_A year ago, the KU baseball team threw the Big 12 Conference one big curve – the Jayhawks crashed the party in Oklahoma City and won the league tournament for the first time.__A year later, they’re needing a big weekend just to have the chance to defend their crown. By winning this weekend’s home finale series with Nebraska, plus possibly a bit of help, Ritch Price’s crew could extend its season at least another week.__During the weekend, KUSports.com editor Ryan Greene will take [The Greene Room][1] across campus to Hoglund Ballpark, bringing you a live blog following the entire three-game swing – both on and off the field._**_9:40 p.m., Saturday, 11-9 Nebraska, Final_** KU again threatened in the ninth, but Nebraska’s Jake Opitz sparked an incredible double-play to break the Jayhawks’ spirits with a runner on first. He stretched on a dive towards second, flipped it from his glove to second, and the throw to first gunned down Brock Simpson.Coupled with that, any shot KU had at a berth in the BIg 12 Tournament went out the window with Baylor outlasting K-State in a marathon down in Waco, 13-7. The ‘Cats loaded the bases in the ninth with nobody out, but Baylor came back to strike out the side.**_8:59 p.m., Saturday, 10-8 Nebraska, top eighth_** KU fought back with three runs in the bottom of the sixth and two more in the bottom of the seventh…but it could have been more.The Jayhawks had the bases loaded with two outs in the bottom of the seventh, with Preston Land at the plate. On a wild pitch, Buck Afenir took off for home, but the ball bounced sharply back towards the pitcher off of Hoglund’s brick wall behind home. Afenir was caught in a rundown, but slid beneath a tag at third, escaping danger, and then scored moments later when Land walked. But Casey Larson struck out subsequently, stopping the bleeding for Nebraska heading into the final two innings.More bad news for KU: Baylor leads K-State 11-7 in the seventh.Also, fans tonight at The Hog are a little behind on foul-ball-catching techniques…you know, the whole part about either moving out of the way or catching it? They’re doing neither…and getting pelted.**_8:00 p.m., Saturday, 8-3 Nebraska, top sixth_** Nebraska coach Mike Anderson might need to rest the vocal chords tonight at the hotel. He’s had more than his share of words for home plate ump Matthew Johnson. First it came in the top of the fourth, when what would have been the Huskers’ third run was called out on a throw from Kyle Murphy in center field.Then, on a cut-off throw from shallow leftfield, Brock Simpson was beat home by the throw by a good couple of steps, but Johnson said he slid under the tag at home.Nebraska got the message, though, that this series is serious business. The Huskers put up a five-spot in the top of the fifth, making it 7-3, and Johnny Dorn found himself a comfy niche, retiring the Jayhawks in the bottom of the fifth.**_Two things worth noting:_****1)** KU junior John Allman made without question a defensive play that would make ESPN’s Baseball Tonight Web Gems. On a deep fly towards left field, he leapt up towards the wooden wall along the foul line, made a grab, and then flipped over it into the bullpen. He rose up, threw the ball back in, and collapsed again. Try and convince anyone in attendance that he doesn’t want to go back to Oklahoma City (though that fifth inning certainly didn’t help).**2)** The KU crew in the press box truly continues to out-do itself. Yesterday it was a poignant serenading over the PA system during starting pitcher Tony Watson’s exit in the second inning. Today, it was a tribute to the grounds crew raking the infield after the fifth, playing a popular beer commercial tune titled “Mr. Major League infield raker.” Great job on the swirly designs, guys.In Waco, by the way, Baylor leads K-State 6-4. A KU loss and Baylor win would pretty much make tomorrow moot.**_6:26 p.m., Saturday, 1-0 KU, top second_** The pressure turned up yet again on KU before the game even started, with Oklahoma eeking out an 8-7, 10-inning win over Texas Tech, meaning KU now more than likely needs to sweep Nebraska to get into the Big 12 Tournament.Nick Czyz got KU off to the right start, going 1-2-3 in the top of the first, despite two deep flies to right. Leadoff man Kyle Murphy took the first pitch from Nebraska’s Johnny Dorn deep to left-center for a double, and scored two batters later on a sacrifice fly by John Allman.