SPORTS
MONDAY, MAY 8, 2006
WWW.KANSAN.COM
PAGE 1B
SOFTBALL
Randall Sanders/KANSAN
Senior pitcher Serena Settlemier delivers against Iowa State in the first inning at Arrocha Ballpark on Sunday. Settlemier notched her final regular season victory as a Jayhawk, her 16th of 2006, by allowing only three hits and striking out eight batters in the victory against the Cyclones.
Seniors perform
BY RVAN SCHNEIDER
rschneider@kansan.com
KANSAN SENIOR SPORTSWRIVER
Heather Stanley picked quite a day to record one of her best performances of the season.
Stanley led off the third inning with a single to left field. She advanced to second after freshman third baseman
"Last week, we couldn't buy a hit," Stanley said. "This week, we've done pretty well the last couple games."
The senior designated-hitter struggled in the last two weeks, going 1-for-12 at the plate. Stanley changed that trend Sunday on Senior Day. She went 2-for-3 at the plate, scored two runs and recorded an RBI in Kansas' 3-0 victory against Iowa State at Arrocha Ballpark.
"Heather's been struggling," Kansas coach Tracy Bunge said. "She pulled herself together and looked like a much different hitter today. She really took some good hacks and obviously had a couple big hits and an RBI today in a big situation. She looked good up at the plate."
Stanley and the other five seniors had a big day at the plate, recording six of the team's eight hits. For a team that had struggled offensively in the last two weeks, Kansas effectively used a small-ball strategy to advance base runners and score runs, as opposed to relying on the home run.
Last week, we couldn't buy a hit. This week we've done pretty well the last couple games."
Heather Stanley Senior designated-hitter
Val Chapple's sacrifice bunt.
Stanley scored the Jayhawks' first run after senior pitcher Serena Settlemier reached base on an error by Cyclone second baseman Jennifer Bigbee.
Stanley contributed to Kansas' two other runs in the fourth inning. She recorded a two-out single, scoring senior left fielder Nettie Fierros and then scored a run herself off senior center fielder Stevie Cristo's single to center field.
Settlemier pitched one of her best outings of the season, allowing only three hits and striking out eight in the game for her 16th victory of the season. The 16 victories are a career high for the fifth-year senior.
"Ifelt in a groove," Settlemier said. "I was in a rhythm, I had my pitches working."
The key for Settlemier on Sunday was keeping the Cyclones' hitters off balance with a mix of fastballs and off-speed pitches. Her eight strike outs were a personal best in Big 12 play this season.
SEE SOFTBALL ON PAGE 3B
SOCCER
Open try outs scheduled
Coach seeks to add four new players
BY MARK DENT
mdent@kansan.com
KANSAN SPORTWRITER
In the last three years the Kan sas soccer program has reached new heights, including a Big 12 Championship, a Top 10 ranking and NCAA Tournament berths. The Jayhawks, however, have accomplished these feats with one notable handicap: fewer players on their roster than other Big 12 teams.
This fall, Kansas will solve that problem by holding open trouts to extend its roster.
"Compared to other Big 12 schools, we used to have smaller teams by far," Kansas coach Mark Francis said. "Now we'll be right in line."
Adding players to the soccer roster was something that Francis and the Athletics Department had been trying to do since last season. Francis said that he originally had wanted to have three more players than the 23 that were on the team last season, but said he couldn't find enough players he liked.
Jim Marchiony, associate athletics director, said the addition of the four players had nothing to do with Title IX compliance.
BY THE NUMBERS
SEE SOCCER ON PAGE 5B
Number of Players on 2005 Roster
Francis said the women who tried out could make significant contributions to the team.
Texas A&M 30
Oklahoma State 29
Oklahoma 27
Nebraska 24
Missouri 24
Baylor 24
Kansas 23
Colorado 22
Iowa State 21
Texas Tech 21
Texas 20
"We are just trying to make sure that everyone with the talent and desire to play can play," Marchiony said. "Soccer is a sport where we are at the low end of players in the Big 12, and we need to improve that."
Francis said he didn't have any idea how many players would try out, but said it would be a mix of incoming freshmen players and current Kansas club soccer players.
