KU baseball hopes to reprise Big 12 tourney success at MU

By Jeff Fedotin     Mar 30, 2007

The Border War baseball games between Kansas University and Missouri University have been laden with intensity, but the rivalry escalated when the teams met for a fourth time last year during the semifinals of the Big 12 Conference tournament.

KU scored on MU shortstop Gary Arndt’s error during the eighth inning to win, 4-3, and that victory paved the way for the following day’s conference championship victory.

“That was a huge game,” junior outfielder John Allman said. “But that was last year.”

Indeed, the Jayhawks defeated the Tigers three out of four times in 2006, but the tables seemingly have turned this season. Entering the three-day series, which starts at 6:30 tonight at Taylor/Phi Delta Theta Stadium, Missouri (ranked 25th in the Collegiate Baseball News poll) has a 20-7 record, while last year’s Big 12 champion Jayhawks have dropped to 15-15.

“Every season has its ups and downs,” Allman said. “We’re going through some growing pains.”

Series against ranked opponents including Arkansas, Wichita State, Texas A&M and Oklahoma State have not helped the Jayhawks’ cause. Teams also do not receive charity points for narrow defeats, and KU has lost five by one run.

“That’s how close we’ve been to being in the top 25,” KU coach Ritch Price said. “These series are decided by one pitch.”

Too often those pitches have resulted in home runs. Price showed his team a stat sheet, which revealed the Jayhawks have allowed 23 two- and three-run home runs.

Navigating opposing batters will not become any easier this weekend. Mizzou junior Evan Fray has a .337 batting average, and sophomore Ryan Lollis has a team-high 31 RBIs. Junior Brock Bond’s average has dipped to .293, but Price praised the infielder who led the team with a .338 average last season.

“I know his numbers aren’t as good this year, but all it takes is one weekend to get the ship righted,” Price said. “He’s a big, strong, physical power guy. He’s a guy we’ve got to be very, very careful with him, or one swing of the bat can change the complexion of the game and the entire series.”

But pitching – not hitting – is Missouri’s strength. Friday’s starter, Aaron Crow, has a 4-0 record and 2.15 earned-run average. Kansas recruited Crow heavily, but the Topeka Washburn Rural alumnus spurned the Jayhawks for their rivals.

“He’s an outstanding guy,” Price said. “He’s blossomed into the pitcher that we thought he’d be. As a sophomore, to be pitching on Friday night is a tribute to how far he’s come.”

The Jayhawks will counter with their own sophomore during the series opener. Nick Czyz has a 2-4 record and a 3.69 ERA and will try to capture KU’s 121st win during the series, which has spanned 312 games.

The KU players cannot wait for the 313th.

“Our players are really excited about going there to play,” Price said. “It’s one of those games you look forward to all year long. I have a lot of guys that are very tough young men in my dugout. I think we’ll rise to the level of the environment.”

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