6B THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
GAMEDAY
FRIDAY, MARCH 31, 2006
Border breakdown
KU First Pitch
AT A GLANCE:
The Kansas baseball team may be a rare breed, turning a sub par 3-4 record in the past two weeks into its favor. The Jayhawks won their last two match-ups with solid pitching and 27 combined hits. Wednesday night's victory against in-state rival No. 13 Wichita State in front of a record crowd at Hoglund Ballpark produced momentum for KU for the weekend.
PLAYER TO WATCH:
Brock Simpson. With senior
The Jayhawks beat the Wichita State Shockers, 8-2, Wednesday night. The generally edge-of-your-seat showdown was nothing of the sort in the first meeting with Wichita State. Kansas out hit Wichita State, 15-8.
LAST TIME OUT:
outfielder Matt Batt and sophomore second baseman Ryne Price healthy and soon to return to the lineup, the sophomore outfielder may have to find a new spot in the lineup. But the
Simpson
question will be where. Simpson has been spectacular in the leadoff spot. He's gone 5-of-10 since Kansas coach Ritch Price moved him to the top of the lineup two games ago.
5 QUICK FACTS:
0 — The number of losses Kansas has at home this season.
3 — The number of earned runs senior closer Don Czyz has allowed in 17 appearances this season.
13 - The number of Kansas comeback victories this season. Only five victories have resulted from Kansas being ahead
8-0 Kansas' record when holding opponents to two runs or fewer.
43 - The number of stolen bases allowed by freshman catcher Buck Afenir and junior catcher Dylan Parzyk this season.
LOOKING FORWARD:
If Kansas can take the next two home series in the coming weeks, the team will be at an even 6-6 in the Big 12 and right back in the Conference pack. Should the Jayhawks hang on to two straight sweeps against Missouri and Texas Tech, they'd be sitting at 8-4 in the conference.
KEY TO VICTORY:
shopping the players when they steal bases. Kansas has done a fairly poor job of attacking aggressive runners this season. All three of the Jayhawks starting pitchers have thrown quality outings, but they are known to give multiple base hits. Those hits will be much less harmful if the Jayhawk catchers can keep runners out of scoring position.
Kansas vs. Missouri 6 p.m. today at Hoglund Ballpark KANSAS MISSOURI
Kansas continues to keep opponents guessing as to what offense it will bring game to game. While the Jayhawks got only three hits in game two of their series against the Cornhuskers, they turned around and produced 12 hits in the series finale to capture the 7-6 victory. Kansas swung the bat even better against No. 13 Wichita State on Wednesday night for 15 hits and eight runs. As a team, the Jayhawks are posting a batting average of .296, but seven of Wednesday night's starters are hitting over .300.
Defense:
Offense:
Despite posting 35 errors on the season, Kansas is still experimenting and filling holes left open by senior outfielder Matt Baty and sophomore second baseman Ryne Price. The two players were cleared to play earlier this week, but coach Ritch Price said he would ease the pair back into the lineup. Although both are hopeful, Price and Baty may not see time beyond a designated hitter role this weekend. On the mound, the Jayhawk starting three, junior lefty Sean Land (4-4) and senior right-handers, Ricky Fairchild (4-2) and Kodiak Quick (4-2) will hope to have senior closer Don Czyz (3-0) finish games this weekend. Czyz is throwing a stellar 0.91 ERA and has been a reliable closer all season.
Coaches
More than 70 percent of the Jayhawks victories have been comebacks. That late-inning focus is a direct correlation to the effectiveness of Price, who has said having the ability to win games late will be a key step to competing in the Big 12 Conference. Plus, Price and his staff have dealt with injuries in stride. Baty and Price are vital pieces in the Kansas lineup. Yet Price composed a lineup that has beaten national powers like Clemson, Baylor and Nebraska. His strategy to survive, as he calls it, is working.
— Alissa Bauer
The Missouri offense won't overpower Kansas pitching, but it is efficient in manufacturing runs.The Tigers are averaging
more than seven runs a game for the season and five runs a game in Big 12 play. Outfielders Evan Frey, sophomore, and Zane Taylor,
senior, are batting over. 400, but sophomore Jacob Priday is Missouri's leader on offense. Priday is hitting .306 and leads the team with three home runs, six doubles and 26 RBI. He has started all 24 of Missouri's games this season. Missouri's only weakness on offense is its lack of power.The Tigers have only 10 home runs as a team and a .396 team slugging percentage.
