8A
SPORTS / FRIDAY, APRIL 2, 2010 / THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN / KANSAN.COM
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FOOTBALL (CONTINUED FROM 10A)
cornerback after initially redshirting.
Both approached Gill with the desire to play on offense this season.
"I played offense my whole life," Beshears said. "I'm an offensive guy; I'm a playmaker. That's just my natural ability — to make plays with the ball in my hands. I wanted to go back to receiver."
"I really am a lot more energized and I have a little more pep in my step." Patterson said. "I'm really out to prove that I was the receiver that could make plays on offense before and in this offense now."
But Patterson struggled early in the season before eventually losing his starting spot after the sixth game.
Patterson opened last season as a starting cornerback and was regarded by many teammates as one of Kansas' best players in coverage.
"It's different in high school when you're the best player on the field at any given time," Patterson said. "But when you have players that are better than you and have been playing the position since middle school and you're maybe three games into corner, it's kind of hard.
"It's not as fun."
That's why, when given the opportunity, Patterson, Beshears and Quigley jumped at the chance to at least compete for playing time on offense.
Under Mangino, Patterson and Beshears agreed that wouldn't have been the case.
"It wasn't gonna happen last year." Beshears said.
Now, the lahwacks will use the spring as an early gauge to view where they stand as an offense after losing top playmakers such as quarterback Todd Reesing and wide receivers Kerry Meier and Dezmon Briscoe.
That leaves room for new players or players returning to the offense to fill in.
"I'm getting another chance to play the position that I want," Patterson said. "And I'm going to make the best of it."
— Edited by Taylor Bern
BASEBALL REWIND
Mike Gunnoe/KANSAN
Junior shortstop Brandon Macias lays down a sacrifice bunt in the bottom of the fifth inning Thursday. Kansas defeated No. 22 Texas A&M 9-5.
After two rough outings junior starter bounces back
BY ANDREW HAMMOND
ahammond@kansan.com
A major storyline entering game one Thursday against Texas A&M was whether junior TJ Walz could shake off his last two troubling starts against St. Louis and Baylor. Well 7 1/3 strong innings, eight strikeouts and a win indicates that Walz was not crumbling.
"He did excellent for us tonight," said coach Ritch Price. "He was able to work in his pitches well by mixing up his fastball and change up."
Walz's last two starts were not at the All-Conference level of last season, but he still walked away with a 1-1 record. The trouble began at St. Louis where Walz, with a 5-0 cushion, folded in the fourth and fifth innings, allowing six runs in a 12-8 loss.
In the Big 12 opener at Baylor, fans saw the good, bad and ugly out of Walz. He let the Bears put up a five-run third inning, but Walz faced the challenge and managed to pick up the victory.
He continued the positive momentum against the Aggies.
"I had to do everything I could to get the win," Walz said. "These guys (Texas A&M) have owned us the last few seasons and I wanted to go out there and pitch well, and I did."
Walz was rock solid on the mound for the Jayhawks as he picked up his fifth victory of the season. For 7 1/3 innings, Walz stood out above opposing pitcher Barret Loux, one of the best pitchers in the Big 12. Walz allowed 11 hits — one of which was a solo home run by Brodie Greene — but from the third inning on, Walz was sharp, striking out a
season-high eight batters
The Jayhawks have gotten few quality starts in recent games and needed a starter to go deep in the game due to a tired bullpen.
"I's are our All-American," said junior left fieldier Jim Waters. "He's our leader. It's great to see him out there pitching well."
The win puts the Jayhawks at 18-9 on the season and 3-1 in the conference. With Thursday's win, their home record stands at 10-1 and the Jayhawks are riding an eight game home winning streak.
"There're really no big reason or difference, you like playing in your home ballpark," Walz said. "As a pitcher you get that comfort factor when you go on the mound."
— Edited by Cory Bunting
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After the Aggies pulled within two runs with a four-run rally in the top half of the inning, the Jayhawks bats struck right back. Jimmy Waters plated a run with a single to right and Brett Lisher hit a sacrifice fly to extend Kansas' cushion to four runs at 9-5.
Walz
Junior T.J. Walz
Walz was as sharp as he's been all season through the first seven innings for Kansas, scattering eight hits and allowing only one run. Though he got chased in the eighth after allowing three straight hits, Walz's effort in the beginning was instrumental to the Jayhawks' victory. The junior threw a season-high 122 pitches and also recorded a season-best eight strikeouts.
GAME TO FORGET
Sophomore Colton Murrav
Coming off two straight solid efforts out of Kansas' bullpen, Murray was ineffective on Thursday. He entered the game to relieve Walz with one out in the eighth and allowed both inherited runners to score in addition to giving up a run of his own.
STAT OF THE NIGHT
5-13
...with runners in scoring position
The Jayhawks had quality at hit
Loux one of the Big 12's best arms all night long, especially with runners on base. The 5-of-13 clip also doesn't factor in runs driven in without a hit, which Kansas did twice in the ballgame.
IN PERSPECTIVE
Walz needed to pitch well for Kansas to win, and he did that and more. The junior turned in one of his best outings of the season, featuring good velocity on his fastball and a sharp break to his curveball. Kansas' question mark heading into this series was whether or not its starting rotation would return to form, and for a night, at least, the answer was a definitive yes.
Ball magnet
GAMENOTES
After getting hit-by-pitch for the 14th time this season, junior outfielder Casey Lytle is only five HBP shy of tying the Jayhawks all-time record. Ryne Price holds the record with his 19 back in 2007.As a team Kansas has been plunked 48 times, which is also on pace to break the all-time record of 91, set back in 2005.
Thursday's victory against the Aggies snapped a seven-game losing streak for the Jayhawks dating back to 2007. In the all-time series though, A&M still holds a heavy advantage over Kansas with a 42-15 record.
Slump buster
Ben Ward
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