University Daily Kansan / Thursday. April 16, 1987
Sports
13
Royals' 2-1 victory sparked by Seitzer
The Associated Press
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Kevin Seitler, whose hot rookie start has been overshadowed by Bo Jackson, drove in two runs last night in support of Bret Saberhagen's six-hitter as the Kansas City Royals defeated the Detroit Tigers 2-1.
Angel Salazar led off the Kansas City innning with his second double off Walt Terrell, 1-1, and went to third on an infield out. Setzer then lined an opposite field double into right to score Salazar and give the Royals a two-game sweep of the Tigers.
"Seitzer did it again." Royals manager Billy Gardner said. "He sure has been swinging the bat good. He should that to do with the bat in any situation."
Saberhagen, the 1985 CY Young Award winner who slumped to 7-12 last year, raised his record to 2.0. Saberhagen struck out two and did
not issue a walk. Bud Black pitched the ninth inning for his first save.
The Tigers rode a four-game winning streak into Kansas City, but lost to the Ravens.
"You lose about 20 one-run games a year," Tigers manager Sparky Anderson said. "We've got 17 to go. I thought Saberhagen threw good."
KU dominates opening Relays event
Tom Brookens, the Tigers' ninth-position hitter, tagged Sabermagen for a triple with one out in the sixth inning. Lou Whitaker followed with a double for a 1-0 Tigers lead. Whitaker took third on an infield out by Pat Nankin, but Sabermagen retired Matt Nokes on a grounder to end the inning.
The Royals broke through in the bottom of the sixth for a run against Terrell. Salazar led with a double into the left-field corner and took third when Willie Wilson blooped a single in front of center field Chet Mackey's rookie first baseman, brought Salazar home with a groundout.
Dwight Evans singled leading off the Detroit seethat but was erased when Seltzer snared a sharp line down on the bag and played on the bag for an easy double play.
Jackson, the Royals' rookie left-fielder, drove in seven runs with two home runs on Tuesday night. He entered the game batting .500 but was 0-for-3 against Terrell.
KU athletes grabbed first, third and fourth places in the heptathlon, and the Jim Bauch Decathlon began as the the 62nd Annual Kansas Relays got off to a soggy start yesterday.
Bv ROB KNAPP
Staff writer
Kansas senior Rosie Wadman, last year's Big Eight Conference heptathlon champion, won the high jump and the shot put and finished third in the 100-meter hurdles, helping her take with 2,937 points after four events.
Meanwhile, Wichita State's Peder Bengtsson tied for first in the 100 meters and placed second in the long jump and the shot put. He leads the decathlon at the halfway mark with 3.570 points.
Rainy weather forced competitors indoors for the day's earlier events. The heptathlon hurdles and high jump, and the decathlon 100-meter dash, long jump and high jump all place at Anschutz Sports Pavilion.
Afternoon events resumed at Memorial Stadium
Wadman finished the first day of competition with 2,937 points, 50 points ahead of Lizz Barringer of Southeast Missouri State. Barringer, the defending Relays champion, finishes second in the events and tied Wadman and Kansas' Jaci Metzger for first place in the high jump.
Metzger finished the day in third place with 2,865 points. Teammate
Kim Hutoefer was behind her in fourth with 2,802 points.
The top seed in the event, Susan Carter of Texas-Arlington, began the day by winning the 100-meter hurdles in 14.92 seconds. She fell to third place overall after finishing sixth in the high jump and dropped all the way to sixth when she finished 12th in the field of 13 in the shot put.
Carter won the 200 meters and ended the day in fifth place.
Other Kansas entries include Andrea Schwartz, sixth place with 2,664 points, and Cindy Panowicz, ninth place with 2,542 points.
Kansas' Julie Hall dropped out of the competition during the high jump because of an injury. She was in 13th place at the time.
The heptathlon will end tomorrow with the long jump at 11:30 a.m., the javelin throw at 1:20 p.m. and the 800-meter run at 3:10.
Bengtsson, who last year took third place in the Relays decathlon, tied for sixth place in the high jump for his lowest finish on the first day.
Jim Strafuss was the highest Kansas finisher for the first day. Strafuss, in eight place overall with his team, had his best finish of the day in the high jump, where he tied for fourth with a jump of 6 feet, $14\frac{1}{4}$ inches.
The decathlon will wind up tomorrow with the 110-meter hurdles at 10 a.m., the discus throw at 10:50, the pole vault at 12:45 p.m., the javelin throw at 3:15 and the 1500 meter run at 5:05.
John Schwepek of Southeast Missouri State makes his first attempt at 6-foot-31/2 inches in the high jump event of the men's decathlon. Schwepek finished second in the event and second overall yesterday in the first day of the 62nd Annual Kansas Relays.
Connolly receives Big 8 honors
By ROB KNAPP
Staff writer
Sheila Connolly walked into the Kansas softball office in the fall of 1982 and asked for a chance to play. She earned a spot on the team and has spent four seasons earning a place in the Javahawk record book.
