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Baseball beats Croatian national team

Jayhawks have out of the ordinary experience against international opponent

By Shawn Shroyer

Tuesday, September 4, 2007

It didn’t take long to realize that Kansas’ exhibition game with the Croatian national team wasn’t a typical Sunday evening game at Hoglund Ballpark.

If the Croatian national anthem and the mass of fans waving Croatian flags and beating Croatian thunder sticks didn’t give it away, Kansas junior Nick Faunce’s first at-bat did.

Faunce led off for the Jayhawks in the bottom of the first, but before he could step into the batter’s box, Croatian catcher Romeil Agladius shook his hand.

“He just shook my hand and said, ‘Nice to meet you and good luck,’ ” Faunce said. “It was kind of astounding because I wasn’t expecting that. Usually you go in expecting your opponent to be bitter towards you, somewhat. They were just so happy to be here.”

That moment set the tone for the evening as two teams from opposite sides of the Atlantic took the field with the final score as the last thing on their minds.

The Croatians were playing their final game before competing in the European Championship and Olympic Qualifier in Barcelona, Spain, later this week, while a new-look Kansas squad was getting its first live action of the fall season.

Throughout the week Kansas allowed Team Croatia to use its facilities and gave its visitors Jayhawks T-shirts before the game in exchange for Croatian flag pins. But the Jayhawks’ hospitality stretched only so far, as they coasted to an 8-0 victory that saw nine Jayhawk pitchers combine for a two-hit shutout.

“It was awesome. It made it feel like springtime again,” senior outfielder John Allman said.

Although the game was played with wooden bats, that did little to keep Kansas from putting up five runs in the first three innings. Allman drove in the first run of the game with a groundout in the first and finished the game 1-for-2 with two runs batted in, a run scored and a walk.

“We’ve been hitting with wood in the beginning of the fall here, so it wasn’t too bad of an adjustment,” Allman said. “But it does change the game a little bit. You’ve got to play a little bit more small ball.”

Junior catcher Buck Afenir and junior first baseman Justin Ellrich matched Allman’s RBI output with a two-run double each. Of the newcomers, freshman Jimmy Waters looked best at the plate, leading the Jayhawks with two hits and a run scored.

But it was the Kansas pitching staff that put on an impressive clinic.

Junior Nick Czyz got the start and threw the first leg of a no-hit bid that lasted 6 2/3 innings. A different Kansas pitcher took the mound each inning.

Sophomore Wally Marciel, senior Andres Esquibel, freshman Brett Bochy, sophomore Max Ellenbecker and sophomore Thomas Marcin pitched the next five innings, surrendering no hits and one walk while striking out four.

Not until senior Matt Lane had recorded two outs in the seventh did Team Croatia get its first hit, when shortstop Jason Popishil sent a low line drive to left field that found the grass before Allman could trap it.

“I was just trying to keep that no-hitter going, so I tried to dive and sell it to the umpire, but it didn’t work out,” Allman said.

Lane recovered, though, retiring the next batter. Senior Hiarali Garcia struck out the side in the eighth before junior Paul Smyth brought the game to a close, helping Bochy earn the victory.

After the game, there was nothing but the utmost respect expressed between Price and Croatian manager Krunoslav Karin. Karin thanked Price for giving his team the opportunity to better prepare for their upcoming tournament, while Price was honored to oblige.

“They were great, absolutely great,” Price said. “They were thrilled to be here, and they loved the University of Kansas and the facilities. The guys told me it was the highlight of their trip.

“I wished them good luck. I said, ‘Hey, I’d like to see you guys play in the Olympics. That’d be really fun. Take a part of us there with you.’ ”

— Edited by Tara Smith

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