Friday, April 27, 2007
While Kansas sat in the rain waiting to start play against border rival Missouri on Wednesday, Oklahoma was watching it pour for the second consecutive night in Texas before its scheduled game against Texas Arlington.
The fact that both games were eventually called off could prove quite beneficial for the Jayhawks, (20-25, 6-12 Big 12 Conference) who enter this weekend’s series against the Sooners (27-15, 7-8) needing a series victory.
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Kansas isn’t nearly that hot this time around, but the team refuses to stay down. They’ve gone 1-4 in their last five games, but still earned a victory against Texas Tech in their last game, avoiding the series sweep. Despite 12 conference losses and holding down the last place spot, the Jayhawks have not been swept in a Big 12 series this year.
With neither team playing since last weekend, Kansas won’t be denied the upper hand by canceling its second midweek game in three weeks.
“It makes it tough,” Price said about continuously missing midweek contests. “One of the things that happens in midweek games is keeping your batters up with velocity. You play those midweek games to stay weekend-ready.”
Price noticed that on Friday nights after his team didn’t play, his guys had trouble at the plate in the opening game of the series.
The Jayhawks are hoping cancelations have the same effect on Oklahoma.
Though they’ve won just two of their last five, the Sooners took the series victory from Kansas State last weekend. After dropping the first game to the Wildcats, the Sooners scored 32 runs, taking the series.
The last time Kansas took on Oklahoma, the Jayhawks rolled over them, 7-2, during their tear through the Big 12 Tournament in Oklahoma City last May.
Kansas isn’t nearly that hot this time around, but the team refuses to stay down. They’ve gone 1-4 in their last five games, but still earned a victory against Texas Tech in their last game, avoiding the series sweep. Despite 12 conference losses and holding down the last place spot, the Jayhawks have not been swept in a Big 12 series this year.
“They’ve done a really nice job,” Price said of his guys staying level headed during the rough stretch. “That shows their maturity. You recognize that you have to play 27 games, all nine weekends. We’re sitting at the bottom of the Big 12 standings looking up at literally two to two-and-a-half games separate us from last to fifth place.”
Price has a point. Entering this weekend’s series, Oklahoma sits in fifth place in the Big 12 with seven conference victories. Kansas sits in last with six.
Nevertheless, Kansas needs to win now. Senior center fielder Kyle Murphy will be a likely candidate in making that happen. Murphy led the offensive effort in his team’s last time out on Sunday, going 3-for-5 in the 8-1 routing of Texas Tech. Murphy is second on the team with a .315 average on a team hitting just .278.
Oklahoma, on the other hand, continues to keep the bats hot despite the four game losing streak that was snapped in Manhattan last weekend.
Shortstop Aaron Reza leads the team, hitting .341. His 3-for-6 Sunday performance included a solo shot. Right fielder Joe Dunigan also tagged one on Sunday for his team-leading eighth homer of the season. He barely trails Reza, hitting .340.
Kansas will again start freshman lefty Wally Marciel this weekend. However, he will replace junior Zach Ashwood and sophomore southpaw Nick Czyz will return to a rotation that Price said is giving them more chances to win.
“Our first four weeks we swung the bats really well, but we didn’t pitch that well,” Price said. “Now we’re getting the pitching.”
Both will be on display in Norman, Okla., at 7 p.m.
Kansan sportswriter Alissa Bauer can be contacted at abauer@kansan.com.
—Edited by Lisa Tilson
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