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SPORTS UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
THURSDAY, APRIL 25, 1996
KANSAS BASEBALL
Kansas State strikes back
SECTION B
Darcy Coles / KANSAN
Kansas baseball coach Bobby Randall can't believe a call made by the umpire against Kansas. It would be a long night for Randall and the Jayhawks as they fell to Kansas State 11-3 last night.
Just 24 hours after the Hawks post a 24-5 win the Wildcats rebound
By Dan Gelston
By Dan Gelston Kansan sportswriter
Kansas baseball coach Bobby Randall has spent almost his entire life in baseball and knows just how quickly momentum can change.
"It's a funny game, isn't it ?" Randall said.
But it was no laughing matter for the lajhawks as they lost to Kansas State 11-3 last night at Hoglund-Maupin Stadium. Kansas is now 21-22 overall, 11-14 in the Big Eight Conference
The Jayhawks loss came one day after they scored a season-high 24 runs in a victory against the Wildcats.
"They played very well tonight and we did not hit the ball well. It was more K-State than us," Randall said. "It seemed like we were always chugging uphill. Just when we got something going we got a flat tire."
The Jayhawks left nine men on base, including the bases loaded in the fifth inning.
But the Jayhawks had to rally as they were behind all night.
Kansas starter Aric Peters (2-6) lasted just 1 1/3 innings allowing four earned runs. He has not won a game since March 18, losing his last three decisions.
The Wildcats scored three times in the second inning on a double and three singles, knocking Peters out of the game.
It was a big turnaround for both teams, as the Wildcats scored just five runs in Tuesday's loss on 10 hits. They banged out 16 hits in last night's contest.
"We flat out got embarrassed last night," Wildcat reliever Jon Oiseth, who pitched 1/2 3 innings of scoreless relief, said "We had to protect our pride tonight."
K-State's bats were held somewhat in check by Kansas reliever Chris Williams, who pitched 5 2/3 innings of relief and allowed two earned runs.
"I just tried to go and out there and do my job," Williams said. "Obviously as a reliever, you hope you're not out there in the second inning. But when that happens I have to do my best.
"It's tough for us when you're behind so early."
But the Jayhawks couldn't cash in on their scoring opportunities, settling for just single runs in the sixth and seventh innings.
See BASEBALL. Page 2.
Missed opportunities lead to loss for'Hawks
By Jenni Carlson
Kansan sportswriter
Finally, Headley raised his head,
prepared to give an answer.
Justin Headley lowered his head and picked at the tape on his finger.
He was thinking about why the Kansas baseball team stranded a combined seven runners in the fifth, sixth and seventh innings of its 11-3 loss to Kansas State last night at Hogtund-Maupin Stadium.
"I don't know what to tell you there," the Kansas junior left fielder said.
to end the inning.
It seemed that the Jayhawks had few answers to their clutch hitting woes. Trailing 5-1, they had the bases loaded in the fifth inning with just one out and could not score. First baseman Sparky Wilhelm struck out swinging and center fielder Isaac Byrd few out to center
"We wasted a lot of opportunities," Kansas baseball coach Bobby Randall said.
Kansas missed another in the sixth inning. With two Jayhawks on, one out and one run already across the plate, the Wildcats brought in pitcher Brian Thompson, who quickly retired two Kansas batters.
Darcy Coles / KANSAN
The seventh inning was almost an instant replay of the sixth. K-State called for pitcher John Oiseth with two on, one out and one Kansas run already in. Again, a Wildcat relief pitcher sat down the next two Jayhawk batters.
"Some days, you hit them and they drop in," he said. "Today, wherever we hit them, they had a guy standing right there."
Not scoring in those middle innings had a lot to do with timing, Bvrd said.
Kansas freshman first baseman Sparky Wilhelm reaches for the ball on a low throw to first base against Kansas State last night. The throw was on time and the runner was called out.
Complete Kansas vs. Kansas State linescore. Page 2
Bulls must keep focused to win the NBA title
Jordan, Pippen and Rodman must prove season's record was not anything to laugh at
By Matthew Palcher Special to the Kansan
The 1985-86 NBA season is now behind us. It has produced some dramatic and record-breaking performances by many of its athletes. When considering the term "record," one cannot help but consider the great accomplishments a certain team from the west side of Chicago has set — the winningest season in NBA history, with a record of 72-10.
This record may stand for ages — or until next season when Da Bulls could set another standard for excellence and break their own record. Nevertheless, this accomplishment is meaningless unless the Bulls win
However, many nay-sayers deny they have witnessed the greatest team in the history of the game. Forget their arguments that the league is "watered down" with the arrival of the expansion teams.
The question of whether NBA teams were better 25 years ago is moot, because the game has changed. Today's training programs are more advanced, and the players are collectively superior athletes than the ones of past eras. The Bulls have risen above many obstacles and are now set to define the meaning of success.
their fourth NBA championship. Such a feat is imminent, provided the Bulls keep their focus and continue to play as the team that walked into the basketball history books.
