SPORTS
THURSDAY, MARCH 16. 2006
4B THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
WNIT
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1B
"We're a good team," senior guard Kaylee Brown said. "We just have laps sometimes."
And for the senior class, it is somewhere in between. They admit it's not where they want to be, but it's still better than where they've been. Four years ago, the jayhawks finished their conference schedule 0-16.
Henrickson said one of the biggest struggles was creating a scouting report in such a short amount of time for two teams with whom the Jayhawks were not familiar.
"We're going to take what we can get," senior forward Crystal Kemp said. "It's just another chance to go out and get what we can."
That's exactly how the Jayhawks will approach tonight's game against Northern Iowa. Tip-off is at 7 p.m. at Allen Fieldhouse, and students will be admitted free with a valid KUID. (For more on the match-up between the two teams, see the Gameday page on page 88.)
If Kansas defeats Northern Iowa tonight, it will play Saturday afternoon against Mississippi at 2 p.m. That game would also be at Allen Fieldhouse.
"I'll look pretty rough by the time we get to Saturday, if we have that chance," Henrickson
joked.
The tournament will also be an opportunity for the young players to experience a quick turnaround. The Jayhawks have three seniors and only two juniors, and next year Henrickson will bring in a freshman class of seven players.
The coach has openly discussed the possibilities of playing in the postseason all year, and said that even though the regular season ended on a down note, the players should still be proud of their achievement.
"There were certainly some disappointing points in the season," she said. "But we have a chance to wipe the slate clean and be 0-0, and we're very thankful for that opportunity."
Kansas' appearance is not just good for itself, it is a boost to the WNIT as well. The tournament is able to stage games in a high-profile venue that has attendance well above the national average.
Fans tonight will get to see one of the final games for the senior class, but instead of dwelling on that, the seniors are looking ahead to what the younger players will accomplish in the future.
"They can have confidence going into the other seasons," Kemp said. "We know that we set the foundation for that."
Edited by Timon Veach
Field
CONTINUED FROM 1B
The perimeter fence next to the KU bullpen off the left-field line was blown almost on its side and is roped off with yellow tape. Price said he wasn't sure whether the fence would be repaired before March 29.
But while Price worried about his field on Sunday morning, others worried about seeing what truly happened.
NHL
Red Wings defeat Mighty Ducks 3-1
"I guess I was kind of bummed we weren't here," sophomore third baseman Erik Morrison said. "I want to see what it really is. I was expecting from what people were saying for our field to not even be here anymore."
DETROIT — Nicklas Lidstrom had three assists and Chris Osgood made 52 saves to lead the Red Wings to their fourth
— Edited by Meghan Miller
straight win.
Henrik Zetterberg, Matthieu Schneider and Kris Draper scored for Detroit, which has won six of seven.
Anaheim had its three-game winning streak snapped.
The Associated Press
Finding a home at the plate
BASEBALL
Afenir and Parzyk improve catching and hitting to fill big shoes
By SHAWN SHROYER
sshroyer@kansan.com
KANSAN SPORTWRITER
When the Kansas baseball season started, catchers Buck Afenir and Dylan Parzyk appeared to be headed down separate paths while trying to replace former Johnny Bench Award semifinalist, Sean Richardson.
In the early running, Afenir swung the hotter bat while Parzyk wielded the more reliable glove. However, in the games since the 17-6 loss to San Diego, the two have become more complete players at and behind the plate.
think we're asking
those guys to fill awfully big shoes of a player who was really special for us for the two years that he started here."
Ritch Price Kansas baseball coach
"I think they've done a nice job," Kansas coach Ritch Price said. "I think we are asking those guys to fill awfully big shoes of a player who was really special for us for the two years that he started here."
Afenir was the starting catcher on opening day for the Jayhawks and responded with a hit in six of Kansas' first seven games. He struggled on defense, though, allowing several pitches to reach the backstop.
Randall Sanders/KANSAN
Freshman catcher Buck Afenir plays catch during practice at Hoglund Ballpark Tuesday. Afenir and junior catcher Dylan Parzyk have competed for playing time behind the plate much of the season.
Parzyk, on the other hand, didn't get his first hit until the fourth game of the season. His next hit didn't come until the San Diego game, six games later. Ironically, the San Diego game marked Parzyk's best at the plate, going 2-for-3 with a run scored and two RBI, but also marked his only flawed game on defense with his first passed ball of the season.
Parzyk hasn't allowed a passed ball since and has brought his hitting up to the same level as his defense, while Afenir is becoming more consistent behind the plate.
On the season, Afenir and Parzyk have a combined .225 batting average. In the three games after the San Diego game they have collected only one hit in 12 at bats. Since then, they have gone 6-for-26 during an eight-game span and collectively have managed one hit per game in four of the past six games. The two compiled just 10 hits in 45 at bats during their first 13 games of the season and went hilftess in five of those games.
Afenir said his improvements at the plate were a result of becoming a more disciplined hitter.
"I've been working all I can, trying to be a more selective hitter," he said. "Just trying to hit better pitches."
Parzyk has spent extra time with assistant coach Kevin Tucker to make adjustments to his swing and said he expected his batting statistics to improve with more playing time.
"It's going to come with time, you know, a couple games back-to-back, I think I could get back in that rhythm," he said. "I think it'll come around, it'll be there."
Randall Sanders/KANSAN
Junior catcher Dylan Parzyk
prepares for a catching drill during
practice at Hoglund Ballpark Tuesday.
Parzyk and freshman catcher
Buck Afanir continue competing for
the set starting position as catcher.
I've worked hard at it."
Price said he usually gave more playing time to whichever catcher was performing better defensively, regardless of offensive numbers.
"You have to be a defensive player first if you're going to be on a really good team," Price said. "With our pitching situation and how good we catch the ball in the infield, we need that guy to be a solid force behind the plate and allow our pitchers to pitch to contact and let our defense play."
— Edited by Cynthia Hernandez
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