THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
SPORTS
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 12, 2006
WWW.KANSAN.COM
MEN'S BASKETBALL
PAGE 1B
Self optimistic at ceremony
BY RYAN COLAMANI
colaianni@kansan.com
KANSAN SENIOR SPORTSWITTER
Talk following Kansas' basketball awards ceremony quickly moved away from the awards to Brandon Rush's future as a Jayhawk.
Rush, freshman guard, told reporters following the ceremony that he had heard where he might be headed in the NBA draft and had chosen to stay at Kansas. The Kansas City, Mo., native said that the only way he would have left would have been if he had heard he was a
guaranteed first-round pick, and that news did not come.
"I am just looking forward to coming back and having a great season and lead us to a national championship," Rush said. "I think I can just wait until next year to see where I am at."
He added that he thought the team could win a national championship next year and could be a team similar to this year's champion, Florida, thanks to the sophomores' play.
Kansas coach Bill Self gave Rush the information three weeks ago and said he was delighted when he heard that Rush.
after hearing where he might go, would return for his sophomore season. Rush said that he planned to focus on improving his left hand in the off-season.
"I told him all along that he should do what is best for him and his family. He has been consistent all along saying that if he wasn't guaranteed anything that he wasn't going to leave, I think it is great news." Self said.
Self added that he had not pressured Rush to make a decision on whether to stay or go to the NBA.
SEE CEREMONY ON PAGE 4B
Freshman guard Brandon Rush and sophomore guard Russell Robinson share a laugh during the men's basketball awards ceremony Tuesday night in the Kansas Union Ballroom. Rush was named the team's MVP and Robinson collected "Mr. Jayhawk" and defensive player of the year honors.
Joshua Bickel/KANSAN
SOFTBALL
Junior infielder Nicole Washburn holds onto the ball as Ashleigh Tweed, Oklahoma State senior infielder crosses first base on April 2. Kansas takes on Missouri tonight at 6 p.m. in Columbia, Mo. Kansan file photo
Offense tries to end slump
BY MARK DENT
mdent@kansan.com
KANSAN SPORTWRITER
Tracy Bunge might want to consider looking into sports psychology.
"I need to get my kids to relax in big situations," Bunge, Kansas softball coach, said. "The intensity and effort are there, but they just need to not force it and make it happen."
Kansas will try its best to relax today when it travels to Columbia, Mo., to take on Missouri. Not only is the game important for the Big 12 Conference race, it also carries more sway because it is a Border Showdown game.
"In every sport, all athletes have more motivation against Missouri," Bunge said. "Our team respects Missouri and is ready to start this portion of the rivalry."
Last year, the two teams split the two-game series, with each team winning on the road. In Columbia, the Jayhawks beat a Top 25-
ranked Tigers team 5-3. Senior outfitter Nettie Fierros drove in three runs to lead the Hawks.
With eight returning starters from last season's NCAA Regional team, the Tigers (18-17, 2-4) have struggled with consistency this season, especially offensively. They have averaged only one run per game in their last four games, but averaged more than six runs per game in their five previous games. Last weekend Texas swept Missouri in a two-game series.
Kansas (21-19 overall, 2-5 Big 12) split a two-game series at Baylor last weekend, winning the first game 2-1 and losing the second game by the same score.
"Missouri has been inconsistent this year, but they have lots of talent and depth," Bunge said. "All nine batters in their lineup can all swing the bat and that puts pressure on our pitching."
SEE PITCHING ON PAGE 4B
BASEBALL
Fans stick with KU
BY SHAWN SHROYER
sshroyer@kansan.com
KANSAN SPORTWRITER
Kansas barely escaped with a 5-4 victory against North Dakota State Tuesday night, but when the got tough got tough, the fans got going.
"It felt like a morgue in the dugout," senior closer Don Czyz said. "Having some behind us up there was huge, and I think it got a lot of guys going."
On three occasions this season fans have shown up in record fashion. For the first game of the Missouri series, 1,821 showed up, and 1,971 attended the second. Those set the seventh and fourth highest attendance, respectively, in Kansas history. On March 29 against Wichita State, 2,324 fans filled Hoglund Ballpark to set the all-time Kansas Records record
Senior outfielder Matt Baty said he sent an e-mail to fans Tuesday to thank them for their support.
In the bottom of the ninth.
For more on the Kansas baseball team's most devoted fans, check Randall Sanders' fan profile on page 88.
immediately lined up behind the Kansas dugout and showered the team with cheers as the players filed back into the dugout.
their unwavering support of the Jayhawks paid off when senior shortstop Ritchie Price crossed the plate to clinch the Kansas victory. Fans
"I was shocked. I didn't think we'd have 100 people here tonight," coach Ritch Price said. "I just hope tomorrow we put on a better performance for our fans because we really let them down today."
Brian Bender, Shawnee freshman, and Dave MacKay, Shawnee senior, have been to every Kansas home game this season and, between the two, made road trips to Wichita State and Nebraska. They said they planned to travel to road games at Kansas State, Oklahoma State and Texas.
Before the game, two Kansas fans' spirits, in particular, were high for Kansas baseball.
SEE FANS ON PAGE 8B
Jayhawks defeat Bison — barely
BASEBALL
BY ALISSA BAUER
abauer@kansan.com
KANSAN STAFF WRITER
Standing on the field after Tuesday's victory, Kansas coach Ritch Price apologized to the media for having to watch the game.
In the bottom of the ninth, with the score tied at four, senior outfielder Matt Baty laid a bunt down the third base line.
Kansas defeated North Dakota State, 5-4, but it was ugly.
The bunt allowed senior Ritchie Price to score from second base.
By defensive standards, the Jayhawks' (24-13, 6-6) winning run should have never been on base.
Nonetheless, Mitch McNary, the freshman right-hander called in to throw the ninth, fielded Baty's bunt and chucked it over freshman second baseman Sean Thomas' head.
The ball rolled around in foul territory, and Price scored the winning run. "A win's a win," said Baty, who was one of two seniors in Tuesday's starting lineup. "It doesn't matter how you get it."
Just minutes before, senior closer Don Czyzst struck out the side in the top of the ninth. Not wanting to use his ace closer in a non-conference midweek game, Price told Czyzz before the game that he would pitch
"He said, 'If things get hairy, then we'll bring you in,'" Czyz said, about his conversation with Price before the game. "I guess it was a pretty hairy situation out there tonight."
North Dakota State (2-25) took the lead in the first inning. Junior right-hander Brendan McNamara surrendered a walk to junior center fielder Greg Plecki.
Left fielder Jared Sullivan singled to right field and collected his first RBI of the game. The senior picked up another in the top of the fifth, highlighting a three-run innning.
Coming in to the series with two victories, losing 23 of their last 24, the Bison surprised onlookers as they took their second lead of the game in the fifth.
only if seriously needed.
"They played good enough to win tonight," coach Price said of the Bison. "They probably deserved to win."
Notching three runs in its first at-bat, the match-up looked uneven in the first inning. The Jayhawks' run trio used only one base hit. Instead, Kansas relied heavily on the mishaps of starting pitcher Ryan Williams. Williams walked four and hit a batter in the inning.
SEE DEFEAT ON PAGE 8B
Carly Pearson/KANSAN
Carly Pearson/KANSA Senior pitcher Don Czyz close Tuesday night's game against North Dakota State. The Jayhawks defeated the Bison 5-4.
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