Kansas University baseball players will keep their ears alert for scores from Lubbock, Texas, and Columbia, Mo., this weekend.
With three games to go in the Big 12 Conference regular season, three teams — Kansas, Oklahoma and Texas Tech — are fighting for the two remaining berths for next week’s league tournament in Oklahoma City. OU is at Missouri, Texas Tech is playing host to Oklahoma State and KU is playing Kansas State.
The KU-KSU series will open at 7 tonight in Manhattan and conclude with games at 7 p.m. Saturday and 4 p.m. Sunday at Hoglund Ballpark.
“I think our players completely understand what’s at stake this weekend,” KU coach Ritch Price said.
What’s at stake is KU’s first appearance in the league tourney. Only the top eight teams in the regular-season standings advance, and KU is the only school that never has made it since the league’s inception in 1997.
Oklahoma is in seventh place with a 9-15 Big 12 mark. Kansas is eighth at 8-16 and Texas Tech is a half-game back at 7-16. The Red Raiders had a game with Missouri canceled due to weather. Therefore, winning percentage will take precedence over record. If Texas Tech and KU wind up with the same number of Big 12 wins, Tech would get the nod for having one fewer loss.
However, if Kansas matches Tech win for win this weekend, KU will have the edge for having one more victory. In addition, the Jayhawks hold the tie-breaker over both Texas Tech and Oklahoma, having won two of three from both schools earlier in the season.
Confused? You’re not alone. That’s why Price has told his players just to go out and play.
“If we don’t get caught up in what’s a stake, I think we’ll be fine,” the KU coach said.
The Jayhawks (34-24 overall) have lost five straight conference games, but Price takes comfort knowing three went into extra innings — two to No. 12-ranked Texas A&M and one to No. 5 Texas.
“I like the way we’re playing,” Price said. “We’ve played as well as we’ve played all year.”
K-State (13-26 overall, 3-21 Big 12) is doomed to the league cellar and Mike Clark, the Wildcats’ coach since 1987, has resigned effective at the end of the season.
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