Friday, April 24, 2009
It’s something the Jayhawks haven’t done well all season. If sophomore third baseman Tony Thompson and senior catcher Buck Afenir don’t produce, the Jayhawks lose. Simple as that — most of the time.
That theory was put to the test Wednesday night against Missouri. Under the bright lights of Kauffman Stadium, Thompson and Afenir combined to go 1-for-7 with one RBI. That lone RBI came off Afenir’s first-inning double. It’s something coach Ritch Price liked, not the fact that Thompson and Afenir struggled, but that their teammates bailed them out.
Junior pitcher David Narodowski rounds towards third base and home plate after a fellow Jayhawk hits a home run during the team's April 21 game against Baker University.
“We won tonight without any help from Afenir and Thompson and that hasn’t happened in a while,” Price said. “The only way we’re going to be a really good club is if we’re solid all the way through our lineup.”
Thompson and Afenir, who hit fourth and fifth in the lineup, have combined for 92 of the Jayhawks 266 RBIs, 35 percent of the team’s total RBIs. It’s a four-five combination that had put the Jayhawks on their back throughout the season until Wednesday night’s game. The dynamic duo has also combined for 17 of Kansas’ 31 home runs, well more than half.
But Price doesn’t want to discount the rest of his team. Price said Wednesday showed that winning without the contribution of Thompson and Afenir proved the talent level of this year’s team.
“I think it shows that we got good players,” Price said. “We’ve got really good players at the top of the lineup. The first three guys are really special, and now we’re starting to get some contribution from the bottom end of the lineup.”
Afenir said it was a great feeling to have teammates pick up the slack when his game wasn’t at his best. In the bottom of the third, with the Jayhawks clinging to a 1-0 lead, Afenir was up to the plate with the bases loaded and one out. Afenir made an awkward swing and grounded into a double play to end the inning.
After that plate performance, watching players like senior first baseman Preston Land come up with big hits gave Afenir some relief and excitement.
“It was kind of a frustrating day for me and Tony,” Afenir said. “But it’s good to see other guys come through and clutch up.”
Kansas (27-14, 8-7) will need to see complete production heading into this weekend’s series against Nebraska (18-21-1, 4-14) starting tonight at 6 p.m. It’s been a down year for the Cornhuskers, traditionally a dominant program, now last in the Big 12.
Price has seen enough of Nebraska in the past to know to not count them dead in the water yet.
breakbox
KANSAS VS. NEBRASKA
WHERE: Hoglund Ballpark RADIO: KLWN (1320 AM)
Today Game 1: 6 p.m.
Saturday Game 2: 6 p.m.
Sunday Game 3: 1 p.m.
“Those guys aren’t going to quit,” Price said. “I guarantee with what’s happening up there right now their coaches are frustrated and their players are frustrated and their looking for a way to redeem themselves and we just got to make sure it doesn’t happen this weekend.”
And if Kansas can continue to win games when their key players aren’t at their best, Afenir said to watch out for the Jayhawks coming down the stretch.
“You know if we get the bottom of the order going and getting those RBIs then we’re going to be pretty dangerous, one through nine,” Afenir said.
— — Edited by Sam Speer
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