Jayhawks continue brutal schedule at A&M

By Jason Elmquist     Mar 16, 2007

In the last seven days the Kansas University baseball squad has faced No. 11 Arkansas in Fayetteville, Ark., and No. 20 Wichita State at home.

Now it will have to open the Big 12 Conference on the road, against No. 8 Texas A&M, a team coming off a three-game sweep of Florida – that just two years ago played for the national title at the College World Series.

“And next week we get Oklahoma State, and they’re the favorites, with Texas, to win the league,” Kansas coach Ritch Price said. “I don’t think we could have gotten a tougher draw in the opening weekend than what we got. Texas A&M may be playing as good as anybody in the country, and we’re going to have to go in there and find a way to win a game.”

A year ago, the Jayhawks swept the Aggies in a three-game series at Hoglund Ballpark. KU is without a lot of the proven veterans from that squad.

“Basically, we’re talking about two different teams. We’re rebuilding with a lot of young guys playing, and last year we were a senior-dominated team that was prepared to play at that point in time in the season,” Price said. “If we can stay in the hunt by April, we’ll be fine.”

The probable starting pitchers for tonight are KU’s Nick Czyz (2-2) and A&M’s David Newmann (3-0). Price will insert TCU-transfer Zach Ashwood (2-2) into the Saturday night game – instead of his normal Friday night slot – to face Aggies’ right-handed sophomore Kyle Thebeau (2-0).

“The reason we made the switch was to try to protect our bullpen. Czyz has been solid, and (Andy) Mark has been solid,” Price said. “Ashwood has been good, and then he had a bad inning, and if you don’t get into the sixth or seventh inning on Friday night it destroys your bullpen for the weekend. We feel this gives us the best chance to protect our bullpen and to try to find a way to win the series. At the end of the weekend, we’ll sit down and evaluate if we need to make a change with any one of those people in the rotation.”

While Texas A&M’s Sunday starter has yet to be determined, Kansas will complete the series with Marks (3-2).

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