Sports THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
Jayhawk coach leaves Assistant fills head-coaching vacancy. WOMEN'S BASKETBALL | 2B
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WEDNESDAY, MARCH 31, 2010
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ANOTHER ROCKY START
Freshman shortstop Kevin Kuntz rifles the ball to first while trying to avoid the umpire. Kansas rallied late, defeating Arkansas-Little Rock 9-8.
Mike Gunnoe/KANSAN
Jayhawks narrowly gain victory
Kansas wins despite shaky pitching and several missed runs
BY BEN WARD
bward@kansan.com
twitter.com/bm_dub
Once again forced to overcome
a shake pitching performance, the lajyhaws were able to hang on for a victory after a wild ninth inning at Hogtown Ballpark.
Kansas (16-9) got all it could handle from Arkansas-Little Rock, and escaped with a 9-8 victory.
Before the dramatic ninth inning, the Jayhawks exchanged the lead four times with the Trojans in the first four innings, which were marked by inconsistent play.
Redshirt freshman Thomas Taylor once again struggled with his
control, allowing three walks and hitting a batter, and also allowed several base hits when he got ahead 0-2 in the count.
"Those things set the table for you to leave the game behind, which was the case for us," coach Ritch Price said.
Taylor left the game in the fifth with Kansas trailing 5-4, and senior Wally Marceli worked his way out of further damage. But Little Rock tacked on three more runs in the sixth, taking an 8-4 lead.
The Jayhawks came into the game hot on offense with 45 total runs scored in their last four games, but struggled for most of the game to capitalize on their many opportunities. Kansas squandered several bases-loaded chances, and failed to take advantage of the high walk total allowed by the Troians.
"We had an opportunity early to put some runs on the board that we did not take advantage of," Price said.
woke up.
But in the seventh, the bats finally
With the bases loaded and two men out, senior second baseman Robby Price got the lahayws within one run as he plated two runs on a double to right. Next up was junior center fielder Brian Heere, who singled to center, scoring the tying, and eventual winning runs.
Robby Price credited the tough at-bats throughout the lineup for producing yet another comeback.
"It itse like every guy in the
line is grinding out at bats and
vo view coverage of Tuesday's game, visit kansan.com/photos/galleries.
SEE BASEBALL ON PAGE 4B
TRACK & FIELD
Javelin thrower sees success after injury
BY KORY CARPENTER
editor@kansan.com
For junior javelin thrower lain Tornble, recovering from his torn elbow ligament was a
experience.
" It's like learning how to walk again," Trimble said.
whole new experience
Trimble
The torn
ligament sidelined Trimble for the entire 2009 track and field season. He had show success in 2008, winning two of his three javelin events before the ligament tear derailed his season.
"It was still tough though, seeing guys I knew around the country experience success while I sat out," he said.
Trimble said injuries such as his were common in javelin.
After throwing every year
"Last year was just rehab and re-learning how to throw," Trimble said. "It was definitely nice to return to outdoor competition after not throwing for almost two years."
since the ninth grade, returning to the sport after a year off was difficult.
The rust came off quickly. Trimble finished first in the javelin last weekend at the Razorback Spring Invitational, the first event of the outdoor year.
"I expected myself to finish first," Trimble said. "I knew after practicing I would have a good shot at a first place finish, but I expected to do a lot better also."
"This weekend will be pretty big," he said. "A lot of the top javelin throwers in the nation will be there."
SEE TRACK ON PAGE 6B
Trimble and the team will travel to Austin, Tex. this weekend for the Texas Relays.
Freshman infielder Mariah Montgomery tags out UMK's Taylor Hill as she slides into second base. Montgomery finished the double play with the out.
Mia Iverson/KANSAN
SOFTBALL
PAGE 1B
Kansas sweeps UMKC
Strong defense against the Kangaroos helped seal Hawks' victory
BY ZACH GETZ
zgetz@kansan.com
zgetter.com/zqotz
BY ZACH GETZ
In the first game of a doubleheader against UMKC, junior catcher Brittany Hile took a pitch with two strikes and two outs, and hit a floater to center field.
"I thought it was going to be a pop-up and I was rounding first, just praying the wind was going to give it a little push," Hile said.
The ball just cleared the wall for her first ever grand slam. Kansas used Hile's play to help sweep UMKC yesterday at Arrocha Ballpark. Kansas improved to 16-17 (0-2) for the season while UMKC fell to 8-22 and still doesn't have a victory on the road.
Both of Kansas' pitchers were solid, allowing just one run. Coach Megan Smith said she was pleased with how the pitchers performed.
Even when UMKC got players on base, Kansas' defense locked down, stranding 11 players on base. Freshman pitcher and outfielder Alex Jones said she trusted her teammates to make plays during the close game when she was in the pitching circle.
"Our pitchers had a rough outing this past weekend, and I really wanted them to put that behind them and get back to work today," Smith said. "They did a better job
See a photo gallery of the softball game at kansan.com/photos/galleries
"I was confident no matter where the ball went that my defense would be behind me," Jones said.
In game one, senior pitcher Sarah Vertelka picked up her team-best sixth win by pitching seven innings with just one earned run. Six different layhawks had hits during the
SEE SOFTBALL ON PAGE 6B
COMMENTARY
Sports remain available in college
BY NICOLAS ROESLER
careers are over after high school?
W hy is it that so many people think their competitive sport
A small fraction of high school athletes get scholarships, or opporun tities to play for a Division 1 program such as Kansas. But this does not mean that the remaining student athletes' lives of playing competitive soccer or baseball or any other sport are over. High school could have just been the beginning.
At the University there is a variety of club sports for individuals to join, including club baseball and club ultimate Frisbee. Usually, each club sport has a men's and women's team and most club sports have an A through C team, which increases the competition.
The men's ultimate team, known as the HorrorZontals, is a club made up of college students who have come together with a common goal: Have some fun and win some games.
"It is a great outlet for anyone who has a competitive nature," said Ryan Bigley, a senior from San Antonio. "You're like a weekend warrior."
Bigley has played for the HorrorZontals all five years he has been at the University. He said that playing for the club was a little bit more of a stress on your wallet and on time management, but that the experience had made him a better person.
Besides the opportunity to go to New Orleans during Mardi Gras for a tournament, there are some other benefits. The HorrorZontals practice about six hours a week and compete in a tournament almost every weekend Alex Gareis, president of the club, said.
"My sport club opened me up to a vast social network;" Gareis, a junior from Chicago, said. "I met my best friends and my girlfriend through ultimate."
The HorrorZontals require about a $200 fee for the spring semester, but that money gets you so much more than just a jersey and some time to throw around a Frisbee. That money allows you to fly around the country for competitions in places such as Las Vegas, New Orleans and Austin, Texas.
Yes, there is a time commitment, and some monetary fees, but the fun and competitive intensity is all worth it for these club sport participants.
What else does an average male student do (or six hours a week)? Watch TV? Play Call of Duty? Why not be healthy and run around in the sun and meet new friends?
"There are opportunities for leadership positions, which look great on resumes," said Gareis, who takes care of all the financial responsibilities and travel arrange ments for the club.
Think about club sports, then think about the butt imprint on your couch. Which sounds like more fun? Traveling to New Orleans? Or reaching for your remote on the end table?
Edited by Drew Anderson