THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
THURSDAY, APRIL 4, 2013
PAGE 7B
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ACE ON THE MOUND
PITCHER ADDS DEPTH SM
FARZIN YOUSOUGHIAN
fvousoughian@kansan.com
Kansas sophomore pitcher Drew Morrow clicked only two
Starting rotation gets help from reliever
games this year prior to Wednesday's game against Saint Mary. Although his duties mostly consist of coming out of the bullpen, as a
Morovick
reliever, he showed his capable of starting any day after his performance against the Saint Mary Spires.
Kansas coach Ritch Price felt good about Morovick's five innings as Kansas held a 3-0 lead by the time Morovick was taken out. Morovick struck out three batters and allowed just four hits in five shutout innings Wednesday night.
"It was good to see him get back out into that starting role," Price said. "We're trying to get him to take the next step to the next level."
While taking the mound, Morovick has limited opposing players and kept them scoreless in his last 17 innings for the Jayhawks. He's appeared in eight games this season and started in three
of them. Morovick is now 2-1 on the season and has an ERA of 2.22 this year.
Morovic has been a big asset to the jayhawks' pitching rotation, filling in as an extra starter when needed.
"He pitches to contact and he lets the defense play behind him," Price said. "We're trying to have him get a better vibe on his breaking ball so he can strike batters out when he's got two outs in two-strike counts. He gives you a solid effort every time when you give him the ball."
Morovickliked his performance on the mound against Saint Mary. At the same time, he sees room for
His first strikeout did not come until the third inning and knows there will be opportunities for him to get better later on.
improvement.
"It would have been nice if I could have started it as smoothly as I ended it," Morovick said. "I just went out there and threw strikes, just like how I'm supposed to. I gave my team five shutout innings and put them in position to win."
Morovick helped contribute in the sixth shutout game this year for the Jayhawks, which is the most since 1993 when the Jayhawks appeared in the College World Series.
"He did a really good job of pounding the strike zone early," senior shortstop Kevin Kuntz said. "He got ahead of hitters and finished them off and trusted his defense."
His defensive teammates liked what they saw from him, giving them more confidence and energy to play when they get a good outing on the mound.
Morovick, who was the Tuesday starting pitcher last year as a freshman, has been the team's top option for a new starting pitcher in case a weekend starter or Tuesday starter goes down to injury.
With senior Thomas Taylor being one of the weekend starters
and leaving Kansas after this season. Morovick hopes he can eventually change his role.
"Definitely hoping to be a weekend starter," Morovick said. "I've got to get my velocity up on my fast ball and I've got to strike people out better with two strikes."
With five games this week, Morovick was added to Kansas' starting lineup. Now, he'll return to the bullpen and will continue to pitch shutouts as he eyes a weekend starting job as a junior next season.
Edited by Elise Reuter
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Senior infielder Alex DeLeon runs to second after a line drive to centerfield
GEORGE MULLINIX/KANSAN
Sophomore pitcher Drew Morovick threw 5 innings with no earned runs and 3 strikeouts. The sophomore has now pitched 16 straight scoreless innings.
GEORGE MULLINIX/KANSAN
Sophmore center-fielder Joe Moroney catches the fly ball in the 6th inning
GEORGE MULLINIX/KANSAN
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