THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
SPORTS
3B
BASEBALL (CONTINUED FROM 1B)
said. "We got maybe one little step to take, play a good powerhouse this weekend and ride in there with some confidence after these two wins and the two wins over Western Illinois."
That little step that Morrison mentioned has much to do with this weekend and the Jayhawks' ability to play the Southeastern Conference powerhouse. Morrison had huge games this week, going 9-16 with two home runs and 10 RBI, but this weekend's competition will test those numbers.
Junior right-hander Jess Todd (1.1, 2.19) will make his first start as a Razorback this afternoon. In just 12.1 innings this season, Todd has had 21 strikeouts to a mere two walks.
The numbers are there for the Top 10 opponent, but Kansas isn't budging. The Jayhawks are hitting .315 as a team compared to the Razorbacks.299. On the other side of the ball, Kansas also has the edge with a 2.98 ERA to Arkansas's 4.36.
"I think people have got some confidence back in them," Morrison said. "Guys got to pull through some of their struggles and got some game speed before we head out there. I like our chances. If we go down there and play hard, we should be fine."
Fine if Morrison and crew can keep their bats hot while cooling their opponents. Junior third baseman Casey Coon leads the SEC with 26 RBI in 15 games and leads his teammates with a .389 average at the plate. Unraid of the numbers or the ranking, the Jayhawks are excited for the challenge.
"Oh yeah, I'm very excited," sophomore left-hander Andy Marks said about facing such a high-profile opponent. "Actually, their best pitcher, Nick Schmidt, I faced him a lot in high school. I'm really excited about going up against him and beating a Top 25 team."
Marks (3-1, 4.12), who will start the series finale on Sunday, hit the nail on the head with Schmidt's description. An All-American last season and a pre-season All-American this season, the junior lefty is 3-0 with a 1.50 ERA this year. He threw a complete game in the Razorbacks' last time out, a 5-1 victory against Minnesota on Sunday.
Arkansas' ace won't get to throw against Marks this trip, as Schmidt is penciled in for Saturday's game.
Although any weather-related discussions are almost taboo in the world of Kansas baseball, rain is predicted for everyday of the series. But at this point, the Jayhawks take precipitation in stride and focus on the difficult task at hand.
"We were trying to get some confidence and make some progress with the bat each day and get outside each day, take pre-game (battling practice)." Price said. "I think we'll walk into Arkansas this weekend, one of the greatest places in America, with a little bit of swagger."
Kansan sportswriter Alissa Bauer can be contacted at abauer@kansan.com.
Edited by Will McCullough
Series Outlook: Kansas at No. 10 Arkansas
12:35 p.m. today
Probable Starting Pitchers
UA: 28 Jess Todd, RHP (1-1, 2.19
ERA)
KU: 21 Zach Ashwood, LHP (2-1,
4.15 ERA)
1. 50 ERA)
150 LEV
KU: 17 Nick Czyz, LHP (2-1, 2.18
ERA)
1:05 p.m. Sunday
Probable Starting Pitchers
UA: 34 Shaun Seibert, RHP (0-1,
4.80 ERA)
KU: 27 Andy Marks, LHP (3-1, 4.12
ERA)
12:05 p.m. Saturday
Probable Starting Pitchers
UA: 33 Nick Schmidt, LHP (3-0)
WISSEL (CONTINUED FROM 1B)
this season and not get intimidated by his competition.
"I have to take them off that pedestal and realize that I can run with these guys," Wissel said. "Cross country gave me a lot of confidence because not only was I running with a lot of these guys, I was beating some of them."
Clark's advice to his star runner is as simple as staying the course.
"He just needs to not try and do anything extra or above and beyond, because what he's already doing is the best way to approach it," Clark said.
With a little time to reflect on his 2006-07 cross country and track seasons, Wissel was able to get past his uncertainties to see the potential in himself that his coaches have seen all along.
"I don't want to sound cocky," Wissel said, "but the way things have been going, I don't want to put any limits on myself."
Kansan sportswriter Taylor Bern can be contacted at tbern@kansan.com.
- Edited by Kelly Lanigan
DAVISON (CONTINUED FROM 1B)
a new coach at the helm, and will simply not be able to hang with the lahwacks.
Assuming the Jayhawks advance, Saturday's game should also be winnable. Kansas will face the winner of the Texas Tech vs. Kansas State game, two teams with their seasons on the line. The winner of that game likely finds itself in the Big Dance while the loser has NIT written all over it, which bodes well for Kansas. The Wildcats and Red Raiders will leave everything on the court today, while the Jayhawks should have a relatively easy day. After fighting for their season, the winner — whom I think will be Texas Tech — will be exhausted and just excited to know it will be dancing. Therefore, Kansas should have no problem beating either team — especially if it's Texas Tech,
— especially if it's Texas Tech, because of the revenge factor.
