6B
/ SPORTS / FRIDAY, APRIL 9, 2010 / THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN / KANSAN.COM
TEXAS-SIZED SHOWDOWN
BASEBALL GAMEDAY JAYHAWKS VS. LONGHORNS KU aims for consecutive Texas sweeps KANSAS OPENING PITCH TEXAS OPENING PITCH
ATAGLANCE
The layhawks (19-10-1, 3-2-1) have won seven of their last 10 games, and have opened each of their Big 12 series with a victory on Friday night. Kansas swept then top-ranked Texas last season at Hoglund Ballpark.
Will the Jayhawks be able to score enough runs against the Longhorns?
QUESTION MARK
Texas' pitching staff has been nothing short of remarkable this season. As a team the Longhorns' staff boasts an impressive 2.57 ERA and holds opposing hitters to a meager .219 batting average. While the Jayhawk pitchers need to throw well, the offense still needs to produce runs to win.
PLAYER TO WATCH
Junior right fielder Casey Lytle
As the Jayhawks lead-off man, it's Lytle's responsibility to work deep into the count and set the table for the rest of the lineup. When Lyltle gets on base he menaces Kansas' opponents, having scored 30 runs with eight stolen bases. If Lyltle can get the Jayhawks started early and often, it could be a long weekend for the Longhorn pitchers.
BY THE NUMBERS
4.77 — Kansas' staff ERA
.306 — Kansas' team batting average
.276 — opposing batting average against Kansas
QUOTE
"If we can go down there and play well, I think we have a good enough team that we can hang with them," junior third baseman Tony Thompson said.
PROJECTED STARTING PITCHERS
— Junior T.J. Walz: Walz has eight career victories against teams ranked in the top 25. The junior has also won the first game of Kansas' last three weekend series. Considering Walz' competition (Taylor Jungmann — 3-1, 2.94 ERA) he needs to start the weekend with an especially strong outing.
Senior Cameron Selik: Despite a career-high eight strikeouts last Saturday against No. 22 Texas A&M, Selik suffered his second loss of the season after a late rally. The burly right-hander is Kansas' most outwardly confident pitcher, and that swagger should help him in Austin.
Senior Brett Bollman: With a fastball that tops out in the high-80's, Bollman isn't going to overpower anyone. But he's a control whiz who fools hitter with sharp off-speed pitches. If Bollman can give the Jayhawks five or six strong innings on Sunday, they have a great chance.
SERIES OUTLOOK
The Longhorns undoubtedly remember getting swept at Hoglund last year, and they should be eager to exact their revenge. But if Kansas can get quality starts from its pitchers and find a way to manufacture runs against Texas' hurlers, then it has a good chance to earn a few road victories in Austin.
BASEBALL (CONTINUED FROM 1B)
up runs for our pitching staff;
junior Tony Thompson said.
Though the layhawks average 7.5 runs per game, they'll have their hands full against the aforementioned Longhorns staff. Its team ERA (2.55) is nearly a full run better than the conference's next best.
Texas' staff is also coming off a series against Oklahoma where it
Despite the Longhorns' impressive numbers from the mound, Stanfield said he knew the Jayhawks could hit against anyone.
allowed only three runs in a three-game series sweep.
"Our bats have been coming through in key situations lately," he said.
And in regards to last season's sweil, Selik acknowledged this
was a different Kansas team — but one that was more than capable of knocking off Texas on the road.
"We all know they remember it," Selik said. "But we can't let anything like that get to us. We'll let them worry about all those emotions and just play our game."
Edited by Taylor Bern
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AT A GLANCE
A perennial national-title contender, No. 6 Texas currently sits atop the Big 12 standings at 7-2 in conference play. The Longhorns' sweep against Oklahoma last week moved them three games ahead of second-place Kansas State.
QUESTION MARK
Junior pitcher Chance Ruffin
Can Kansas out-pitch the Longhorns?
In order for Kansas to win two games or get the outright sweep of Texas, two things must happen: The starters need to go at least six to eight innings into the game and the bullpen needs to hold leads. Tanner Poppe and the bullpen did a great job of that against Creighton on Wednesday. Can they do it again?
Ruffin is one of the top closers in the nation and his stat line in 2010 is proof of that. Seven saves, a league leading 0.59 ERA and opposing batters are hitting an average .115. If Texas has a lead late in the game, Ruffin's entry could spell doom for the Jayhawks.
PLAYER TO WATCH
BYTHE NUMBERS
34 — Home runs, tied for second in the Big 12
.279 — Team batting average, lowest in the Big 12
.883 — Strikeouts per nine innings pitched
GAME STARTERS
Jungmann is a potential first-round draft pick in the MLB draft next season and one of the best starting pitchers in the country. In his last start against Oklahoma, Jungmann pitched seven innings, struck out six and picked up his third victory.
— Sophomore Taylor Jungmann
— Junior Brandon Workman
Workman's 2010 numbers are great; 5-1 with a 3.09 ERA. Workman can go deep into games as he has a team-leading two complete games this season. Against Oklahoma, Workman pitched eight innings with eight strikeouts.
Junior Cole Green
Robby Price
s the only undefeated Longhorn starter, Green's 6-0 record includes one complete game and a nine-strikeout performance against Iowa. Out of all of the Longhorn starters, Green has the lowest opponent batting average at .213. In his last start against Oklahoma, Green picked up the victory with a six-strikeout performance in 7 2/3 innings.
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