8B SPORTS
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
TUESDAY,APRIL 8,2008
BASEBALL
Kansas faces Northern Colorado amid teams' losing streaks
BY SHAWN SHROYER
shroyer@kansan.com
What do Kansas and Northern Colorado have in common? For starters, both teams have just one win in their last eight games.
Well, either the Jayhawks or the Bears have to put a notch in the win column today. At 6 p.m. Kansas (19-16) welcomes Northern Colorado (8-22) to Hoglund Ballpark for the first leg of a two-game midweek series.
Like Kansas, Northern Colorado is coming off a weekend sweep, but the Bears shouldn't be taken lightly. Two of Northern Colorado's victories this season came against Texas A&M, which swept Kansas two weeks ago, and one came against No. 2 Arizona State.
As if that isn't enough, Kansas starters' subpar pitching will keep the Jayhawks and coach Ritch Price from underestimating the Bears.
"We've got to get some momentum going back in our dugout," Price said. "Those are two huge games now.
"The second thing is, the guys that we start (today) and Wednesday have an opportunity to move into the weekend rotation if they pitch well. The door's been left open for someone to emerge."
The first pitcher Price will send out to the mound tonight is sophomore left-hander Shaeffer Hall (21). Although his 4.95 ERA is far from dazzling, it is the second best on the team and if he can give the Jayhawks a quality start, Price may have to consider moving him into the weekend rotation.
Stepping into the box to face Hall is a timid Northern Colorado offense that's averaging fewer than five runs a game.
Of the Bears' regulars, only infielder Chad Murray is batting over 300 while first baseman Kevin Sandberg is Northern Colorado's biggest threat on offense with a team-best four home runs and 405 on-base percentage. Catcher Erik Whinney is the only other Bear hitting over 265.
As for the Jayhawks, they too are looking for more production out of
their offense.
"The five guys in the middle of our lineup, they've got to knock runs in when we've got opportunities to do so," Price said.
Senior left fielder John Allman, junior catcher Buck Afenir, senior right fielder Ryne Price, senior shortstop Erik Morrison and junior first baseman Preston Land have occupied the heart of Kansas' order and had a rough weekend at Baylor.
Other than Rye Price, who went 5-for-12 with six RBI and two home runs, the rest of the group hit .176 with just six RBI for the weekend.
Five of those RBI came from Morrison and his two-home run performance on Sunday, which coach Price hopes is a sign that Morrison has snapped out of his slump.
"We've got to stay positive, we've got to fight through it," Price said.
Edited by Mandy Earles
KANSAN FILE PHOTO
Sophomore outfielder John Allman is batting .345 this season. Allman and his team suffered another weekend sweep against Baylor. The Jayhawks hope to change things around when they face Northern Colorado at Hoglund Ballpark tonight at 6.
» NBA
Suns, Rockets clinch playoff spots
ASSOCIATED PRESS
The Phoenix Suns and Houston Rockets both clinched playoff berths, though neither was likely in much of a celebratory mood.
Rookie reserve Aaron Brooks scored 18 points, and five teammates reached double figures in Houston's 105-79 victory over the short-handed Los Angeles Clippers on Sunday. The Rockets, who won their third straight, are fifth in the tight Western Conference but trail first-place New Orleans by only two and a half games.
"We knew we were going to
make the playoffs," Houston star Tracy McGrady said. "What are we going to do when we get there? Clinching is pretty good, but it's not what we want to celebrate."
At least the Rockets won their game.
Dirk Nowitzki scored 32 points and the Dallas Mavericks rallied from a 13-point deficit in the fourth quarter to beat the Suns 105-98.
"Everything was good and for whatever reason, the lights went out, and we couldn't get back in it," Suns coach Mike D'Antoni said.
The Suns, outscored 27-9 in the fourth quarter, still clinched a playoff spot when Golden State and
Denver both lost.
Houston's Rafer Alston, averaging 13.2 points and 5.4 assists, missed his third game due to a sore left hamstring. But the Rockets got exceptional play from Jackson and Brooks, his replacements at point guard.
At Los Angeles, rookie Luis Scola scored 16 points, Luther Head added 15, McGrady had 13 points, eight rebounds and nine assists, Bobby Jackson had 12 points, five rebounds and four assists, and Battier scored 11 for the Rockets, who shot 48.1 percent and outrebounded the Clippers 51-33.
"We expect them to come out
and fill the void." Alston said. "That's the type of team we have. Both of them did the job tonight. Bobby started it off, and Aaron was phenomenal."
The Rockets led 62-42 at halftime and finished with a 58-41 rebounding edge.
At Phoenix, Josh Howard had 24 points and Brandon Bass 19 for the Mavericks, who used a smothering defense in a 16-0 run that put them ahead for good in a game the Suns had led nearly throughout. Phoenix went scoreless for just under eight minutes, missing 12 shots in the process.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Nowitzki, in his third game back since missing four with a sprained left knee and ankle, scored 12 in the fourth quarter.
The victory lifted Dallas two games ahead of Denver and Golden State, who are tied for eighth place in the Western Conference, with five to play.
Dallas Mavericks guard Jason Terry, left, is fouled by Phoenix Suns center Shaquille O'Neal right, in the first quarter of an NBA basketball game Sunday in Phoenix.
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