Tuesday, March 11, 2008
Kansas used 10 players off its bench and six pitchers out of its bullpen during its weekend series with North Dakota State.
Today also, the Jayhawks (8-5) may make at least six calls to the bullpen and most of those 10 substitutes could see significant playing time against the Tabor Bluejays (5-11). When playing NAIA foes, Kansas coach Ritch Price prefers to let his bench players see some action.
Junior Preston Land slides into third base safely after Ryne Price's single to right field. Kansas defeated North Dakota State University 4-3 in extra innings after Price drove in the winning run.
While plenty of underclassmen should be able see the field for Kansas, Price will turn to senior right-hander Hiarali Garcia to start the game. In four appearances out of the bullpen this season, Garcia has allowed just one unearned run on four hits with one strikeout.
But Garcia’s outing should last only a couple innings before Price hands the ball to others in his bullpen.
Price may also start most of his regular starters in the field. Although the Jayhawks have scored 62 runs during their six-game winning streak, Price would still like to see his offense improve on driving runners in when they get into scoring position. In three games against North Dakota State, Kansas left a total of 27 runners on base.
But Price is encouraged that the cogs in his lineup are all starting to hit more consistently. Entering last week, senior left fielder John Allman, who led Kansas in hitting last season, is hitting .172, senior shortstop Erik Morrison, known as “E-Mo,” is hitting .242 and sophomore second baseman Robby Price is hitting .200. Heading into today’s game, the palyers are up to .300, .292, and .244, respectively.
“Allman got his average up to .300 and I think he was under the Mendoza Line when the week started,” Price said. “On top of that, E-Mo broke out in the second game and Robby got four hits in the doubleheader, so the three guys who’ve been struggling a little bit have got it going.”
The offense also received a boost over the weekend with the return of junior catcher Buck Afenir. He was one of Kansas’ top hitters before missing four games with a pulled hamstring he suffered legging out a triple against Vanderbilt in the Music City Classic.
But Sunday, in his first at-bat since the injury, he announced his presence with authority, hitting a home run deep to left-center field. By the end of the weekend, Afenir had raised his average from .389 to a team-best .409 and his slugging percentage from .560 to a team-leading .727.
With Kansas’ first Big 12 series coming up this weekend with No. 19 Texas, the Jayhawks’ biggest challenge may be trying not to overlook Tabor today and Missouri State Wednesday. However, if the Jayhawks can remain focused on improving their weaknesses in the next two games, they’ll roll into Austin with a full head of steam.
“It’s always harder to keep your focus with the lower level teams I guess, but Missouri State’s pretty good,” Afenir said. “I think we’ll get up for that game. We always give them a game and they always give us a game.”
— Edited by Matt Hirschfeld
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