THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
THESENDAY DECEMBER 20
TUESDAY DECEMBER 5, 2006
SPORTS
3B
BASEBALL
Season to start with confidence Kansas wants to repeat 2006 success despite young players
After finishing the fall season with the second-most victories in Kansas baseball history, the Jayhawks look to repeat their 2006 success during the 2007 season.
BY ALISSA BAUER
Randall Sanders/KANSAN
The layhawks must get used to being a young team if they want to repeat their 2006 success.
The team collected the second-most victories in Kansas history last year, but only two current seniors, outfielder Kyle Murphy and catcher Dylan Parzyk, saw any significant playing time. Kansas knows it will look to younger players for leadership.
"You look at our team, and we had an unbelievable senior class that we lost this year," Junior outfielder Brock Simpson said.
But the tone of the team isn't fearful.
"I know were going to be OK," sophomore pitcher Nick Czavy said.
Juniors John Allman and Erik Morrison stand out as the offensive power men from last season. Allman, an All-Big 12 second team left fielder, hit .333 and will return for his junior season with the most doubles — 16 — of any returning starter.
Morrison struggled at third base with 24 errors, but he redeemed those mishaps at bat. Morrison, second team for the Academic All-Big 12, led the lajways with 14 home runs.
"They had great falls and should be the backbone of our squad," Simpson said.
But Allman and Morrison are not the only choices for the upcoming season's offensive leaders.
Simpson, junior outfielder, showed his substantial worth last season when long-time leadoff hitter Matt Baty went down. Simpson took Baty's role in most of his 53 starts, but said he focused primarily on defensive improvement this fall.
"I became more of a complete player," Simpson said.
Sophomore first baseman Preston Land tagged nine home runs as a freshman and came close to matching Morrison's 14 home runs.
Junior Ryne Price knocked nine out as well, even with drastically
fewer at bats. A wrist injury held the second baseman to just 26 starts.
Price's health will be a huge factor in the Jayawks' success this season. Jared Schweitzer filled in for Price, but he will not be available again this year.
"We're not going to have as much depth as last year." Simpson said. "But from day one to day 15 of fall ball there was a huge improvement in our young guys. They've improved enough that if someone goes down they can step right in."
It's the loss of the entire weekend pitching staff that will hit the lajahawks the hardest. But not all is lost. In fact, much was gained. Coach Ritch Price said he was impressed with the work of Texas Christian
transfer Zach Ashford and Arkansas
brett Bollman.
"The great thing about the newcomers is that they realize what it takes to be successful." Simpson said.
Nick Czryz was never a weekend starter last season, but he was the winning pitcher against Nebraska in the big 12 Championship game.
"Right after the Big 12 Championship game I went up to Coach Price and thanked him for letting me start that game." Czyz said. "It meant a lot to me."
so important. The strength and conditioning coaches make winter workouts for the team while the players find other ways to get themselves in gameday form. Czxy plans to throw to his high school catcher during winter break.
Kansas opens its season Feb. 1 at Hawaii-Hilo.
Kansan sportswriter Alissa Buee can be contacted at abauer@kansan.com.
John Allman made a serious impact last season and that impact was consistent all season long. The ultimate clutch player, Aliman hit 353 with run
John Allman
Allman
ners in scoring position
Besides being a solid offensive force, Allman became a quiet leader in the outfield. He had only one error in 65 starts. Allman will have plenty of competition, but the work ethic that helped Allman jump in both size and talent from his freshman to sophomore season will stand out in 2007 just as it did in 2006.
"This year's team is much better. We didn't lose much and our freshman class has really been contributing. Now we're looking to take
McCulley said there was a clear difference between this year's team and last year's.
"Last year we were kind of content just keeping the game close, but this year the attitude is really to win games," McCulley said. "We know we'll have close games against good teams, and now we're confident we can come out on top."
>> FALL SPORTS WRAP-UP
"The Mitzoul loss was tough for us. We try to judge our season based on us. We try to game because our schedules are so similar, and we came really close to beating them this year," said Cameron McCulley, Overland Park sophomore.
The squad is looking forward to the spring, when it will play host to the Big 12 Shootout, an invitational to be held in Kansas City. Heathcoat said the team would play three games against high-quality competition.
Heathcoat said he expected the squad to have an opportunity to qualifying for nationals this year. The tournament will be held from May 12 to 13 in Dallas. To win their conference and to guarantee a nationals bid the Jawhacks must win the Great Rivers Lacrosse Conference Tournament from May 5 to 6 in St. Louis.
Kansan sportswriter Kayvon Sarraf can be contacted at ksarraf@ kansan.com.
New players alter men's lacrosse team
Among the players Heathcoat singled out as standouts this season are Brent Sear, Kansas City, Mo. freshman and Jarred Kolar, Libertyville, Ill., junior, who have paced the team on offense. Heathcoat also cited Matt Elder, Olathe senior and Kansan staff writer, for outstanding defensive play in front of goalie Rich Davis, St. Louis senior.
The fall season is a precursor to the full spring season. Some of the matches this fall included victories in the team's annual alumni game and against Bait Shop, a Kansas City club team. Losses include a 4-6 defeat at Washington University in St. Louis and a 6-7 overtime loss at Missouri.
BY KAYVON SARRAF
Edited by Aly Barland
The University of Kansas men's lacrosse club is finally starting to find its identity after adding several new players to the squad.
The team experienced an influx of talent this fall. Half of the team's players are freshmen, and Heathcoat said it had taken time for the team to iell.
The Jayhawks closed out the fall exhibition season by winning the Donnie Tillar Lacrosse Classic from Nov. 4 to 5 in Manhattan. The club defeated Oklahoma 7-6 and Kansas State 14-7 in round robin play before beating Harding University 7-4 in the championship match.
the next step and compete with the elite teams". McCulley said.
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