8B THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
GAMEDAY
FRIDAY, APRIL 21. 2006
Annual Sunflower Series
KU First Pitch
AT A GLANCE
Despite a two to one loss to Oklahoma State last weekend in Stillwater, Okla., Kansas is still at the fourth spot in the Big 12 Conference standings. This should be the last weekend for Kansas (27-15, 7-8) without starting second baseman Ryne Price. The sophomore is continuing his recovery from wrist surgery.
LAST TIME OUT
The Jayhawks spent the week at home after returning from Oklahoma on Sunday to play Missouri State and Tabor. On Tuesday, the Jayhawks erupted for a season-high 19 runs scored on the Bears and took the victory, 19-7. Kansas defeated Tabor Wednesday night, 14-4.
PLAYER TO WATCH Jared Schweitzer. The senior infielder adjusted from his
usual first baseman's spot to filling in on second while Price recovers from injury. Schweitzer has made the adjustment look comfortable. He has
been healing from a dislocated shoulder he suffered against Wichita State but is healthy now. Schweizer is lethal with the bat. In his last five games, the infielder hit 450, scored eight times and drove in five runs.
FIVE QUICK FACTS
11 — The number of games, including tonight's, that the Jayhawks have played in the past two weeks.
29 — Kansas has hit 29 more home runs than Kansas State.
33 — The amount of KU runs scored in its last two games.
93 The gap in strikeouts between Kansas hitters and Kansas State hitters, with Kansas on the losing end.
0 — The number of home runs allowed by senior closer Don Czyz, the leader in Big 12 saves (13), appearances (23) and ERA (1.30).
LOOKING FORWARD
Kansas must now rechannel its energy from the middle of the week in the quest to pick up its third Big 12 series victory this season. This series against Kansas State may be one of the most important of the year.
KEY TO VICTORY
Pitching. Lately, the starting weekend rotation has slipped in its effectiveness and consistency. Junior pitcher Sean Land will bring his intimidating fastball and senior pitcher Ricky Fairchild will try and work out of jams by creating fly balls. Senior pitcher Kodiak Quick and Czyz are a lethal combination on Sundays — the Jayhawks have not lost on Sunday for four consecutive weeks. Kansas also has to watch the longevity of Czyz's recent pitching appearances. He threw four innings in his closing shift last Sunday against Oklahoma State.
Kansas vs. Kansas State 7 p.m., Friday, April 21, Hoglund Ballbark KANSAS KANSAS STATE
OFFENSE:
Last weekend, Kansas dropped its first Big 12 Conference series in three weeks. The Jayhawks were no match for the hitter-friendly confines of Allie P. Reynolds Stadium in Stillwater, Okla., but not for lack of offense. Even when losing to Oklahoma State by 12 runs last Saturday, the Jayhawks still watched six different players in their lineup homer in the defeat. While the team brings heavy bats — with 49 home runs this season — it doesn't always use them the most productive way possible — with 295 strikeouts. In the team's pair of midweek games, however, the Jayhawks showed no mercy, crushing Missouri State and Tabor by at least 10 runs apiece.
DEFENSE:
When Kansas gets the opportunity to face off against opponents like Missouri State and Tabor in midweek match-ups, Coach Ritch Price takes it as a chance to work his younger,
less experienced players into the lineup. In as players subbed in and changed positions, the defense remained solid and the Jayhawks committed just one error in a pair of games that saw a combined 12 substitutes and six pitching changes on Tuesday and Wednesday. Kansas was able to display some of its younger pitching this week, but tonight the weekend rotation will step back in. Junior lefty Sean Land (4-6,5.17) goes tonight, senior righty Ricky Fairchild (4-4,5.40) on Saturday and senior right-hander Kodiak Quick (7-2,3.28) will handle the series finale.
OFFENSE:
COACHING:
— Alissa Bauer
Price uses the opportunity to play all of the players who see more bench time than playing time, but it's not always possible. Price, however, has made it clear with both his words and his actions that if the opportunity comes up he will rest a starter to get a younger, less experienced player some at bats. This weekend will not allow for many chances to use anybody but the best, as the Wildcats look to win their first series against the Jayhawks in three years. Kansas has won five of their past six meetings.
The Kansas State offense doesn't do anything great, but it can do a little bit of everything. The Wildcats have the fourth-highest team batting average in the Big 12 (.322), but are seventh in home runs (20) and sixth in RBI (144) and stolen bases (50) — partly because they have played only 34 games, compared to other teams in the conference that have played more than 40 games. Individually, senior outfielders Barrett Rice and Joe Roundy can do some damage. Rice leads the Big 12 with a .424 batting average and is tied for the lead in doubles with 15. Roundy is third in the conference with a .410 batting average and tied for fourth in RBI with 44.
DEFENSE:
Kansas State's .972 fielding percentage is tied for the third best in the Big 12. The Wildcats are averaging just over one error per game with 37 and just under one double play per game with 30. Senior catcher Brandon Farr is one of the best in the conference at keeping the ball from reaching the backstop with only four passed
balls. However, he has allowed 30 stolen bases, compared to the three base runners he's thrown out. Kansas State has a decent ERA at 3.89, but ranks in the bottom half of the Big 12 with 7.12 strikeouts per nine innings. The Wildcat staff has great control, though, with only 76 walks, the fewest in the conference.