Defense:
The Tigers are averaging 1.67 errors per game for the season, but only one per game in conference play. Frey has been flawless defensively. In 25 chances he has 23 put out and two assists from the outfield and a 1.00
fielding percentage.The Tigers only concern on defense may be keeping their heads in the game when juniors Max Scherzer and Nathan Culp are on the mound. The two have struck out 63 batters in 70.2 innings, giving the defense behind them little action.
Coaches:
In his 12th season at Missouri, coach Tim Jamieson's team is 15-9 overall and 5-1 in the Big 12. After last weekend his Tigers were in first place in the Big 12 and nationally ranked again. Missouri is a team that depends on consistent
offense, reliable defense and stifling pitching. Jamieson also doesn't allow his players to lose focus away from Columbia, Mo. This season,
offense, reliable defense and
Missouri is 7-4 at
Shawn Shroyer
home and 7-1 in true road games. Jamieson also deserves credit for the caution he's taken with
pitching ace Max Scherzer. Rather than rush him back into the rotation, he's allowed Scherzer to fully recover from shoulder tendinitis.
MU First Pitch AT A GLANCE:
Missouri took the series against Kansas last year in Columbia, Mo., two games to one. It would love nothing more than to do the same this year in front of 2,500 Kansas fans. If it does, Missouri would be able to claim dominance against Kansas schools for the second straight year. Missouri defeated Kansas State two games to one last weekend.
Southeast Missouri State handed Missouri its first road loss of the season on Wednesday night. The 3-2 game was decided by a Redhawks walk-off home run in the ninth inning. Senior first baseman Derek Chambers was the most productive MU player on offense. He went 2-for-4 and scored a run.
Nathan Culp (5-2). Junior
PLAYER TO WATCH:
LAST TIME OUT:
pitcher Max Scherzer comes in with the hype, but junior pitcher Culp comes in with the numbers. While injuries have held Scherzer back, Culp leads the
Scherzer
ries, innings pitched (45.2) and strikeouts (32).
5 QUICK FACTS:
5-1 — Missouri's record in the Big 12 Conference, compared to a 10-8 non-conference record.
1 — The number of losses Missouri has in true road games.
29 — Missouri's rank in the Collegiate Baseball Poll. The Tigers began the season at No. 14 in the poll and were as high as No. 10 in the Baseball America Poll.
2. 81 — Missouri's team ERA, which is fourth best in the Big J. Juniors Max Scherzer and Nathan Culp are helping keep that number low with a 2.88 ERA and a 2.36 ERA.
.402 - Senior outfielder Zane Taylor's batting average this season, tying him with Oklahoma State's Tyler Mach for fourth best in the Big 12.
LOOKING FORWARD:
A series victory would likely allow Missouri to retain its lead over Texas in the Big 12 standings, remain ranked by Collegiate Baseball, and possibly re-enter other national polls. Should the Tigers lose the series, they may soon find the Jayhawks on their heels in the Big 12.
KEY TO VICTORY:
Missouri pitchers will have to shut down a revitalized Kansas offense. Missouri's offense must find a way to put runs on the board. In Scherzer and Culp's three combined losses, Missouri's offense has produced a total of only six runs.
Around the Big 12
BY SHAWN SHROYER
sshroyer@kansan.com kansan sportswriter
Nebraska (18-4, 2-1) at Kansas State (19-3, 1-2)
Nebraska junior starting pitcher JoBa Chamberlain was triumphant in his return to the rotation last weekend, winning the first game of the Kansas series. He'll face a Kansas State team that, after starting the season 17-1, is 2-2 in its last four games. This series is Kansas State's opportunity to prove it is a legitimate contender in the Big 12. Senior outfielder Joe Roady leads Kansas State and the Big 12 with a .482 batting average.
Baylor (18-8, 3-3) at Texas Tech (20-9, 2-3)
Baylor and Texas Tech are sitting at No. 5 and No. 6 in the Big 12, respectively. Opponents are batting .273 against Baylor pitching, but Texas Tech has a .325 team batting average. Baylor will likely be toward the top of the Big 12 at season's end, but a series victory here for Texas Tech would help secure it a spot in the heart of the Big 12 Conference.
Texas (19-10, 4-1) at Oklahoma (20-7, 2-1)
This bitter rivalry will hit the diamond for a three-game set. Oklahoma is actually out-hitting Texas as a team, .321 to .292, but pitching could be its downfall. Texas has a 3.71 team ERA compared to Oklahoma's 4.71. Both teams have been finding ways to win all season, though, and could remain neck-and-neck all the way through May. If they do, the winner of this series may be the one that comes out on top at the end of the regular season.
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