Sheila Connollv
Connolly. named yesterday as the Big Eight Conference player of the week, leads the Jayhawk in today's double-header with 14th-ranked Creighton.
Connolly hit 478 last week, going
11-for-23 in Kansas' six games. She
had a double and two triples and stole
five bases without being caught.
Softball
Connolly also moved from center field to shortstop in the doubleheader against Missouri and played there again in Sunday's doubleheader with Southwest Missouri State. She made seven putouts and 14 assists in her four starts at shortstop and committed only one error.
Connolly, who played shortstop in high school, was moved to the infield by Kansas coach Bob Stanclift in an effort to strengthen the team's defense.
"She handled the adjustment pretty well," Stanclift said. "She got her hands on a couple of plays and did real well."
"I can't wait to play them," Kansas first baseman and center fielder Laura Cramer said earlier in the game. "We were better than we did this weekend."
But as good as Connolly's fielding may be, it is her batting that has made her a standout this season. After playing 34 games, a little more than half-way through the season, Connolly has 48 hits in 115 trips to the plate and a .471 batting average.
If she could keep up that pace, she would top Jill Larson's KU record of 400, set in 1979. Connolly said she hoped the team's remaining schedule would help her.
Connolly is also moving up on a number of Kansas career records. She has stolen 16 bases this year and needs only one more to break the old Kansas career mark of 39.
"Most of our games left are with conference teams, and we have Creighton again." Connolly said. "There will be a lot of pitchers I've already seen this season."
The next run she scores will give her sole possession of second place on the Kansas career run list, and she is only two triples short of the Jayhawk career record.
Connolly and the Jayhawks are 0-3 against Creighton this season including a doubleheader loss at Jayhawk Field last Saturday. Kansas made nine errors in those two games.
Little-league letdown at nine didn't stop one of KU's best
By DAVID BOYCE
Staff writer
At age nine, KU's first baseman,
John Byrn, was cut from his little
league baseball team in Lawrence
Now, Byrn is Kansas' second leading hitter overall and leads the team in RH with 34
"He never gave up," said Pam Byrn, John's mother.
She said her son was relaxed and didn't become upset because of disappointments.
"I progressed a little at a time, but it wasn't until I was 18 that I realized that I could hit," Byrn said.
Byrn said that he first thought seriously of playing major league baseball during high school.
"I don't think about it day-to-day," he said, "but I'm not going to lie. I sometimes do think about that." That's a ballplayer's dream. "That's every ballplayer's dream."
Byn took his first step toward playing in the major leagues when he played junior college baseball in the community College in El Dorado.
"I wasn't physically or mentally ready to play major college baseball." Byrn said. "I went to Butler to play and needed to play."
He said that he started hitting well during his sophomore year at Butler.
"I did not have the size," Byrnn said, explaining why he didn't start hitting well until his sophomore year.
Byrn said, "I try not to think about hitting home runs Most of mine come off mistakes."
His mother, who has worked as a secretary for 15 years in different sports offices in Allen Field House, and his father, who is significantly stronger since leaving Law.
"The fences were not as deep at Butler as they are here," she said. "His home runs now are truer."
After Byrn left Butler, he immediately became starting first baseman for the Jayhawks. In his first year, he batted a team-leading .395 with six home runs and 31 RBIs.
Byrn said that the pitching was the biggest difference between playing at Butler and Kansas.
He said, "In junior college, every team had one good pitcher. But here, every team has four good pitchers.
"I have to stay mentally ready every game now, instead of coasting a few games."
John Byrn
This season Byrn has batted .352 and has hit seven home runs.
Byrn said he thought that speed was the only skill he lacked that could hurt his chances at being drafted.
"I am not the fastest person in the world," he said, "but I have a capable stick, a good arm and baseball smart.
Byrn said that he would quickly take advantage of an opportunity to play professionally.
"Three out of four isn't bad."
"That's my dream," he said. All I want is a chance."
However, Byrn said he was not worried about playing in the minor leagues, even though he has heard that most minor league players are of small salaries and spend a lot of their time on buses travelling to away games.
Byrn said he knew that if he was drafted, he first would have to spend time playing minor league baseball.
"My father is a very big supporter and helps me a lot when he can," Byrn said. "He lives in
Memphis and he said he would give me financial support if I get drafted."
Byrn said he received support from his entire family. In addition to his parents, he has a brother, Mike, who plays at Butler County, and a brother, Bill, who plays at Lawrence High School.
"Mike calls me and we talk about hitting, and Bill and I work
I am not the fastest person in the world, but I have a capable stick, a good arm and baseball smart. Three out of four isn't bad.'
— John Byrn KU firstbaseman
together helping each other on fielding," he said. "We are a big family unit.
"My mother sacrifices a lot of her time watching all three of us play."
When John's mother is not able to attend KU's games because of her work in the Sports Information Office, she routinely calls the press box to ask how her son and the team are doing.
Lately, the reply has been that John has had a hit, but that the team was losing
The Jay Hawks are now free overall and 1-11 in the Big Eight Conference.
"We are to the point that we are overthinking," he said last week. "We need to relax."
