Kansas beats up on Missouri Valley College

Wednesday, March 11, 2009

It may have been a warmup game — a tuneup before Wichita State tonight — but don’t tell that to Kansas, especially freshman outfielder Jason Brunansky.

Brunansky’s first career home run highlighted a 10-3 Kansas victory against Missouri Valley College Tuesday afternoon at Hoglund Ballpark.

“I’m more of a line-drive hitter,” Brunansky said. “Home runs are accidents.”

Brunansky barely snuck his home run over the right-center fence. He admitted that he didn’t think the ball was going to make it.

“I was hauling the entire way,” Brunansky said. “I rounded first base thinking double, triple, but I saw him stop running.”

It was a pleasant accident to say the least for the Jayhawks. In what could have been an overlooked makeup game against a lesser opponent, Kansas came out with three runs in the bottom of the first inning to take away any hints of a lack of focus.

“We’re pretty much kept on alert everyday,” Brunansky said. “To come out and play today was a better alternative to practice.”

The game — scheduled because of rain outs over the weekend — was an opportunity for coach Ritch Price to rest his regulars and give his younger players some at bats and log innings. Price was especially pleased with the way Brunansky battled back after his first few at-bats of the game to hit a home run.

“I really like him,” Price said. “He’s got tremendous tools. For a little guy, he’s got surprising power.”

Normally a relief pitcher, junior Brett Bollman started the game for Kansas, his second appearance of the season and the first start of his career. In three innings of work Bollman gave up one run on one hit, a home run, while striking out three. He said he didn’t have to change his preparation drastically to adjust to a new role.

“I warmed up and everything like it was out of the pen than a start,” Bollman said. “I didn’t really do the whole starting stretch or that stuff.”

The only regular starter to start Tuesday was shortstop David Narodowski. He responded with a 3-for-3 effort, including a double and three runs scored. Narodowski wasn’t originally slated to play, but with junior second baseman Robby Price sidelined for the afternoon, Ritch Price had no alternative. Price said he thought the game would give Narodowski a boost at the plate as Kansas begins playing against better competition.

“I actually think it was good for his confidence,” Ritch Price said. “He got his three knocks and pulled his average to .300.”

Reserves see action

Eight of the nine starters for Kansas hadn’t played in more than eight games. The one exception was shortstop David Narodowski, who has started all 11 contests for the Jayhawks.

Coach Ritch Price said regular second baseman Robby Price, who doubles as the backup shortstop, was hurt otherwise Narodowski wouldn’t have played.

— — Edited by Andrew Wiebe

Jayhawks defeat Bears 15-6

Kansas coach attributes offensive explosion to good at-bats against Northern Colorado pitching.

/news/2009/apr/02/baseball/

Bollman wins fifth as Kansas takes two

Junior’s pitching helps Hawks collect second doubleheader sweep in three days against ...

/news/2009/apr/29/kansas_takes_two/

/weblogs/first_pitch/2009/mar/08/nw_game_3/

Jayhawks lay 14 runs on Western Illinois

Tuesday’s game pulled the Jayhawks out of a string of one-run games.

/news/2009/mar/25/western_illinois/

Kansas baseball won’t overlook Western Illinois

Coach Ritch Price wants to give freshmen players more time on the ...

/news/2009/mar/24/baseball_western/

/weblogs/first_pitch/2009/apr/01/northern_colorado_2/

Defense will make or break Big 12 ...

Both the team and its defense are ranked 4th in the conference.

/news/2009/apr/17/defense/

Middle infield sparks Kansas victory

Jayhawks use double plays to squash Leathernecks’ rallies.

/news/2009/mar/26/middle_infield/

Big 12 baseball season looks bright

Weather can't stop the start of the Jayhawks' new season.

/news/2010/feb/18/future-looks-bright/

Kansas wins 7-6 in extra innings

No. 24 Jayhawks get first victory at home of College World Series.

/news/2009/apr/15/kansas_wins_76/

Hawks show ability to win in Omaha

Tuesday’s victory against Creighton moves Kansas closer to returning to Rosenblatt for ...

/news/2009/apr/15/win_omaha/

Even baseball’s bigger in Texas

Jayhawks prepare to play in Olsen Field this weekend.

