MONDAY, MARCH 27. 2006
SPORTS
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN 3B
BASERALL
Nebraska reigns over Kansas in Saturday games
LINCOLN, Neb.
Saturday — Game 1 — Nebraska 9, Kansas 2
Before No. 2 Nebraska (16-2, 2-0) recorded its first out of the game, Nebraska rightfielder Luke Gorsett hit the team's first grand slam of 2008 and his ninth home run of the season.
Junior left-hander Sean Land threw 50 pitches but didn't grab an out in the second inning of the 9-2 loss.
Nebraska centerfielder Bryce Nimmo singled up the middle twice in the first inning alone. He went on to record the first four-hit game of his career.
Five consecutive "Husker hitters reached base before Land (4-4) forced a fly out by Nebraska designated hitter Andy Gernch. That fly ball moved Nebraska first baseman Brandon Buckman to third, giving Nebraska catcher Jeff Christy the chance to squeeze bunt him in.
Hitting in the fifth spot in the lineup, John Allman collected three of the offense's seven hits and scored both runs.
Nimmo's second base hit of the inning scored Christy and drove in the sixth run of an inning that would have beat the Kansas offense by itself.
The top half of the Kansas lineup did not get on base for enough for Allman to drive them in. This part of the lineup went 0-for-14 at the plate.
Saturday — Game 2 — Nebraska 4, Kansas 1
Back-to-back hits and a walk loaded the bases for Nebraska in the fourth inning. Senior right-hander Ricky Fairchild worked himself into an iam.
Three consecutive strikes later, he worked himself out of it.
"I was hoping that would swing the momentum in our favor," Fairchild said. It didn't
One out into the seventh inning, Nebraska centerfielder Bryce Nimmo took off for second base.
Gunning for the out, junior catcher Dylan Parzyk threw to second base, but the ball slipped through to centerfield, allowing Nimmo to get to third base.
Junior centerfielder Kyle Murphy then tried to lay out and make a diving catch, but couldn't come up with it. Nebraska took a 2-1 lead and never looked back. What seemed to be a Kansas turnaround fell flat after Nebraska lead mounted to 4-1.
Alissa Bauer
Take one from the road
BASEBALL
BY SHWAH SHROYER
sshroyer@kansan.com
KANSAN SPORTSWRITER
LINCOLN, Neb. — Facing three of the top starting pitchers and one of the best closers in the nation, Kansas pitchers had the opportunity to gain national recognition against Nebraska.
Nebraska pitchers had the early edge. They rolled along on Saturday like the railroad cars that could be seen just beyond the right field fence.
After missing two starts because of tightness in his tricep, preseason All-American Joba Chamberlain was perfect going into the fourth inning for Nebraska. His bid for a perfect game ended when he hit senior first baseman Jared Schweitzer with a pitch. In 6.1 innings pitched, Chamberlain allowed only one run on five hits, allowed one walk and struck out six.
Sophomore outfielder John Allman was the only Jayhawk who had significant success in game one, going 3-for-4 with a home run. Before Allman's home run, Chamberlain had a no hitter and a shutout.
Opposite Chamberlain was junior pitcher Sean Land, who didn't fair as well playing against a nationally recognized team. Land was pulled after pitching only one inning and giving up a grand slam.
In game two, 2005 Collegiate Baseball Freshman All-American Tony Watson squared off against senior pitcher Ricky Fairchild. Both starters pitched more effectively than their game one counterparts, but a stagnant Kansas offense let a stellar Fairchild start go to waste.
Kansas managed just one run on three hits in seven innings off Watson before preseason All-American Brett Jensen came in to pitch two perfect innings. Watson and Jensen kept Jayhawk hitters off balance all game, combining for 12 strikeouts.
Against an offense that just finished scoring nine runs earlier in the day, Fairchild held Nebraska to three runs. With just one run of support, though, he was given the loss.
"I had real good control of all four of my pitches and I just kept mixing them up, keeping them off balance," Fairchild said.