Gareth Waltrip/KANSAR
John Byrn, KU first baseman, makes a hit for the Jayhawks. Byrn has helped lead the KU baseball team often sively this season with a .332 batting average, a team-leading 34 RBI and seven home runs.
Diving catch saves no-hitter for Brewers
The Associated Press
BALTIMORE — Juan Nieves threw the first no-hitter in Milwaukee Brewers history last night when the Brewers beat Baltimore 7-0. Center fielder Robin Yount made a diving catch in right center to end the game.
American League
Nieves, a 22-year-old right-hander, struck out seven and walked five in intermittent drizzle. The Orioles were no-hit for the first time since Nolan Ryan, then with California, pitched one against them on June 1, 1975.
Yount ran about 15 yards and then dived to snare Eddie Murray's drive and preserve the no-hitter. The Breesmen mobbed Nieves at the mound.
Nieves, 2-0, who was 11-12 as a rookie last season, needed three other fine defensive plays behind him to ensure the pitching gem. Left fielder Jim Pacorek made a diving play against the baseman Paul Molitor made outstanding plays in the fourth and fifth innings.
Twins 5. Oakland 2
OAKLAND, Calif. — Mike Smithson of the Minnesota Twins pitched a no-hitter for six innings, then needed relief help from George Frazier and Jeff Reardon in a 5-2 victory over the
Oakland Athletics vesterdav
Angels 4. Mariners 0
SEATTLE — Kirk McCaskill pitched a four-hitter and Brian Downing and Dick Schofield hit solo home runs yesterday as the California Angels shut out the Seattle Mariners 4-0.
McCaskill, 2-0, scattered four singles for his first shutout and complete game of the season. He walked 16-7 and scored 29 batters, two over the minimum.
Yankees 4. Indians 3
Boston 5. Texas 4
NEW YORK - Wade Winfield lined a two-run single to cap a three-run ninth-minute New York Yankees Cleveland and 3 last hits for the Indians' sixth straight loss.
BOSTON -- Dwight Evans's sixth-inning slam and the overpowering relief pitching of Wes Gardner scored for Texas against victory over the Texas Rangers yesterday and extended the Rangers' losing streak to six.
White Sox 5. Blue Jays 0
TORONTO — Jose DeLeon struck out nine in 7-2 innings, while Tim Huelt drew in four runs as the Chicago White Sox snapped a fourgame losing streak with 5-4 victory last night over the Toronto Blue Jays.
Braves clip Reds 4-3 with three-run homer
The Associated Press
ATLANTA — Andres Thomas hit a three-run home run and powered the Atlanta Braves to a 4-3 victory over the Cincinnati Reds last night.
National League
Thomas connected in the third inning off Reds starter Tom Browning, 1-1, after a walk to Glenn Hubbard and a single by Dion James.
Giants 1. Padres 0
SAN DIEGO — Kelly Downs pitched a three-hitter and Candy Maldonado provided the only run with a seventh-inning homer as the San Francisco Giants beat the San Diego Padres 1-0 last night.
The loss dropped the Padres' record to 1-8, the worst start in the 19-year history of the franchise. Counting spring training games, the Padres have won only once since March 27 and have lost 16 of 17 since then.
Astros 4. Dodgers 0
LOS ANGELES — Mike Scott threw a one-hit shotout and Billy Hatcher homered, doubled and singled and continued his torrid 1987 start as the Houston Astros downed Los Angeles Dodgers 4-0 last night.
Mets 4. Phillies 1
Scott, the 1986 National League Cy Young Award winner, allowed just a third-inning single to Mariano Duncan as he ran his record to 2.0. He retired the last 15 batters. Houston's split-finger fastball specialist struck out 10 and gave up just one walk.
PHILADELPHIA — Gary Carter and Darryl Strawberry hit consecutive home runs in the seven innings of Philadelphia Phillies 4-1 last night.
Left-hander Sid Fernandez, 2-0,
worked six innings, giving up two
hive, walking five and striking out
five. After a relief spell by rookie
Austin Hunt, he came on and
earned his second save by getting
two outs in the ninth.
Pirates 3. Cubs 1
CHICAGO — Jim Morrison singled home the go-ahead run in the top of the 10th inning yesterday, and the Pittsburgh Pirates went on to a 3-1 victory over the Chicago Cubs.
After Chicago's Jody Davis tied the game at 1-1 with a one-out homer in the bottom of the ninth off reliever Don Robinson, the Pirates quickly rallied against reliever Dickie Noles, 0-1.
Andy Van Slyke lefto the 10th with a single, Barry Bonds lined to center, but Johnny Ray singled to right, sending Van Slyke to third. Morrison then singled, scoring Van Slyke with the tie-breaking run.
Frank DiPino relieved Noles and got Sid Grem to fly out, with Ray moving to third. Bobonila walk-in when he relied on whilen reliever Les Lancaster balked.
Pirates starter Rick Reuschel allowed only three hits over the first eight innings before leaving for a pinch-hitter. He walked four and struck out four. Cubs starter Steve Trout allowed eight hits in seven innings.