Friday, March 7, 2008
It wasn’t pretty as Kansas got off to a 2-5 start. However, the Jayhawks now find themselves in prime position to reach 11-5 before Big 12 play begins.
But before Kansas (5-5) can worry about its series with No. 16 Texas, March 14 to 16, it has to get through its four-game series with North Dakota State (0-3) this weekend unscathed.
“We have to get it going on all cylinders,” Kansas coach Ritch Price said. “We’ve got to play good defense, we’ve got to pitch good and then we’ve got to have better at-bats each and every day of the weekend, so that when we get to Texas we’ll be game-ready to play.”
Second baseman, Robby Price drops the ball after completing a forced out on second Wednesday afternoon against the Le Moyne dolphins. The Jayhawk victory came with the help of Price driving in seven of the 13 runs against Le Moyne's two runs. KU will play North Dakota State today at 3 p.m. at Hoglund Ballpark.
Kansas is coming off a 13-2 victory against Le Moyne College Wednesday. The game was one of 15 road games the Dolphins will have played before their first home game, but that’s nothing compared to the schedule facing the Bison of North Dakota State.
While most college baseball teams were playing since Feb. 22, North Dakota State didn’t play its first game until Tuesday at Oklahoma, losing 15-3. The two schools played a doubleheader Wednesday, which went no better for the visitors. The Bison were run-ruled 13-0 the first game and dropped the midweek finale, 9-3.
Outfielder Kole Zimmerman managed to bat .500 in the three games while catcher Gavin Hofer hit .750 in two starts, but the rest of the team combined to hit .118.
As for the Jayhawks, their early season hitting blunders appear to be behind them.
After averaging just over four runs a game in its first seven, Kansas scored 34 runs its last three games. Embodying Kansas’ change in offensive fortune Wednesday were senior outfielders Ryne Price and John Allman.
Price and Allman entered Wednesday batting .188 and .172, respectively. The two finished the game a combined 5-for-7 with two home runs, a triple, five runs and nine RBI. Allman’s long ball was his first of the season while Price’s was his second – and of the grand slam variety to boot.
However, the Kansas offense may still be without slugging junior catcher Buck Afenir. Afenir tweaked his hamstring Feb. 29 legging out a triple and hasn’t played since. Price has filled in behind the plate in Afenir’s absence.
“He’s gotten better each week that he’s been back there,” coach Price said of Ryne’s play at catcher.
But even though there’s been very little drop-off, if any, defensively with Price at catcher, coach Price would still like to have Afenir back in the lineup for what he provides offensively.
In five starts, Afenir is hitting .389 and has a .611 slugging percentage.
“It gives us a chance to put our best offensive team on the field,” coach Price said.
Regardless of who’s behind the plate, Kansas’ weekend rotation is starting to congeal.
Sophomore left-hander Shaeffer Hall (1-0), who pitched last Saturday, is slated to pitch game one today at 3 p.m. Junior left-hander Nick Czyz (0-2), who pitched Feb. 29, will pitch the first game of Saturday’s doubleheader at noon.
breakbox
North Dakota State’s Projected Starting Pitchers Friday: RHP Chad Berg (NR) Saturday: RHP Matt Bowar (NR) LHP Jake Laber (0-1) - 7.94 ERA, 5.2 IP, 11 H, 9 R, 5 ER, 1 BB, 1 SO Sunday: TBA
For the second game of the doubleheader, senior right-hander Andres Esquibel (0-0) returns to the rotation for the extended series. After starting in Kansas’ fourth game of the season, Esquibel’s last two appearances have been out of the bullpen.
“He’s the only guy on our team that we can use as a starter and as a reliever,” Price said. “You can set him up, you can close him and you can pitch him multiple innings. He’s the most valuable guy on our staff.”
Once again, coach Price will have junior left-hander Sam Freeman (2-0) anchor his weekend rotation Sunday at 1 p.m. In two starts, Freeman is unbeaten with a 4.09 ERA and seven strikeouts to two walks.
Now that the Jayhawks are back to .500, their goal is to carry that momentum with them through the weekend and see where it takes them with the Longhorns looming in the distance.
—Edited by Samuel Lamb
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