Currently, the fall's soccer team has 24 players on the roster, 18 returning players and six incoming freshman. The open tryouts will take place on the first day of school, Aug. 17.
Marchiony also said that the Athletics Department could add more roster spots to other sports in the future, but didn't make any guarantees.
BASEBALL
Joe Buolewicz/THE DAILY TEXAN
Senior shortstop Ritchie Price reaches for a throw as junior Nick Peoples slides into second base Sunday in Austin. Kansas lost 11-1 to Texas on Sunday.
'Hawks fall in series Game ends in eighth after run rule
BY ALISSA BAUER
abauer@kansan.com
KANSAN STAFF WRITER
With just one Big 12 Conference series remaining, Kansas succumbed to its first conference sweep in Austin this weekend, ending with an 11-1 loss to Texas on Sunday.
Sunday's game was called in the eighth inning after Drew Stubbs scored on third baseman Erik Morrison's throwing error. That run triggered the Big 12' Sunday run rule, cutting the game off in the bottom of the eighth with one on and one out for the Longhorns.
Like Friday night's series opener, Kansas (33-21, 10-14)
hung with the defending national champs early as sophomore designated hitter Brock Simpson led off the game with a double to center. Simpson scored on a sacrifice fly from senior centerfielder Matt Baty, putting the Jav Hawks on the board first.
Baty's RBI was the first and last of the afternoon for Kansas.
Sophomore Adrian Alaniz (6-2) shut Kansas down after giving up three hits in the first inning.
"They made our
On the opposite mound, senior right-hander Kodiak Quick (8-4) held Texas (36-15, 19-4) to just a 3-1 lead through the first three innings. It was the fourth, however, that did him in. The Longhorns put up seven runs
Ritch Price Kansas Coach
They made our pitching elevate the baseball. Their execution was very,very good."
in the inning, leaving the game completely out of reach for the Ivahawks.
"They made our pitching elevate the baseball," Kansas Coach Ritch Price said. "Their execution was very,very good."
SEE BASEBALL ON PAGE 4B
THE COLUMN
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Letter from a lucky senior
I can't blame myself for being reflective at this time of the year. But in my final column today, I've become not only reflective, but grateful.
As I've been lucky enough to write sports columns in the Kansas all year, I've fought a battle with myself not to take it for granted. If I ever did, I should be ashamed of myself. As one chapter of life ends after college and another one looms, I can't help but remember a friend who was taken too soon.
JIMMY CHAVEZ
jchavez@kansan.co
About eight years ago, I was working on my high school paper and like clockwork every day, my friend Mike would pay us his morning visit. Usually the discussions would be about how much we disliked school or weekend plans.
If we get to write about them, cover them for TV or call the games on the radio, we should just feel lucky. As fellow Kansan writer and good friend Daniel Berk has always said, we're just living the dream. We all are.
Whether we want to accept it or not, these are all just games.
This is why I didn't think the world was coming to an end after Kansas lost to Bradley in the NCAA tournament. The same could be said for when the football team was at 3-4 and facing a turning point in its season before facing Missouri.
Whatever mood I was in, he always acted as if all was people. There weren't many people I've ever met who exhibited an appreciation for life as Mike did. Then in 1999, while skateboarding, Mike flipped off his skateboard and hit his head. He got up with a headache, but thought nothing of it and left. That night he went to sleen and never woke up.
We were all devastated by his death and when graduation came a couple of years later, we remembered our friend who never got to walk the stage with us.
Today, I realize that I am lucky for everything I have, everyone I know and everyone I've ever cared about. I am living the dream. I just hope I don't wake too soon.
Mike always knew what I wanted to do with my life. Maybe it's the many things that have happened throughout the year that has made me become introspective. From the football game against Nebraska, many road trips, the Fort Worth Bowl, my work with KJHK, the basketball season, I wonder how Mike would think about it today.
Of all the friends I've ever had, he believed in me as much as anyone. He was a kind soul and an even kinder person. He never deserved to be taken so soon, but it always made me wonder what exactly awaits after life. It must really be good.
When I take that into consideration, my fears about life after college shouldn't be that bad.
This is why I remember Mike every day as graduation beckons. Forever in his memory, I live as if tomorrow may never come. Although he's gone, his dream will never die.
Chavez is a San Antonio senior in journalism.
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