The Bulls' starting lineup consists of Michael Jordan, eight-time NBA scoring champion and considered the greatest player in basketball history; Scottie Pippen, the league's best multidimensional player; and Dennis Rodman, the league's leading rebounder and perhaps the best rebounder to have played the game. These "Big Three" are complemented by Ron Harper, a superb
defensive guard, and Luc Longley, an adequate center.
But the starting lineup does not come close to defining the reason for the Bulls' success this season. Like any successful team, the Bulls have good depth and look to their bench for contributions every game.
Toni Kukoc is one of the best playmakers in the NBA. He can penetrate and shoot the three-pointer and can make spectacular passes. Also, the three-point expertise of Steve Kerr and Jud Buechler often makes the opposition pay for double-teaming Jordan and Pinnen.
Add the role players: Randay Brown, Bill Wennington, James Edwards, Dicky Simpkins, John Salley, Jack Haley and Jason Caffey. You then have the makings of a championship-calliber team.
Bulls Coach Phil Jackson, the "Zen Master," deserves the credit for directing this group to play as a team and accomplish such a feat.
Now that the NBA playoffs are here, I would encourage everyone to watch perhaps the greatest assembly of basketball talent in history — the 1995-96 Chicago Bulls.
This is a team of destiny, and we have all been blessed to witness such greatness.
Quarterback breaks through tough obstacles
No.1 man Rutz injures left knee during scrimmage at second spring practice
By Evan Blackwell Kansan sportswriter
It would be easy for Ben Rutz to get angry. It would be easy for him to get upset. It would even be easy for Ben Rutz to feel sorry for himself. Many people wouldn't blame him.
But that's not the way Ben Rutz is.
Rutz, the senior quarterback expected to lead the Kansas football team next season, tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee this spring. It Rutz's second torn ACL in three years. Once again, the former Oklahoma high school All-American finds himself sidetracked in his efforts to get his college career started.
Now, time is running out.
"This is not what I planned on doing coming out of
high school," Rutz said. "When I look back, it's kind of made things go fast."
Ben Ruta
After an amazingly fast five-
month rehabilitation, Rutz
returned to the field and appeared
in five Nebraska games as a
Perhaps too fast for Rutz, who began his career at Nebraska in 1992. After redshirtting his freshman year, Rutz returned for the Cornhuskers in 1993 and suffered his first knee injury, a torn ACL in his right knee.
backup player. The next season, Rutz transferred to Northeastern Oklahoma A&M University and guided them to the national junior college championship game.
"I was rolling out right, and I stepped and threw back left. My foot caught the turf and stayed," Rutz said. "At first I thought I had just twisted my knee, but after awhile I had a feeling I had done more than twist it."
His next stop was Kansas, where Rutz spent a year behind quarterback Mark Williams. Now in his senior year, he had finally become the No. 1 man at a top program, until the second full scrimmage of the spring a week and a half ago.
Rutz had indeed done more than simply twist his knee. Like just two seasons ago, there was once again a complete tear of the ACL. However, Rutz said the current injury wasn't as serious.
"This is a full-fledged tear, but last time the cartilage came off the bone," Rutz said. "This time there's no cartilage damage."
"The scrimmage where Ben Rutz got hurt was by far his best practice," Mason said. "He's always shown that he's a scrappy player."
Kansas football coach Glen Mason said the ironic thing was that Rutz may have been playing some of the best football of his career.
Rutz will soon begin rehabilitation on his left knee, and he said going through surgery and rehab three years ago would help him handle the mental strain now.
"The big worry with this, as anyone who has done it knows, is mentally," Rutz said. "You're worried that you're going to hurt it."
Rutz said that it was easy to sit back and ask why he had been struck by such a severe injury again, but that it didn't help the pain. He compared the leg's pain to the constant throbbing of a migraine headache.
"Once you get over feeling sorry for yourself and what not, you have to find something positive out of it I guess," Rutz said.
He said that positive part was that his knee failed him now instead of at the end of the summer.
Rutz said that with the help of Kansas head football trainer Lynn Bott and the rest of his rehabilitation team, he was confident he would take the field with the Jayhawks in the season opener on Aug. 29 against Ball State University.
"There's a concern, and I'm worried about it," Rutz said. "But I'm not worried that I won't make it back."
Ben Rutz knows he'll be back. He knows because he's been through all of this before.
Fort Hays St. honored for basketball season
The Associated Press
TOPEKA — Gov. Bill Graves and legislators yesterday honored the Fort Hays State men's basketball team for completing a perfect season and winning a national championship in March.
Graves received the team and its coach, Gary Garner, in his office. Both legislative houses adopted resolutions commending the team.
Fort Hays finished a 34-0 season by defeating Northern Kentucky in the title game to win the NCAA's Division II championship. The Tigers were only the third team in the division's 40-year history to finish the season undefeated.
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Players wore their yellow and gold warmup suits as they sat in the visitor's gallery on the Senate floor.
"Those of us who seek elected office will do anything to be associated with a group of winners," joked Senate Majority Leader Jerry Moran, R-Hays.
Senate President Bud Burke, R-Olathe, jokingly suggested that the Tigers should give basketball tips to the teams at the University of Kansas, Kansas State and Wichita State during a "goodwill tour."
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