Tuesday, March 27, 2007
Last season’s 43-25 record was the first 40-victory season for Kansas since 1994. In such an accomplishment, the Jayhawks’ 13 Big 12 Conference victories carried the most weight, but were only pieces of the 40-victory puzzle.
Kansas’ Big 12 performance continues to be the biggest facet in determining the success of the season, but is far from being the only one. Midweek games like tonight’s against Missouri State (13-9, 2-1 Missouri Valley) are becoming increasingly important as this season plays on.
“You’ve got to get those wins,” junior shortstop Erik Morrison said. “It’s all about getting that 40-win number and getting a shot at the NCAA tournament. And if you don’t win those midweek games, you’re not going to stand a chance with this conference we play in.”
The Jayhawks (15-14, 2-4 Big 12) have played five of the originally scheduled midweek games, winning only two of them. After the three-game series against North Dakota State was cancelled last month, coach Ritch Price picked up a pair of midweek games against NAIA opponents, Baker University and Tabor College.
Those games boosted Kansas to a 4-3 record in midweek contests, but will probably make no impact on the Jayhawks’ chances of making the NCAA tournament.
Tonight, however, has plenty of impact potential.
Kansas and Missouri State will square off for the first of two meetings this season tonight at 7 in Hammons Field in Springfield, Mo. The home of both the Missouri State Bears and St. Louis Cardinals’ AA affiliate, the Springfield Cardinals, provides an intense atmosphere for the storied match-up — despite the distance.
“The part that’s hard about this week is — the fact that it’s Missouri State and we get to go play in a AA park is absolutely phenomenal — but it’s a five-hour ride down there and a five-hour ride back,” Price said. “We’ll get home at 3 o’clock in the morning and go to Missouri on Friday, but that’s part of the college baseball experience. You have to play those midweek games in order to handle velocity.”
Price, whose club is 19-22 all-time against the Bears, has been pleased with the challenges this season’s midweek opponents have provided. He mentioned his satisfaction when the University of Northern Colorado sent pitchers to the mound who threw 88 to 90 mph last Wednesday.
Finishing second in the Missouri Valley Conference last season is more than enough reason to assume the Bears will present even more challenges.
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It’s all about getting that 40-win number and getting a shot at the NCAA tournament.
-junior shortstop Erik Morrison
Last season’s first team All-Missouri Valley outfielder Nolan Keane is once again driving the offense with a .325 average and 13 RBI, but is only the start of a highly talented Missouri State lineup. First baseman Ben Carlson is hitting .385 and has notched four home runs, leading his team in both categories at this point in his rookie season.
Although the Bears are hitting just .275 as a team and have a staff ERA of 4.23, they’re finding ways to win. The Bears have won five of their last six, including a 2-1 series victory against the University of Northern Iowa Panthers in their conference opener last weekend.
Kansas has won just two of its last five and is in need of a solid game in Springfield to kick start a run in the Big 12. Morrison and fellow junior John Allman will likely lead the way. Allman was one of just two Jayhawks to have a hit in each game of last weekend’s Oklahoma State series. The left fielder was also one of two Kansas batters to have a multi-hit game in the series.
Although Morrison had a fairly quiet weekend against the Cowboys, he homered in the series finale and continues to lead the offense in both home runs (5) and RBI (26). Where Morrison brings strong numbers for tonight’s contest, he brings an even stronger mindset.
“That’s kind of a struggle for this team right now is the midweek games,” Morrison said. “It seems like we don’t come out with as much energy and that we kind of play down to the opponent. Those are important games.”
Kansan senior sportswriter Alissa Bauer can be contacted abauer@kansan.com.
— Edited by Joe Caponio
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