On Sunday, Second-team preseason All-American Johnny Dorn got the start for Nebraska and senior pitcher Kodiak Quick came in with the lowest ERA among Kansas starters.
After two innings, both pitchers
looked to be on top of their games, but a shuffled Kansas offense still wasn't producing. That all changed when the third inning came around.
Kansas and Nebraska scored three runs in the third inning and combined for 12 runs in the last seven innings. Neither starter made it out of the sixth inning.
It was the first time Quick gave up at least four runs since his Feb. 12 start at Stanford, but with the help of his offense, he earned the victory.
"I don't have my best outing and the team picks me up, that's awesome," Quick said.
With Kansas up two runs, Nebraska brought in Jensen to keep the deficit from getting any bigger. At the same time, with the Jayhawks six outs away from taking the final game of the series, senior closer Don Cczyz entered the game to seal the victory.
Jensen was perfect again in two innings of work. The Cornhuskers scored a run on Czyz in the eighth to pull within one, but Czyz came away with the save.
"You can't lose three to these guys," Czyz said.
You're not welcome here, puck
Edited by Lindsey Gold
Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender Jean-Sebastian Aubin makes a save on a shot by New Jersey Devils' Scott Gomez (23) as he is checked by Maple Leafs. Matt Staian during first period NHL hockey Sunday in east Eutherford, N.J.
BILL KOSTROU/THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Baseball
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CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1B
"I don't know what it was, but I was up there and relaxed," Simpson said. "The ball looked like a grapefruit coming in there."
A two-out Morrison error allowed Nebraska to score in the bottom of the fifth, but its effect was minimal.
The Jayhawk offense had finally clicked. Kansas outshit Nebraska for the first time all weekend on Sunday, 12-11.
Nebraska lefty Jared Cranston finished the inning. With three hits to his credit, Simpson singled again, driving in sophomore outfielder Allman.
Dorn surrendered a pair of hits that would chase him from the game and pave the way for the Jayhawks' second three-run inning of the game.
Down with a 1-2 count, Price was next up and guessed a fastball was coming.
He guessed correctly and sent a ball to the left field corner to score Simpson from first.
At this point, Quick's 119 pitches were enough.
Junior right hander Brendan McNamara stepped in for Quick in the sixth and did not allow a run or a hit in two innings of work.
Nearing the end of the weekend, the blanketed and bundled fans were treated to quite a show as Nebraska closer Brett Jensen and senior Don Czyz entered the game in the eighth inning.
Czyz had two runs to work with since Kansas was up 7-5. Despite allowing a run in the eighth, Czyz walked away with his ninth save of the season.
"You know you can't pitch without any runs behind you," Czyz said. "Our hitters did a great job of sticking to the plan because it all about Sunday — getting that win on Sunday."
Game Notes:
- Morrison was back at third base on Sunday after missing Saturday's doubleheader due to illness. His absence on Saturday left Kansas with three starting players out of the lineup.
- An estimated 1,000 hours of labor was needed to get the field ready to play on Saturday. Sixteen volunteers reportedly helped shovel snow during the field preparation.
The 2001 season was the last time the Kansas vs. Nebraska series was not forced to play a doubleheader due to inclement weather.
— Edited by Lindsey Gold
Mathematics Prize Competition
KU Math Department is hosting a math competition open to all KU students.
Both exams will be given on
7-10 pm
To participate you must register in 405 Snow by noon, March 28.
March 28
306 Snow Hall
Copies of last year's competition are posted outside 405 Snow.
www.math.ku.edu/~jmartin/competition.html
Junior Level:
Open to all undergraduates of nonsenior standing. Assumes knowledge of first year calculus First prize - $300 Second prize - $200 Third prize- $100
Second prize - $200 Third prize - $100 Senior Level:
Open to all undergraduates. Includes a range of standard topics of undergrad math. First prize - $450
Second prize - $300 Third prize - $150
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