8B THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
SPORTS
MONDAY, APRIL 10. 2006
BASEBALL
Czyz's game 'off the charts'
BY SHAWN SHROYER
sshroyer@kansan.com
KANSAN SPORTSWRITER
When Don Czyz took the mound with one out and the bases loaded in the top of the eighth inning on Friday, he tied the Big 12 career appearance record with 111. When the senior closer recorded the final out of the game with Kansas ahead, 5-3, he tied Jimmy Walker for the Kansas single season save record with 11.
Czyz broke the record when he earned his twelfth save on Sunday during KU's 5-3 victory against Texas Tech.
"It's a tribute to his mentality and how hard he's worked," sophomore outfielder John Allman said.
"He's the best Ive had in 20 years in the game," Kansas coach Ritch Price said. "What a feeling. He's
just really special and he rises to that level every time you give him the baseball. His intensity level, his stuff and his make-up, it's just off the charts."
Czyz and freshman pitcher Paul Smyth have given the KU bullpen the kindofconsistencyitdidn'ttavelastyear. In 2005, Czyz and junior Sean Land — when the two weren't starting —
and senior Kodiak Quick anchored the bullpen. When the ball was left in the hands of Kansas' other relievers, it wasn't pretty. Relievers other than Czyz, Land and Quick had a 5.73 ERA in 2005. Weighing down their overall statistics were their poor outings during Big 12 play. Against conference opponents, Kansas' bullpen was as sporadic as ever with an 8.62 ERA, walking 18 batters while only striking out 17.
This season, Price's overhauled bullpen has emerged in Big 12 play and has been nearly untouchable since March 26. Over that nine-game span, Kansas relievers have backed up their starters and saved Czyz's arm with a 1.44 ERA in 25 innings.
Before Czyz came in for the save on Friday, Smyth took over for Land in the fifth inning with the bases loaded and two outs. Smyth got out of the jam, forcing a line out by Texas Tech junior Tyler Reves to KU sophomore Matt Berner at second base. Smyth went on to earn his first career victory. After the game, Price praised his middle relief pitchers for shutting down the opposition before Czyz came in, something he said his bulpen hadn't done in previous years. Despitie ty
Against one of the best Big 12 offenses in Texas Tech, Kansas' bullpen reached its pinnacle while Czyz etched his name at the top of Big 12 and Kansas record books.
ing Big 12 and Kansas records, Czyz downplayed the occasion.
"I don't know, I'm not done yet," said Czyz, about what the records would mean to him when his college days were over. "The most impressive thing is going to be turning this program around."
"About as good as it does winning all these games and being in the top of the conference," Czyz said, about what it felt like to be moving up the record charts.
Sunday's 5-3 victory was nearly a carbon copy of Friday's victory. After 5.2 innings from Quick, Smyth entered the game. In 1.1 innings of work, Smyth kept Texas Tech from scoring.
Czyz may not know the significance of his records yet, but if history is any indicator, the impact of Czyz's saves record could be felt in June. The last Kansas pitcher to record more than 10 saves in a season was Walker in 1997
— the last year Kansas reached the College World Series.
Czyz came in after Smyth and made his Big 12 career-best 112th appearance. With Kansas up two runs, the Kansas single season saves record was also within Czyz's reach. Czyz earned his 12th save six out later. The record was his.
Even with two records freshly under his belt, all Czyz could talk about was his team.
BY ALISSA BAUER
abauer@kansan.com
KANSAN STUDY WRITER
STRELL WRAP UP
—Edited by Janiece Gatson
Fridav. April 7 — Kansas 5, Texas Tech 3
In the meantime, Teux Tech (22-12, 4-5) took the lead with a pair of ground outs.
Kansas struck first in a match-up of Baseball America top 30 teams. In the first inning, senior shortstop Ritchie Price hit the first pitch to center field. Senior center fielder Matt Baty quickly knocked him in with a double. The Jayhawks (21-12, 5-5) didn't score again until they came from behind in the fourth.
Senior co-captain Matt Baty went 4-for-4 with an RBI and two doubles in his first game at Hogland Ballpark this season. Senior Don Czyz tied a Kansas and Big 12 record, collecting his 11th save of the season.
Saturday, April 8 Texas Tech 8,
Kansas 6
No. 24 Kansas dropped game two of the series to No. 26 Texas Tech,
Two batters later, senior designated hitter Matt Batt walked in sophomore Brock Simpson, who was called in to pinch hit, to bring the score to 8-6.
Kansas loaded the bases with one out in the bottom of the ninth inning, using a pair of errors and walks.
An edge-of-your-seat ninth inning revived a four-inning Kansas scoring drought. The Jayhawks cooled off after tallying five runs in the first four innings.
That's all the runs Kansas could manage, and although seven hitters stepped to the plate in the ninth, none recorded a hit.
BOX SCORE
Texas Tech (23-13)
Player AB R H RHB
Joey Callender, 3b 5 1 2 0
Blair Wilsons, rf 4 0 0 0
Roger Kieschnick, lf 4 0 0 0
Matt Smith, c 3 1 2 1
Tyler Reves, dh 4 0 1 0
Kyle Martin, ss 4 0 0 0
James Leverton, 1b 3 1 0 0
Drew Evan, cs 3 0 0 2
Trew Stewart, 1b 1 0 0 2
Wilson Rueda, 2b 3 0 0 0
Total 34 3 9 3
Kansas (22-13)
Player AB R H RBI
Brock Simpson, dh 5 1 2 0
Ritchie Price, ss 4 1 2 0
Matt Baty, cf 2 1 0 0
Kyle Murphy, cf 2 1 0 0
Gue Milner, rf 3 1 1 2
Erik Moriarity, 3b 3 0 0 0
John Allman, if 3 0 0 1
Praston Land, 1b 3 1 1 1
Dylan Parzyk, c 4 1 1 1
Matt Berner, 2b 4 1 1 0
Totals 31 5 9 5
Win: Kodiak Quick (6-2)
Los: AJ Ramos (1-2)
Save: Don Duviz (1-2)
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