2B
Mondav. Mav 5.1997
UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
Softball team waits for invitation
Recent conference losses could hurt chance to compete in upcoming NCAA Tournament
y Matt Woodruff
Kansan sportswriter
After going 2-2 in the Big 12 Conference Tournament, the No. 25 Kansas softball team will be forced to wait and hope that it receives an invitation to the NCAA Tournament.
The announcement will be made Sunday.
"My gut feeling is that we're on the bubble," Kansas coach Tracy Bunge said. "I felt pretty good after the Texas &M win, but the last two losses will hurt us."
Bunge said although Kansas finished with a 36-21 overall record in a strong conference, the team's recent struggles and dropping seven of its last
eight games would affect its chances.
"The regional and national committee looks at head-to-head and how they did at the end of the season," Bunge said. "We don't have a great record down the stretch. On paper, we don't look like a team on fire."
Both of the team's tournament losses were at the hands of the Oklahoma State Cowgirls, including yesterday's 3-1 loss that dropped the Jayhawks from the tournament.
Kansas pitcher Sarah Workman took the loss despite giving up no earned runs. The Cowgirl runs were scored off of Kansas errors.
"I don't think we've played this poorly defensively all year," Bunge
said. "We played tentatively, sat back on ground balls and the infield was tough. We had some bad hops, but we should have made some plays."
Kansas' only run came in the first innning when left fielder Sara Holland, who was named to the All-Tournament team, was hit by Oklahoma State pitcher Jenn Markert to lead off the game. Second baseman Heather Richins then slapped a triple to right center field to drive Holland in, but Richins was stranded at third base.
On Saturday, Kansas fell 3-2 to Oklahoma State.
The Jayhawks scattered eight hits, two of them by first baseman Shannon Stanwix but were able to score just two runs.
"We had a whole lot of opportunities to score," Bunge said. "I don't know how many runners we left in scoring position, but it hurt us."
Kansas' victories came against No. 7 Oklahoma on Saturday and against Texas A&M on Friday.
The Jayhawks beat the Sooners 4-1 behind the strong pitching of Workman. She pitched all seven innings, giving up one run and three hits.
Kansas had offensive help from the middle of the order as No. 5 hitter Michelle Hubler and No. 6 hitter Sarah McCann each had a pair of hits.
Hubler and McCann also hit well against the Aggies, each going 2-for-3 and scoring a pair of runs.
But it was center fielder Julie True who led the way offensively, going 3-for 3 and driving in 3 runs.
Bunge said the team played much better when they weren't tense.
"They had been trying really hard, and that's not always good," Bunge said. "Today, they played relaxed and focused."
Kansas athlete breaks hammer-throw record
Kansan staff report
Several athletes increased their performance levels at Saturday's Oklahoma Invitational.
The most notable effort of the day came from Kansas thrower Kim Feldcamp, who broke the Kansas school record in the hammer throw.
Five Kansas athletes won events, with three of them posting careerbest marks.
Feldcamp's throw of 163 feet and 5 inches topped her own record of 162-5 which she set at the Bike Works Spring Twilight meet at Emporia State on March 20. The throw also improved her NCAA provional qualifying mark. The throw earned Feldcamp a second-place finish behind Nebraska's Doreen Heldt, who took first place with a toss of 171-10.
Spinner Carleen Roberts took first place in the 400-meter run with a career-best time of 54.23. Roberts' time is the best on the team this year, and she set a new team best in the 200-meter with a sixth-place finish and a time of 24.61.
Craig Hettche earned a first-place finish in the 1,500-meter run with a career best of 3:57.33.
Three other first-place finishers for the Jayhawks were Brad Schepers in the discus (175-1), Marcus Scheid in the long jump (24-3) and Jon Colby Miller in the pole vault (16-6/3/4).
Several other Kansas athletes set new career or season bests on Saturday.
Thrower Marlea Woodman became the team's new season leader in the discus with a career-best throw of 167-9. Thrower Darin Schmitz and decathlete Mike Evers improved their season-best marks with throws of 144-1 and 142-1, respectively. Distance runner Matt Norton improved his season-best time in the 800-meter with a time of 154.00.
