8B the university daily kansan
sports
monday, april 12, 2004
Blade runner
Courtney Kuhlen/Kansen
Dillon Kuhman, 15, from Dighton, took his shot yesterday afternoon as he played rollerblade hockey on the basketball courts near McCollum. Kuhman was visiting his older brother with his father. The most talented hockey player in the family was debated, but Dillon offered himself forward as the best.
Roddick wins in Davis Cup
Defeat against Jonas Bjorkman in straight sets clinches U.S. victory
The Associated Press
DELRAY BEACH, Fla. — Closing with a record 152 mph serve, Andy Roddick beat Jonas Bjorkman in straight sets to clinch a U.S. victory over Sweden in the Davis Cup quarterfinals.
Roddick rallied in a grueling first set, then wore down a weary Bjorkman to win 7-6 (3), 6-4, 6-0, giving the Americans an insurmountable 3-1 lead in the best-off-five series.
The Americans will host a semifinal Sept. 24-26 against Belarus, which swept Argentina 5-0 in Minsk.
Roddick broke his own serving record of 150 mph on match point. Bjorkman managed to get his return in play but then hit a backhand in the net, giving the American the victory.
Roddick celebrated with one final forehand, throwing his racket to the crowd.
trade high-fives with teammates, then returned to the court and took an American flag on a victory lap.
It was an impressive win over a Swedish team that upset defending champion Australia in the first round.
He climbed into the stands to
The Americans took a 2-1 lead thanks to a doubles victory Saturday by Bob and Mike Bryan, leaving the match on the racket of their best player.
The sunbaked hard court was home turf for Roddick, who grew up in nearby Boca Raton, and he started strong, with an ace followed by three consecutive service winners in the opening game.
In the tiebreaker, Roddick chased down four volleys by Bjorkman during one exchange, finally hitting a forehand winner for a 2-1 lead that put him ahead
Bjorkman rallied and was up a break at 4-3 before Roddick came back in the one-hour opening set.
to stay.
Not everything went Roddick's wav.
He ran into a linesman behind the baseline chasing a shot, lost the point and gave the official an earful. In the tiebreaker he hit a 148 mph serve, and Bjorkman still managed to win the point.
But in humid, 85-degree weather, Roddick was too strong for the 32-year-old Bjorkman, who played 10 sets in three days.
Roddick dominated with his serve, as usual, but also made few errors from the baseline and moved well.
He improved to 4-0 when in a position to clinch a Davis Cup victory for the Americans. They're 36-0 since 1987 when taking a lead into Sunday.
BASEBALL: 'Hawks recover to win final game
The other Davis Cup semifinal will be between Spain and France. Spain beat the Netherlands 4-1, and France defeated Switzerland 3-2.
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1B
ninth for a final score of 4-0.
Baseball coach Ritch Price argued with first base umpire Tom Svehla after Svehla called an Aggie baserunner safe during the fifth inning of Saturday's loss to Texas A&M. Svehla said first baseman Ravn Batan his foot off the base.
Courtney Kuhlen/Kansa
Despite the "absolutely dominating performance" byAggies' starter Zach Jackson, Price was pleased with the team's performance. Jackson did not walk a batter and struck out nine in his complete game shutout. In game three, the 'Hawks were behind once again in what sophomore Ritchie Price called a must win game.
Texas A&M posted three runs in the second inning, but was answered immediately by the Kansas offense.
"If there is such a thing as a must win game, that was it."
An RBI single by junior J.C Sibley followed by bases loaded walks to Price and Sean Richardson tied the game at three. The game remained close as Kansas battled through six different A&M pitchers.
Andy Scholl Kansas outfielder
Outfieldier Andy Scholl's clutch single in the eighth innings gave the 'Hawks three insurance runs. Freshman Sean Land (3-0) pitched the final three and one-third innings to hold off Texas A&M for a 9-7 victory.
"If there is such a thing as a must win game, that was it," Scholl said. "We finally saw some right handed arms and got into their bullpen.
The series moved the Jayhawks overall record to 24-16-1 and 2-7
in the Big 12. The Aggies moved to 29-9 and 6-6 in the Big 12.
The Jayhawks' next matchup will be a three-game series beginning Friday in Stillwater, Okla., against Oklahoma State.
—Edited by Nikki Nugent
SOFTBALL: Hawks outscored 15-3 in double-header
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1B
Frankenstein. Frankenstein was caught stealing to end the Jayhawks' only productive inning.
Texas A&M came right back in its half of the third, scoring two runs to tie the game at three.
The wheels came off for Kansas' freshman hurler Kassie Humphreys in the fifth inning. Humphreys gave up four runs on three hits, including one home run.
After Humphreys faced 23 batters and recorded four strikeouts, coach Tracy Bunge made the decision to remove her from the game. Humphreys gave up nine hits and seven runs - six of them earned — in her 4.2 innings of work.
Pierce returned to pitch a scoreless 1.1 innings and faced five hitters, striking out one Aggie. She granted no walks in those innings.
Kansas had five hits in the game and received two walks, leaving one runner on base. Texas A&M had 10 hits and received two walks, leaving six runners on base.
Kansas will return for a six game home stand where they will play conference opponents Missouri and Oklahoma State. They will also face Wichita State and Southern Illinois of the Missouri Valley Conference.
The Wichita State double header starts tomorrow at 3 p.m.
- Edited by Joe Hartigan