Cowboys’ offense too much for Jayhawks
Pitching ineffective as Kansas loses 8-3
The Kansas baseball team's fourth-straight loss sent them to the bottom of the Big 12.
By Shawn Shroyer (Contact)
Monday, April 28th, 2008
Kansas’ struggles on Sunday were no different than its shortcomings all weekend against No. 13 Oklahoma State. For the third straight game, the Jayhawks led the Cowboys — twice on Sunday — only to hand Oklahoma State a victory.
Just as feared entering the series, the Oklahoma State (32-11, 14-7) offense was just too much for the Kansas pitching staff to handle. With the 8-3 loss in Stillwater Sunday, Kansas (25-22, 5-13) solidified its place at the bottom of the Big 12 standings. Kansas is now 2-10 on the road in conference play this season.
“I’ve got to give them great credit,” Kansas coach Ritch Price said. “That’s as good as anybody’s played against us all year. They’re playing at a really high level.”
For the second straight Sunday, Kansas turned to freshman right-hander T.J. Walz to be its savior from the sweep, but the task was too great for Walz this time around.
Kansas senior center fielder Casey Larson led the game off by taking Oklahoma State right-hander Matt Gardner deep to right field and gave Walz a 1-0 lead to work with. However, Walz let the lead evaporate nearly as quickly as it was earned.
Walz began by walking Oklahoma State’s leadoff man, Donnie Webb, on five pitches. Then Walz committed an error trying to pick Webb off, advancing Webb to second. All Oklahoma State needed was a single by Dean Green to knock Webb in and tie the score.
The trend continued the next inning as Walz allowed Oklahoma State’s leadoff man, Thomas Belza, to reach. Belza advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt before scoring on a single from Jordy Mercer to put the Cowboys on top, 2-1.
Walz’s outing ended prematurely in the fourth. After allowing Oklahoma State’s leadoff man to reach for the fourth straight inning he was relieved by junior right-hander Paul Smyth (3-4), who retired the next three batters.
“He wasn’t sharp,” Price said of Walz. “He just couldn’t get ahead in the count or locate his fastball, which didn’t allow him to go to his breaking ball.”
That pitching change temporarily altered the momentum of the game in the Jayhawks’ favor.
In the top of the fifth, freshman third baseman Tony Thompson reached with a one-out single and was followed by a single from Larson. Gardner then loaded the bases for senior left fielder John Allman, walking sophomore second baseman Robby Price. Allman came through, driving in Thompson and Larson with a single to left field and putting Kansas ahead, 3-2.
Gardner was promptly pulled from the game to prevent any more damage with the heart of the Kansas order coming up. Right-hander Robbie Weinhardt (4-0) entered for Gardner and reversed the momentum of the game back in Oklahoma State’s direction, getting out of the inning.
After pitching a perfect fifth inning — the only inning Oklahoma State’s leadoff man didn’t reach base — Smyth coughed up a leadoff home run in the sixth to Neil Medchill that tied the game, 3-3.
Further disaster ensued when, after back-to-back singles, Tyrone Hambly tripled, giving the Cowboys a two-run lead. Hambly scored when Kansas couldn’t turn a double play that would have ended the inning, increasing Oklahoma State’s lead, 6-3.
“At that point in time, you’re trying to put zeroes up, so you can get a chance to see if you can add to your lead,” Price said. “Giving up a four-spot in that inning buried us.”
The Cowboys tacked on a run in both the seventh and eighth for good measure.
Of the schools Kansas is battling for one of the two final spots to qualify for the Big 12 Championship — Kansas State, Oklahoma and Texas Tech — the Jayhawks were the only team to get swept this weekend. They fell from an eighth-place tie to 10th place, all by their lonesome.
“One of the things I shared with my team was, in order to make the Big 12 tournament, we’re going to have to win the K-State series and we’re going to have to win the Oklahoma series,” Price said. “Even though we lost some ground this weekend, which was not good, the big thing is we still have to win those two series just the make the thing, anyway.”
— Edited by Daniel Reyes
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