8A THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
SPORTS
MONDAY, APRIL 24, 2006
SOFTBALL
SOFTBALL
Texas pitcher excels
David Noffsinger/KANSAN
Junior pitcher Kassie Humphreys throws against Texas offense during Sunday afternoon's game in Arrocha Ball Park. Kansas defeated Texas with a score of 1-0, but lost Saturday, 1-0.
All-American dominates play against Kansas
BY MARK DENT
mdent@kansan.com
KANSAN SPORTWRITER
Is Cat Osterman a college athlete or a movie star?
Either that or how much a record Arrocha Ballpark crowd of 1,217 cares for the All-American and Olympic pitcher.
It seemed more like the latter on Saturday when the Texas pitcher, who had finished off the Jayhawks in the bottom of the seventh inning, was greeted by a throng of at least 100 fans who were crowded along the fences like paparazzi surrounding the red carpet.
Standing at an intimidating 6-feet-2, with a relaxed but intense expression that never changed throughout the game. Osterman exuded dominance when she was on the mound. However, her imposing stature and facial expression were the opposite of her controlled, off-speed pitches that seemed to glide out of her hand effortlessly, as if she wasn't even throwing the ball.
Osterman got to business right away against Kansas on Saturday.
After retiring the first three batters she faced, the lefty proceeded to strike out the side in the next two innings.
"All the crowd support is awesome," the senior said. "They're great for the sport and it's a testament to how much people care for this game."
"At first, I was pitching them one or two strikes to get ahead early." Osterman said. "Then I'd try to change it up and make adjustments as the hitters made adjustments."
Her pitches, which moved all around the plate, fooled Jayhawk hitters who found themselves reaching for pitches out of the strike zone all day.
"You can see why Osterman has the reputation she does," Kansas coach Tracy Bunge said. "She has tremendous ball movement. Nobody moves the ball around in and out of the zone as well as that kid."
While Osterman finished with 15 strikeouts and pitched
a shutout, Texas coach Connie Clark said it wasn't even one of her best performances.
"She struggled a little bit in the middle innings. She felt like she didn't have the legs," Clark said.
Osterman made her fourth straight pitching appearance on Saturday. "She gutted it out by mixing things up. That really helped."
The Jayhawks were able to threaten the pitcher as freshman third baseman Val Chapple and senior designated player Serena Settlemier led off the fourth and fifth innings with base hits. Fortunately for Osterman, catcher Megan Willis bailed her out by picking off Chapple and throwing out the stealing Settlemier.
"Her plays were huge." Osterman said. "Megan really cleared the bases and changed the momentum of the innings."
Even without her best moves, Osterman showed why she is hailed as the top pitcher in America with a chance to ice
All the crowd support is awesome. They're great for the sport and it's a testament to how much people care about this game."
Cat Osterman Texas pitcher
the game for her Longhorn squad in the bottom of the seventh inning. Pitching for the first time in the game with a lead, the reigning USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year removed all of Kansas' hopes by striking out the side against the Jayhawks' top of the order. All three batters struck out on moving pitches that were out of the strike zone.
"My legs felt a little bit tired out there, but I just refocused and tried to spin the ball," Osterman said. "I knew I had enough stuff, and a win is a win."
Edited by Vanessa Pearson
In a match-up of the Big 12 Conference's best two pitchers, everything came down to one pitch
Texas' Amber Hall smashed junior pitcher Kassie Humphreys' curve ball over the right-field wall in the top of the seventh inning. It was the deciding pitch of the game as No. 2 Texas defeated Kansas 1-0 Saturday afternoon at Arrocha Ballpark in front of a record 1,217 fans.
Kansas loses with single pitch
The pitching.match-up lived up to its billing, with Humphreys and Texas' Cat Osterman allowing only four hits combined. Each pitcher also faced 21 batters, the minimum number possible.
"One pitch was the difference," coach Tracy Bunge said. "You obviously tip your cap to Amber Hall. One bad pitch.
