THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
SPORTS
FRIDAY, APRIL 7, 2006
WWW.KANSAN.COM
PAGE 1B
DOWN THE HALL
Golfers have high and low swings
TIM HALL thall@kansan.com
Golf is a funny game, there's no doubt about it. One day, you can be on top of the world with your swing and win tournament after tournament, but before you know it, the hole is smaller than the ball.
The golfing Gods have not been smiling on the KU team this spring. They debuted this season with a last place finish in Hawaii and just recently finished in 15th place in a 16-team field in Santa Cruz, Calif.
- this weekend in Augusta, Ga. $ ^{+} $ it will show that slumps and disappointing performance will happen to even the best of golfers.
But with the 70th Masters Tournament — the tournament that defines professional careers
KU had a solid year in the 2004-05 campaign, just missing out on the NCAA finals. Coach Ross Randall took the team to its eighth straight NCAA Regional. It won two tournaments, finished second in another, and only finished outside the top 10 once.
This season, the team won the Kansas Invitational, which it consistently wins every year. But it has also finished 15th or worse three times. The shots haven't been as straight and the putts just aren't falling.
For the professionals, take a look at Canadian Mike Weir. He's a great golfer. He won the Masters in 2003 and he was on top of the golfing world, but only briefly. In the three years since winning the most prestigious golf tournament in the world, he has won only one tournament. I thought the belief was that if you could win the Masters, you could win anything.
Golf just isn't like that. The swing comes and the swing goes. But recently, Weir has been hitting the ball well, and he is a contender to win this year.
If you really want to talk about slumps — I won't say Tiger; he was never in a slump — there's David Duval.
It's crunch time
Duval, who's in the field this weekend, won a major championship in 2001 and has not won another tournament since. He went into a slump and then decided to take some time away from the game. He once shot an impressive round of 59. He can be a great player again, with practice. He'll have plenty of time to practice after his opening-round score of 84 causes him to miss the cut.
KU golfer Tyler Docking is a tremendous talent who has been through the good and the bad. Less than two years ago, he made it to the Sweet Sixteen of the U.S. Amateur against the best amateurs in the world. This year his scoring average is 77. Golf can take any great player and give him hell. Like I said, it's a funny game.
Docking will get his game back to form. He has too much talent and too good a swing to stay down. The entire Kansas team, too, will likely get it back. They have some good talent in names like Woodland, Krsnich, Martens, Pederson, Trammell, Rainer, Signer, and Mundy.
As for the Masters, yes golf is a funny game, but there's nothing funny about betting against Tiger in a major. That guy is good.
Hall is a Woodbridge, Va. senior in journalism
SOFTBALL
Making it to postseason play pushes players to focus efforts
BY RYAN SCHNEIDER
rschneider@kansan.com
KANSAN SENIOR SPORTSWRIER
Before leaving for a four-game road trip Tuesday night, Tracy Bunge had a simple message for the softball team.
It's crunch time.
"We're at a critical point in the season," the Kansas softball coach said. "This is the time to get it done. If we don't get it done in the next couple weeks, we take ourselves out of things, as far as the postseason."
Kansan file photo
Kansas (20-18, 1-4 Big 12) can help its chances for its second straight postseason appearance this weekend against No. 18 Baylor (24-14, 4-2 Big 12).
Kansas will face Baylor twice, at 4 p.m. on Saturday and at noon on Sunday in Waco, Texas.
The Bears are currently riding a four-game winning streak.
They have ended three straight games early after five innings because of softball's run rule. When a team is up by eight runs after five innings, the game is called off.
Baylor pitcher Lisa Ferguson ranks fifth in the Big 12 Conference, giving up fewer than two runs per game. She has given up just three runs in her past 11 innings.
"We have to do some damage at Baylor," Bunge said. "We obviously know Baylor's playing well, but we've got to take care of business the rest of the week."
For junior pitcher Kassie Humphreys, taking care of business involves getting into the postseason.
"It's just coming down to crunch time and that's where we want our seniors to be able to go, to regionals, and go to postseason, and I think that's where we're really feeling a little heart," Humphreys said.
Junior pitcher Kassie Humpreys throws against Nebraska on March 4 in Lawrence. Kansas will take on Baylor this weekend in Waco, Texas.
SEE CRUNCH TIME ON 3B
Tech freshman leading Big12
PROFILE
BY SHAWN SHROYER
sshroyer@kansan.com
KANSAN SPORTSWITHER
It doesn't seem possible when you consider his age: He's only a freshman.
Roger Kieschnick has torn up opponents this season and might be the toughest out for Kansas pitchers this weekend.
Just 33 games into his college career, Kieschnick leads Texas Tech in six offensive categories. He leads all Big 12 hitters in three.
Kieschnick said he didn't expect to have such a breakout his first season.
Kieschnick
"I didn't know. I just wanted to come out and try to contribute any way I could for the team." Kieschnick said.
Among Red Raiders, Kieschnick ranks first in batting average (.399), hits (55), triples (two), RBI (40), total bases (85) and slugging percentage (.616).
In the Big 12, nobody has more hits, RBI or total bases than Kiesnick. He also has the fifth-highest batting average in the conference.
If Kieschnick's last name sounds familiar, don't confuse him with major league pitcher Brooks Kieschnick, who played at Texas.
According to Baseball America's Will Kimmey, the two are third cousins, but Roger wasn't as sure.
"Well, I'm not real sure if I'm related to him or not. I've never met him," Kieschnick said. "One of my family members said we were third cousins."
With the last name, the high school numbers (.319 batting average, six home runs, 19 RBI and eight stolen bases as a senior) and the proximity (a Rockwall, Texas, native) it might seem more likely he would be punishing pitchers as a Longhorn.
However, Kiesnick said a lack of commitment from Texas and other schools helped him decide to become a Red Raider.
SEE KIESCHNICK ON 3B
TENNIS
Javhawks to see Big 12's best and worst
BY ANTONIO MENDOZA
amendoza@kansan.com
KANSAN SWITWERRI
The KU tennis team wraps up its home season by playing two extremes of the Big 12 this weekend.
Kansas will play at last-place Missouri at noon Saturday and first-place Baylor 11 p.m. Sunday. Both matches are scheduled to be played on Robinson Courts.
Missouri has struggled. The Tigers dwell at the bottom of the Big 12 with a conference record of 0-6.
Kansas comes into the match against Missouri with an overall record of 11-7 (2-4 Big 12).
Their overall record is 6-7 and they have been swept three times.
Despite the Missouri's struggles, Kansas coach Amy Hall-Holt said the Jayhawks could not afford to overlook their rivals.
"Definitely the girls have got to be mentally and physically
"We have the Border War
Lauren Hommell
Sophomore
Showdown coming up, so it's always really exciting and a really tough one on Sunday."
prepared." Hall-Holt said.
Baylor's season is at the opposite end of the spectrum. The Bears (17-3, 6-0 Big 12) are at the top of the Big 12 in a threeway tie for first place in the conference.
Ranked No. 8, they will be the highest-ranked team the Jayhawks have faced all season.
"We have the Border War Showdown coming up, so it's always really exciting, and a really tough one on Sunday." sophomore Lauren Hommell said.
SEE TENNIS ON 3B
Sophomore Elizaveta Avdeva takes a swing against Oklahoma Saturday in Lawrence. Avdeva and the Jayhawks will take on the Missouri Tigers and the Bavlor Bears this weekend in Lawrence.
Kansan file photo