Finally, the championship game.
Most Kansas fans would love to face Texas A&M after it won inside Allen Fieldhouse. But I can't take the Aggies after the performance Longhorn do-it-all man Kevin Durant put on in the first half against the Jayhawks last weekend. Durant's ankle is reported to be healthy and he has the ability to single-handedly win the game for the Longhorns. But what about Texas A&M's Acie Law IV? Sorry, Law is incredible and clutch, but he isn't as dominant as Durant.
— Edited by Kelly Lanigan
In the championship, if it plays out this way, Kansas will be cutting down the nets again. The Jayhawks showed they were a more talented team than the Longhorns on Saturday, even though they trailed at halftime.
Davison is an Overland Park senior in journalism.
BASKETBALL (CONTINUED FROM 1B)
of them.
"The bottom line is that we're going to focus on us," he said. "If there's a good thing, it's that we played Iowa State and Oklahoma just three and two games ago, so it should be relatively fresh."
The Layhawks left Lawrence after they watched Thursday's game, and arrived in Oklahoma City late in the afternoon.
was suffering from the stomach flu
Neal underwent an IV treatment
before the game, but never saw
playing time. Without his services,
it may be hard for Oklahoma to
keep pace with Kansas and still
stay out of foul trouble.
Two Kansas assistant coaches went to Oklahoma City ahead of time to scout the game between the Sooners and the Cyclones.
Self said the early tip-off time wont affect his team much, but will help them better prepare for
"If there's a good thing, it's that we played Iowa State and Oklahoma just three and two games ago."
"We've got to get ready for
BILL SELF Kansas coach
to get ready for a team basically within 24 hours," sophomore guard Julian Wright said.
Saturday's game if they win today.
While they watched the game, the Jayhawks no doubt noticed the dominant inside presence of Oklahoma's Nate Carter, who managed to keep the Iowa State offense out of the paint for most of the first half. He also chipped in 22 points on the offensive end, and was complimented by guard Tony Crocker's 15 points — most of those three pointers late in the game.
The victory came without the services of guard Michael Neal, who
Anytime you play at night, the game may end at a certain time, but the game doesn't really end until early the next morning" he said.
"There are so many things going on that you have no free time by playing that late, and then you play in the afternoon the next day. So I think the advantage isn't in the first game, but in the second game."
If the Jayhawks win today, they face the winner of the Kansas State vs. Texas Tech game at 1 p.m. Saturday.
Kansan senior sportswriter Michael Phillips can be contacted at mphillips@kansan.com.
- Edited by Trevan McGee
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Kansas City Royals' Odalis Perez delivers to the Seattle Mariners in the first inning of a spring training baseball game in Surprise, Ariz., on Thursday.
Royals camp full of new optimism
BY DOUG TUCKER ASSOCIATED PRESS
SURPRISE, Ariz. — Because he's still recovering from shoulder surgery and not yet able to participate fully, Scott Elarton has had time to just sit back and observe. He likes what he sees in the Kansas City Royals' camp.
Three weeks in, there appears to be a subtle sense of optimism that's more than just brave talk from a franchise that's lost 100 games in four of the past five years and can hardly go anywhere but up.
Fueled by some talented young players, this cautious hopefulness seems genuine.
"I think there's just a lot more positive outlook," Elarton said Thursday morning, sitting at his locker and stretching his long legs into the bustling clubhouse.
"I think we expect to win now.
That's from day one."
This year's camp has been energized by some of the most promising talent to pass this way in many years. Sitting right next to each other in one corner of the clubhouse are the overall No. 2 and No. 1 picks in baseball's June draft the past two years, third baseman Alex Gordon and right-hander Luke Hochevar.
But the biggest change Elarton detects may not stems from anyone who's in uniform. Dayton Moore, hired in June to replace general manager Allard Baird, seems to be succeeding in creating a whole a new attitude.
His message to the players when they first pitched camp three weeks ago was short and to the point.
"Dayton came in and said, 'I expect to win'," said Elarton. "He spoke for about 5 minutes and that was the message of the meeting."
You're Invited
The Episcopal Student Ministry at the University of Kansas warmly invites you to a service of thanksgiving and rededication for the newly renovated St. Anselm's Chapel and Canterbury House on Sunday March 11th, at 2:00 p.m.
The service will be followed by an open house reception from 3-5 p.m. Please join us in celebrating the restar of our ministry--the food will be free, plentiful, and the Big 12 tournament championship game will be broadcast on our large screen TV.
Join us at:
1116 Louisana Street