kansas also made it to the
April 24 Indiana 2 Kansas 1
Today Kansas vs. Blue Valley Stars
May 5 Kansas vs. KCFC
source: www.kuathletics.com
NCAA Tournament where they lost in the second round to Nebraska.
The Jayhawks are working on all the little things to make them better as a team, and individually. Ferguson said that the training the team was going through helped it see strengths and build its on-the-field skills.
The Jayhawks play at 5 p.m. today against the Blue Valley Stars U-15 club, at the Jayhawk Soccer Complex.
Edited by Jennifer Voldness
Baseball
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1B
stranded seven during the game.
The starters added two more runs in the bottom of the seventh, and the reserves continued to move runners in the eighth inning, adding the final three scores.
Every player in the Kansas dugout except senior infielder Andy Colll and senior catcher Mike Bessolo batted. Bessolo saw the field in the top of the ninth. Ritchie Price and freshman second baseman Ryne Price were the only starters who took the field in the top of the ninth inning.
Sophomore left-handed pitcher Sean Land earned the victory after pitching five innings and setting a career high with six strikeouts. Land said he was disappointed he had to leave the game.
five innings," he said. "I did pretty well. Overall, it was one of the best of my career. I had a pretty good fastball."
"I wish I could have gone more than
Ritch Price said he wanted to give other pitchers a chance to play in the lopsided game. He said starting pitches would have to play more innings in this weekend's series against Kansas State.
"Our starting pitching staff has to get us into the sixth and seventh innings," he said. "It's crucial that we either have the lead or the game's tied at that point."
The Jayhawks and Wildcats will play at 6:30 p.m. tomorrow in Manhattan. The teams will return to Lawrence for the final two games of the series.
"We've kind of got our backs against the wall," Ritchie Price said. "This series will make or break us."
- Cross is Kansan sports editor.
Colaianni
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1B
Edited by Megan Claus
death for a pitcher, but players have also suffered heart attacks after getting hit in the chest.
A pitcher standing on the mound arms extended, after throwing a pitch is completely vulnerable. There is little or nothing a pitcher can do to protect himself.
A study published in the Official Journal of the American College of Sports Medicine showed that a ball coming off a metal bat has a much higher velocity than a ball coming off a wooden bat.
Using wooden bats for collegiate games would also help players prepare for the professional ranks.
After last season Kansas baseball players Matt Trible, Ryan Baty and
Travis Metcalf were all drafted by major league clubs, and immediately joined their minor league affiliates.
There certainly was a transition period for them to adjust from using a metal bat each day. Using wooden bats helps give the college baseball players the opportunity to improve their skills using the same equipment professionals use.
Many collegiate players participate in wooden bat leagues during the summer to prepare on their own. But why not prepare them for the best competition while they are playing collegiate games?
It would provide a better game at the professional level as they use the same equipment for a long period of time.
However, players will eventually adjust and offensive output will remain high.
The offensive productivity certainly would drop in the college game.
Some Little League organizations have seen the problems of using metal bats, and are now converting to wooden-bat-only leagues.
Chelmsford, Mass., banned all metal bat use for the 2004 season.
It's a step in the right direction, but more still needs to be done. Getting the NCAA to sign on to ban the use of metal bats certainly would show others that this is a very serious matter.
Instead of hearing the 'ping' that is made when a metal bat makes contact with a ball, change it to the 'crack' of a wooden bat.
It makes sense and it will save lives.
- Colaianni is a McLean, Va., sophomore in journalism and political science.
A touch of Irish in downtown Lawrence
CASHCA$HCASHCA$H
CA$HCASHCA$HCASH
CASHCA$HCASHCA$H
CA$HCASHCA$HCASH
TOP CASH NOW THRU FINALS
SELL YOUR TEXTBOOKS
at the store voted "Best on the Hill"
Jayhawk Bookstore ..at the top of Naismith Hill
EightOneFive
CAFÉ & NIGHTCLUB
$5.75 9 Oz. Martinis Everyday
Thusday Specials
$2 All Domestic Drafts
$3 Smirnoff Vodkas
Benefit Concert for Chris Newman at 9pm
Friday Specials
$1 Bud Light Drafts
$2.75 Cosmopolitan Martinis
$3 Double Red Bull/Vodka
DJ Cyncere at 10pm
THE
VOL. 1
FUN
15 New Hampshire 642.8200 Open Tues Ap-2a Wed-Sat 4:44p-2
wit
Stay Allen I est wa membri Studer studer source
Stu
renewe
organi
tered
to m
zation
al or
their g
about
fu
Livin Stadi
Cu Hispa Orga Unio Stud their
ST