Friday, March 27, 2009
In a stadium that’s known to house around 7,000 fans at a time, Olsen Field, home to Texas A&M baseball, is a notable destination on the Jayhawks’ schedule every other year. And filled with so many Aggie fans, who are known as relentless hecklers, the stadium can become an intimidating destination. Nonetheless, coach Ritch Price is looking forward to when the Jayhawks (15-7, 3-0) face the No. 15 Aggies (15-9, 3-3) this weekend, starting this Friday at 6:35 p.m.
“Without question its my favorite place to play in America,” Price said. “It’ll be the best environment some of those kids will ever play in.”
Sophomore third baseman Tony Thompson hones in on a runner during the Jayhawks' March 25 7-4 victory against Western Illinois at Hogland Ballpark. The Jayhawks travel to College Station, Texas, to play Texas A&m this weekend.
And Price isn’t alone in his assessment. In 2004 Sports Illustrated ranked Olsen Field the best venue in college baseball. With so many fans filling the stadium (the largest recorded being 11,052 in 1999), the Kansas players know and expect to hear their far share of chants and heckling. It’s far from family-friendly setting of Hoglund Ballpark.
“You just embrace it, go in there and have fun,” junior second baseman Robby Price said of the sometimes-hostile environment. “During fly balls they (Aggie fans) scream. When it’s sold out you can’t really hear, but at the same time it’s fun.”
Junior shortstop David Narodowski will be playing at Olsen Field for the first time in his career. With Kansas in first place in the Big 12 for the first time since the early 1990s, Narodowski said he understands the importance of this series, and will be ready for the crowd. He said it was the biggest series of the season.
“Their fans are going to be heckling us, that’s what I’ve heard from the guys,” Narodowski said.
It will be even more fun for the Jayhawks if they surprise another Big 12 perennial power. Last weekend Kansas swept No. 1 Texas for the first time in school history. In the past, the Jayhawks have seen some success in College Station, Texas. Kansas took one game in each of the last two series at Olsen Field
“When I’ve taken my teams there in the past we have played very, very well,” Ritch Price said. “If you’re competitive, you have goose bumps during the national anthem.”
By that standard, Narodowski must be a competitive player.
“He (Price) said that we should be excited, they’ve sold out and there’s going to be 7,000 fans there,” Narodowski said. “I got goose bumps when he told me that. I’m so excited for that, I can’t wait to see 7,000 fans watching us.”
Robby Price said playing clean baseball will be the key. Over spring break against talented programs such as Arizona State and San Diego State, Kansas had five errors in four close losses. During the Texas sweep, Kansas only had one error in the three victories.
“We can’t beat ourselves, our pitching has to give us an opportunity, but most importantly we’ve got to catch the ball defensively,” Robby Price said. “The only games that got out of reach was when we were making two errors, three errors— setting the table for the big innings.”
— — Edited by Sonya English
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