/news/2009/mar/27/baseball/

Shortstop powers offensive barrage

Junior transfer David Narodowski hit 2-for-2 with two home runs in an ...

/news/2009/apr/22/shortstop_powers_offensive_barrage/

/weblogs/full_monty/2009/may/17/barely_a_live/

/weblogs/first_pitch/2009/apr/03/baylor/

Kansas wins 3 of 4 in series ...

Solid pitching and timely hitting helps Kansas win the series.

/news/2010/mar/07/kansas-wins-3-4-series-against-iowa/

Victory over Missouri State is #400 for ...

Coach Price brought home his 400th victory after the Kansas baseball team ...

/news/2008/mar/13/baseball/

Jayhawks’ camaraderie helps win games

The bond between baseball players creates an energy that propels Kansas to ...

/news/2009/apr/28/camaraderie/

Jayhawks hold off Sooners in see-saw battle

Kansas scored a team record of 39 runs in the weekend series ...

/news/2008/may/05/baseball/

Land’s home run sends Hawks past Tigers

Baseball comes back from early deficit to defeat Missouri 7-3 at Kauffman ...

/news/2009/apr/22/lands_home_run_sends_hawks_past_tigers/

Tricky Infielders lead Kansas to victory

A bizzare play in the 10th inning led Kansas to a series-opening ...

/news/2008/mar/08/tricky_infielders_lead_kansas_victory/

Infield strength bolstered by transfer

Second baseman Narodowski is settling in and looking forward to baseball season.

/news/2009/feb/18/infield_strength/

Kansas snaps six-game losing streak

A solid all-around performance propelled the Jayhawks to a 9-5 victory against ...

/news/2008/apr/12/kansas_snaps_sixgame_losing_streak/

Kansas baseball falls short in Regionals

The Jayhawks lost to North Carolina in the Regional finals.

/news/2009/jun/08/baseball/

Jayhawks gain victory despite shaky pitching

Kansas exchanges the lead with Trojans four times before the dramatic ninth ...

/news/2010/mar/31/jayhawks-gain-victory-despite-shaky-pitching/

/weblogs/first_pitch/2009/apr/04/baylor_2/

Jayhawks win two of three in season ...

Kansas competes in close contest with Baylor and goes 14 innings in ...

/news/2010/mar/29/jayhawks-win-two-three-season-opener/

Baseball wins two of three in season ...

Kansas competes in close contest with Baylor and goes 14 innings in ...

/news/2010/mar/29/baseball-wins-two-three-season-opener/

/weblogs/first_pitch/2009/mar/25/leathernecks_2/

First-inning home runs carry Hawks

Robby Price and Casey Lytle both hit two-run home runs as Kansas ...

/news/2009/may/02/firstinning_home_runs_carry_hawks/

Baseball team takes two of three from ...

Kansas has won four of its last five games against No. 1 ...

/news/2010/mar/14/baseball-team-takes-two-three-no-1-lsu/

Jayhawks hope to regain swagger

Baseball team hopes a victory over Northern Colorado will get them back ...

/news/2009/mar/31/jayhawks_hope/

Texas' pitching tops Kansas

The Jayhawks fell behind the Longhorns Sunday with a 4-10 loss.

/news/2010/apr/12/texas-pitching-tops-kansas/

/weblogs/first_pitch/2009/mar/11/wsu/

New faces to fill old places

/news/2006/jun/21/new_faces_fill_old_places/

Inexperience on bench having some luck this ...

Pitcher Hiarali, who has been called from the bullpen for the past ...

/news/2008/mar/11/inexperience_bench/

/weblogs/first_pitch/2009/mar/22/texas/

Foes and friends, Kansas seniors have shared ...

Kansan baseball players Erik Morrison and Ryne Price have a long history ...

/news/2008/may/06/foes_and_friends_kansas_seniors_have_grown_sharing/

/weblogs/first_pitch/2009/mar/13/extrainnings/

Kansas dominates rival Wichita State

Baseball team fires on all cylinders in chilly 8-0 victory over in-state ...

/news/2009/mar/12/kansas_dominates_wichita/

Use the comment form below to begin a discussion about this content.

Sign in to comment

Or login with:

OpenID