but she allowed 12 hits. Her nine a double to center field giving strikeouts make a career record. Malazzo enough time to round
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Softball Rewind
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BASEBALL
Offense can't get going as Kansas is shutout
mvernon@kansan.com
The Jayhawks traveled to Springfield, Ill., with hopes of turning around their three-game losing streak, and correcting their woes at the plate. Instead, they were shutout in a 6-0 loss to Missouri State.
The Jayhawks came into Wednesday's game with a focus on being able to knock in runners once they get on base. They finished the game having left eight runners on base.
"We did get nine hits and two or three balls were hit hard," coach Ritch Price said.
Things didn't go as planned for Kansas as early as the first inning, when senior outfielder Casey Lyle advanced to third base after a wild
pitch. The Jayhawks attempted a double steal that ended up with Lytle getting caught stealing.
Kansasfollowed up the hustle play with a huge single to left-center from slumping senior shortstop
"We needed somebody to get a clutch hit." Price said when talking about the fourth inning. "It was really disappointing."
With the jayhawks woes at the plate continuing to plague their season, the jayhawks' pitching
The jayhawks missed another big opportunity in the fourth inning with the game still scoreless. Junior designated hitter James
manfield successfully completed a bunt single with two outs to start a potential game-changing rally.
RITCH PRICE Coach
Brandon Macias. With runners on the corners, junior first baseman Zac Elgir grounded into an anticlimatic third out.
"We needed somebody to get a clutch hit. It was really disappointing."
needed to step up and take charge in Springfield.
Sophomore starting pitcher Thomas Taylor had three strong
innings for Kansas, holding the Bears scoreless through three before struggling in the fourth. Taylor's night ended after giving up three runs in the fourth.
"He made one really bad pitch.
He left the ball up and they clutched up for a two-run two-out single." Price said.
While things went poorly for the Jayhawks' big picture, their three senior hitters, that had been struggling early in the season, all had multi-hit games. Macias, Lytle and senior outfielder Jimmy Waters stepped up for the Jayhawks, something they had been lacking all season.
Waters, the team's top hitter last season, was two-for-three on the day, and improved his average to .230. Waters has steadily been improving since the start of
"I changed my base, it used to be real wide." Waters said. "We decided I needed to shorten up, keep my head in one place, and be able to see the ball better."
With the senior leaders beginning to pick up the pace, Price hopes the pick will follow.
conference play, and he credits his improvements to some mechanical changes in his swing.
"Hopefully those three seniors will keep swinging the bat, and take pressure off of the younger guys," Price said. "It's almost contagious; we just need somebody to get a clutch hit. Once we do that I think the second one and third one will follow."
Edited by Corey Thibodeaux
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I failed to mention the four NIT appearances by Kentucky and North Carolina over the last 10 years. For half of the student body at Kansas, the Jayhawks have been in the tournament every single year of their life. North Carolina and Kentucky have missed the tournament four times in the last 10 years.
term, upers are going to happen. Sorry, but it's the law of averages or something like that. In 2005, when Kansas was upset by Bucknell after winning 23 games and capturing the Big 12 Conference title, UCLA was an 11 seed. Do Kansas fans know what an 11 seed even looks like? That same year, Duke lost in the Sweet 16 as a one seed.
I hear about 2006 a lot as well. Another first round loss after winning 25 games and grabbing another Big 12 title, Duke, as a one seed once again, lost in the Sweet 16. Kentucky was an 8 seed that didn't survive the first weekend. Oh, and North Carolina was taken out by George Mason in the second round.
So as last Sunday's loss is replayed over and over again, this Saturday during the Final four games, remember that it has been far worse for your blue blooded friends at one time or another. Jayhawks, the country is shocked that you lost. Be worried when they are shocked that you won.
Then there were a couple years (2007 and 2008) when Kansas went to another Elite 8 and won some national title or something. In that stretch, Duke lost to VCU in the first round, Kentucky was an eight and 11 seed, and North Carolina fell in the Sweet 16 as a one seed.
Edited by Erin Wilbert