The Jayhawks will have one more tuneup meet next weekend before the Big 12 Championships May 16-18 at Waco, Texas.
Part of the team will compete in the Emporia State Twilight Qualifier on Saturday.
Softball stars honored
Six Jayhawks named to all-conference team; top students praised
Six players on the No.25 Kansas softball team have earned spots on the All-Big 12 Conference team. The selections were announced on Thursday at a banquet to kick off the conference tournament that began on Friday.
Kansan staff report
"It's quite gratifying to have six players named to the all-conference team," Kansas coach Tracy Bunge said. "It's great recognition for the University and these players, and they deserve it."
Two Jayhawks were named to the league's first team. Outfielder Sara Holland, who hit .409 with 33 runs, 27 RBI 16 doubles and seven home runs during the regular season, was named first-team all-conference. Holland's batting average was second in the Big 12, and she ranked among the league leaders in hits, on-base percentage and doubles.
Pitcher Sarah Workman also was named to the first team. Workman
led the Big 12 in conference appearances (45), innings (257,2) and games started (39). Workman is 24-16 with a 1.63 ERA this season.
Three juniors and a freshman were named to the All-Big 12 Conference second team. Junior Kristina Johnson led Kansas with 28 RBI and had a .285 batting average. Junior third baseman Sarah McCann was also named to the second team. McCann hit .318 during the regular season with a .956 fielding percentage. Junior shortstop Michelle Hubler and freshman Shannon Stanwix rounded out the second-team selections for the Jayhawks.
Kansas also placed four players on the Academic All-Big 12 team and three players earned honorable mention. McCann, Jennifer Funkhouser, Katie Malone and Christy McPhail merited first-team all-academic honors. Heather Richins, Holland and Julie True received honorable mention.
"Only two other teams had four players on the first team, and that shows how much we stress academics," Bunge said. "We put a lot of emphasis on academics, and they take it to heart. They worked very hard all year."
Graduates say sad goodbye to Kansas sports
It's over for thousands of University of Kansas sports enthusiasts. They will no longer be able to purchase season tickets for basketball and football for just $91. They will no longer be able to walk across the street to see a game. They will no longer be able to shoot hoops with members of the basketball team.
No, administration is not doing away with athletics. But many students are graduating and moving to other regions of the country. This is the last day of classes for thousands of departing students, and many will soon acknowledge that it's not as easy to follow Kansas sports in the real world.
I didn't realize how important KU athletes was to me until just recently. Looking back on my four years in Lawrence, I don't think I attended even half of Kansas' home games. I didn't even watch some of those games on TV.
SPORTS COLUMNIST
Trying to follow Kansas sports after graduation will be a difficult task. When I get a job in that far-off place called Springfield, ill., I will only be able to see a few Kansas games on
television each year. But I don't want to rely on Dick Vitale or Digger Phelps to give me the latest information on Kansas. I'll miss the fact that every game, including preseason exhibitions, is broadcast on local television networks. I'll also miss watching The Roy Williams Show.
I will have to fight in line with scalpers and other non-Williams fund supporters to get the few tickets that are available to the general public. Students are essentially guaranteed tickets, but everyone else must battle to see a men's basketball game.
Ticket prices are outrageous for professional sports. The money I paid for season tickets at Kansas will get me one Bulls ticket, a hot dog and a program—on half price night.
About 4,500 students will walk down the hill this month, but more than 20,000 will remain on the Lawrence campus. I have some advice for you on how to cherish your remaining sports life at the University.
Go to every home contest. Not just basketball and football but the non-revenue sports as well. Track, baseball and tennis teams at Kansas are among the finest in the country, but many students ignore these teams completely.
■ Read The University Daily Kansan. Nowhere else in the country will you find more in-depth, consistent coverage of Kansas athletics than in the student newspaper. Other papers focus on game results, but the Kansan provides information that no one else knows about.
Show your spirit. Paint your face crimson and blue. Wear your Jayhawk sweatshirt every day. Talk about Kansas continuously. When I leave Lawrence, I can no longer do any of these because people will think there is something wrong with me.
Don't let your time at the University slip away. Life will never be the same once you leave the happiest place on Earth.
Comments? E-mail Dave at dbreiten@kansan.com
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