COACHING:
Kansas State coach Brad Hill has done an amazing job scouting the junior college scene. Rice, Roundy, Farr and junior infielder Jared Geedert transferred
Goddess transferred
in from junior
colleges and are
batting over .350.
handed start
Adam Cowart (5-3) is also from a junior college and anchors the Kansas State staff. He leads all regular starters with a 3.13 ERA and leads the team with 51 strikeouts in 60.1 innings,Yet, Kansas State is 3-8-1 in the Big 12 and will likely miss the Big 12 tournament for the fourth straight year.
KSU First Pitch
AT A GLANCE
The Wildcats are still looking for their first Big 12 series victory, Kansas State (23-10-1, 3-8-1) began the season 17-1, including a 16-game winning streak, but have since gone 6-9-1, Kansas State managed Big 12 victories against Missouri, Nebraska and Texas Tech. Texas dominated Kansas State, though, outscoring it 27-13 in a three-game sweep.
LAST TIME OUT
Kansas State played at Wichita State on Tuesday and fell 7-3 to the Shockers. The Wildcats had only four hits in the game, but one belonged to senior catcher Brandon Farr. It extended his hit streak to 17 games. Freshman right-handler Todd Vogel had a rough start, allowing four runs on six hits and a walk in just two innings.
PLAYER TO WATCH
Brandon Farr. The senior catcher
Brandon Farr was named Big 12 Co-Player of the Week last week after going 11-for-20 with four runs and five RBI in four games. He's currently batting .367.
and riding a Big 12 seasonbest 17-game hitting streak.
FIVE QUICK FACTS
.424 — Senior outfielder Barrett Rice's Big 12-leading batting average.
1 — The number of victories Kansas State has in its last eight Big 12 games.
86 The percent of the time Kansas State is successful at stealing bases. The rest of the teams in the Big 12 are successful between 70 and 79 percent of the time.
24 The number of years since Kansas State ended a game in a tie before last Saturday's 11-11 tie with Texas Tech.
1990 The last season Kansas State had a winning conference record.
LOOKING FORWARD
Only Texas A&M's 3-12 Big 12 record is worse than Kansas State's. If the Wildcats lose the series this weekend, their series against the Aggies in May might decide the team that gets stuck in the base-ment of the Big 12. If Kansas State wins this weekend, it will still have an outside chance at passing Missouri to make the conference tournament.
KEY TO VICTORY
Kansas State batters don't strike out often and Kansas pitchers don't record many strikeouts, so the Wildcats will need to continue to put the ball in play and manufacture runs. Kansas State pitchers can't allow Kansas hitters, who posted eight home runs at Oklahoma State last weekend, to rack up runs.
Around the Big 12
No. 4 Nebraska (30-5, 10-2) at No. 5 Texas (27-13, 12-2)
This will be one of the premiere series of the regular season and is a College World Series match-up waiting to happen. Nebraska is the defending Big 12 Champion while Texas is the defending National Champion. On paper, Nebraska looks to be in prime position to win the series and overtake Texas in the Big 12 standings. The Huskers are on a 12-game winning streak, have the second highest batting average (.326), the second most home runs (50), the second most stolen bases (63) and the lowest team ERA (2.98) in the Big 12. Texas lost on Tuesday to Texas-San Antonio, but has swept three of its five Big 12 series this season. Compared to Nebraska, Texas has a .290 team batting average, 34 home runs, 47 stolen bases and a 3.71 team ERA. Nevertheless, the Longhorns have only two losses at home and haven't lost a weekend series since early March.
BY SHAWN SHROYER  SSHROYER@KANSAN.COM
Oklahoma State (22-12, 5-7) at Missouri (17-18, 6-9)
Oklahoma State and Missouri currently occupy the seventh and eighth spots, respectively, in the Big 12. Both teams are fighting to stay in the field for the Big 12 Tournament coming up next month. The Cowboys haven't returned from a road trip without a bitter taste in their mouth since the first weekend of the season when they won two of three in the Jaguar Invitational. Since then, Oklahoma State is 1-9 away from Stillwater, Okla. The Cowboys will travel to Columbia, Mo., after winning four of their last five. Missouri came into the season with high expectations, but its season has spiraled downward ever since. Junior right-hander and preseason All-American Max Scherzer continues to have arm issues and is listed as questionable this weekend. The Tigers had lost nine straight games before a victory over St. Louis on Wednesday.
No. 23 Oklahoma (29-10, 8-4) at Texas Tech (26-14-1, 6-7-1)
This series is key for each school. Oklahoma is on Nebraska's heels in the Big 12. If Nebraska gets swept by Texas and Oklahoma can sweep Texas Tech, Oklahoma would move up to a two-way tie for second in the conference. Texas Tech is sitting at sixth in the Big 12, but a series victory could move it as high as fourth, depending on how Kansas and Baylor do this weekend. Oklahoma comes in with a seven-game winning streak and has won nine of its last 10 games, including a victory over No. 3 Rice on Tuesday. Sophomore Joe Dungan led the way on offense for the Sooners going 3-for-5 with two runs and three RBI with two solo home runs. Texas Tech hasn't won a Big 12 series since it took two of three from Baylor three weeks ago, but it knocked off No. 10 Arizona State on Monday, Junior lefty Aaron Odom shut Arizona state battles down, allowing just two runs in six innings. The effort helped him earn Big 12 Co-Pitcher of the Week honors.
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