Osterman finished the game with 13 strikeouts and allowed two hits. Humphreys struck out five, allowing one hit and one run.
"It hurts the most," Humphreys said of allowing the home run. "You're the only
one that has control!
Kansas didn't strand any base runners, but had a runner thrown out at second in both the fourth and fifth innings. Freshman third baseman Val Chapple and senior pitcher Serena Settlemier were thrown out at second.
"We found a way to get some balls in play." Bunge said. "We have to be able to string some hits together."
The loss dropped Kansas' record to 26-21 and 5-7 in Big 12 play.
MLB
— Ryan Schneider
Pitcher leads Cubs to 7-3 victory
ST. LOUIS — Greg Maddux is turning back the clock for a team missing its offensive star and two of its best pitchers.
BY R.B. FALLSTROM
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
The four-time NL Cy Young Award winner, who turned 40 earlier this month, threw seven scoreless innings on Sunday to help the Chicago Cubs beat the St. Louis Cardinals 7-3. He has won his first four starts for the first time in his career, to go with a miniscule 0.99 ERA.
a miniscule 0555 BLOCK Maddux's big start is helping rescue a team that doesn't have Derrek Lee, Mark Prior or Kerry Wood.
“It's just amazing what he does because he's not throwing 94, 93 mph,” outfielder Juan Pierre said. “You watch Greg Maddux, that's an art.”
Maddux (4-0) held the Cardinals to five hits and also singled and scored, helping the Cubs avert a three-game sweep and win for the first time in three games since losing Lee for at least two months with a broken wrist.
This is the first 4-0 start for Maddux since 2000 with the Braves when he needed six starts, and it's his first four game
winning streak since July 17:
Aug. 7,2004.
All month, Maddux has insisted that he's doing nothing different and not trying to fill the void.
"I wish I could explain it," Maddux said. "Personally, I'm just getting ready to pitch like I always have, I'm just catching a
It's just amzaing what he does because he's not throwing 94, 93 mph. You watch Greg Maddux, that's an art."
Juan Pierre Chicago Cubs outfielder
lot of breaks.
four or breaks.
"Sometimes you catch a few breaks in this game, and right now I am."
Jacque Jones hit his second homer, and second against the Cardinals, leading off the fourth against Jason Marquis (3-1).
Aramis Ramirez, who entered the game in a 3-for-18 slump, hit a two-run shot into the visitor's bullpen beyond the left-field wall in the fifth.
Todd Walker batted in Lee's
third slot for the third straight game and had two hits and three RBIs to raise his average to .408 for the Cubs, who completed a 5-4 road trip.
Albert Puiols, who had six RBIs the first two games of the series and entered with the major-league lead in homers (11) and RBIs (26), was 0-for-4.
Maddux, the only 40-plus right-handed starter in the major leagues, struck out four and his only walk came to the first batter he faced, David Eckstein. He threw a season-high 93 pitches and lowered his ERA 34 points, mastering the Cardinals for the second time.
"It's nice to get a win without Derrek," Walker said. "We can start believing we can do it."
second time.
"He's not coming with heat; he's never coming with heat," manager Tony La Russa said. "He's coming with a lot of intelligence and a great feel for pitching."
In two starts against the Cardinals, he's 2-0 and has given up one run on nine hits in 13 1-3 innings. Since turning 40 on April 14, he's surrendered one run on eight hits in 15 innings.
The Longhorns were the highest ranked opponent the Jayhawks have defeated this season. With only six games remaining before the Big 12 Tournament, Settlemier said it provided momentum before the tournament in Oklahoma City.
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 10A
Softball
Kansas will travel to Lincoln, Neb., to take on No. 15 Nebraska Wednesday night. The first pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m.
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"I think this win's going to give us a ton of confidence," Settlemier said. "We're just going to go up from here."
retired the jerseys of Sheila Connolly and Camille Spitaleri. Connolly was a two-time All-American outfielder and shortstop in 1983, and from 1985-1987. Spitaleri is Kansas' only three-time All-American and led the Jayhawks to the NCAA College World Series in 1992.
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