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Baseball takes first Big 12 victory

Coach Ritch Price also increased his win record to 167 with Sunday’s victory.

By Alissa Bauer

Monday, April 30, 2007

It took less than five seasons for coach Ritch Price to move up on the Kansas baseball leader board.

Entering the weekend, former Kansas coach Bobby Randall reigned with the third-most Jayhawk victories at 166. With Sunday’s 9-4 victory in Norman, Okla., Price picked up number 167.

“I didn’t even know until yesterday,” Price said about when his sports information director informed him of his pending achievement. Without pausing, he said he then asked “So how many more do I need to be second? Because I know how many Floyd (Temple) has.”

In addition to his personal accomplishment, Price led the Jayhawks to their first Big 12 Conference series victory of the season. After a 8-0 blowout loss to Oklahoma (28-17, 8-10) on Friday, Kansas (22-26, 8-13) rebounded in a big way, winning back-to-back games and closing out the weekend.

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There’s no doubt about it. Having played six series and not being able to win one has been tough and then to come down here and take two-of-three on the road was big.

-coach Ritch Price

“There’s no doubt about it,” Price said about the series victory holding more importance. “Having played six series and not being able to win one has been tough and then to come down here and take two-of-three on the road was big.”

Starting pitchers Nich Conaway (4-3) and Wally Marciel opened the game in opposite directions. In the first three frames, Conaway flew through the Jayhawk lineup as Kansas went three up-three down in two of the first three innings, capped off by a four-pitch third.

Meanwhile, Marciel got hit hard from the leadoff man on. Center fielder Aaron Ivey led off the game with a single to center. The Sooners’ leadoff man destroyed the majority of the Jayhawks’ staff, collecting three hits in each contest.

Second baseman Aljay Davis followed his lead with a single of his own to center field. After facing just two batters, Marciel and the Jayhawks were down 1-0.

The freshman lefty struggled again in the Sooners next at bat, giving up three quick singles and another RBI in the bottom of the second. But while the Sooners were racking up hits, Marciel wasn’t quite as reticent to give up runs.

Oklahoma tallied six hits in the first two innings but left three on as Marciel coaxed double-play ground outs in the first and third innings. Although he held the Sooners at bay for the most part, his four-inning outing proved fairly stressful.

His offense eased the stress in top of the fourth.

Junior left fielder John Allman led off the inning with a single to left. Fellow junior Erik Morrison put him out at second base when he reached on a fielder’s choice. Morrison also left the bases quickly, but for a more Jayhawk-friendly reason.

With one on and one out, sophomore catcher Buck Afenir crushed a home run to left field, tying the game 2-2.

Afenir shifted a game looking to be dominated by a rolling Sooner offense and reset the momentum.

“It was huge,” Price said. “With one swing you tie the game.”

The run that Ivey scored in the bottom of the fifth after the Sooners loaded the bases before Marciel could record an out almost swung the momentum back in Oklahoma’s direction.

Almost.

Junior right-hander Andres Esquibel came in and shut down the Sooner threat to give his offense room to work. Taking full advantage, Kansas put up another three-spot in its half of the sixth.

“With the bases loaded, he gets out of it in the fifth,” Price said. “Then he gets the double plays in the sixth and seventh. He was absolutely fabulous. Wally did a nice job, too.”

The Esquibel who struggled in Friday’s game one in Norman, Okla., was nowhere to be found as he refused to let the Sooners creep closer. He threw into another set of double plays in the sixth and seventh before Kansas blew the game wide open.

Allman again led off with a hit in the seventh. This time it was a solo blast to deep center field, putting the Jayhawks up, 7-3. In the bottom of the seventh, the Jayhawk defense’s fourth double play of the afternoon, the most turned in a game under Price, put Kansas back at the plate to further extend its lead.

Senior center fielder Kyle Murphy was happy to do so. Down to the last out of the eighth, Murphy combined his power with the wind to tag his third and fourth RBI of the afternoon when he sent the long ball to left.

The 9-3 game was out of reach by the time the Sooners chalked one more up in the bottom of the ninth. Entering the weekend 19-4 at home, the Jayhawks not only stole the show at L. Dale Mitchell Park, but they’ve also pulled the glimmers of the Big 12 Tournament into a clearer focus.

“Now it puts us in position where we can control our own destiny,” Price said. “It won’t be easy, but at least we can control our own destiny.”

With no time to rest, Kansas will play host to Saint Mary at 6:30 p.m. tonight.

Kansan staff writer Alissa Bauer can be contacted at abauer@kansan.com.

— Edited by Carissa Pedigo

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