**_Friday, 10:20 p.m., KU wins 10-5_**Paul Smyth definitely made it interesting in the ninth, loading the bases with just one out. But a 4-6-3 double play sealed the deal for KU, a 10-5 win.All the win did for KU, though, was help the team keep pace with Oklahoma and Baylor, rather than gaining ground. Kansas State blew a 6-0 lead, falling to Baylor 9-8, while Oklahoma won its opener with Texas Tech, 6-5. KU remains a half-game behind both.**_9:50, Friday, 9-5 KU, bottom eighth_**Esquibel finished up by throwing 3.1 innings, allowing just one hit, and that runner was stranded, as he has been the game’s MVP to this point. Sure, the KU bats have been active, but he was able to quiet the ‘Husker aluminum. On the other hand, KU has scored in five of seven innings at the plate so far.**_9:25, Friday, 8-5 KU, bottom seventh_**Ritch Price talked last weekend about his returning producers from last year needing to step it up big against Nebraska.John Allman and Brock Simpson have been the first two to respond. Both are 3-for-4 tonight, and Simpson dealt the big blow in the bottom of the sixth with a two-run single down the right field line, giving him three RBI so far tonight.Allman had earlier scored Robby Price, also 3-for-4, on a triple off the right field wall. **_Good story with Allman_**: Last season in a key moment against Kansas State, Allman, then a walk-on, tripled and slid into third base. Ritch Price helped him up, and told him he’d just earned his scholarship.**Note**: Andres Esquibel is absolutely dominating on the hill: 2.1 IP in relief, seven straight retired as the Jayhawks come to bat in the bottom of the seventh.**_8:54, Friday, game tied 5-5_** Amidst talk of RBI Baseball and Super Tecmo Bowl in the press box and the loving strike-ball debates heard grumbling from the top rows of the stands, there’s a game going, and Nebraska slowly but surely continues to chip away.Jake Opitz slapped a two-out RBI single the opposite way into left field, and after failing to end the inning on a couple more attempts, KU starter Andy Marks was chased.Marks was decent, mixin ghis pitches well, but his velocity was sorely lacking by the tail end of his half of the fourth inning. Andres Esquibel came to the rescue, striking out Craig Corriston with pitches in the mid-80s.KU got off to a nice start in the bottom half of the fifth, with Erik Morrison singling and advancing to second on a Buck Afenir groundout. Ryne Price then was hit by a pitch for the 19th time this season, making him the collegiate version of Don Baylor, as he set a school record for plunkings.Brock Simpson’s bat then stayed hot, as his roped single down the right field line scored Morrison, tying the game at 5-5. KU stranded the bases loaded, though, as Kyle Murphy swung and missed. Golden opportunity, in a game like this.Of the game’s 10 half-innings so far, only three have been scoreless.**Updates**: Oklahoma leads Texas Tech 6-4 in the seventh. Also in the seventh, K-State and Baylor are tied, 8-8.**_8:06, Friday, 4-3 KU_** KU leftfielder John Allman took a shot against the wooden outfield wall chasing down an Andrew Brown triple, which pulled Nebraska within one. Andy Marks got back-to-back strikeouts to end the inning, keeping KU ahead.For some context, as to why this blog is happening, KU not only needs to win this series against Nebraska, but the Jayhawks need some help. KU is currently a half-game behind Oklahoma and Baylor for the final spot in next week’s Big 12 Tournament in Oklahoma City. Currently, Oklahoma is up 4-0 on Texas Tech in the bottom of the third, while Kansas State is helping KU by beating Baylor 7-4, that game in the bottom of the fourth. KU owns the tiebreaker over Oklahoma, but it’s the other way around where Baylor is concerned.Meanwhile, KU went down in order in thed bottom of the third. That was followed by the infamous dot race. My pick – the yellow dot – won while brandishing Olympian-like speed around second. Robby Price opted not to go Randall Simon on him, and he cruised to the victory.Everyone has fun at The Hog.**_7:52, Friday, 4-2 KU_**You can’t say KU hasn’t been aggressive at the dish, and tonight it’s paying off. Ryne Price ripped a single to right, followed by a double down the right field line by Brock Simpson. Price later scored on a sacrifice fly by Preston Land, and Joe Servais’ single out of the nine-hole gave the lead back to the ‘Hawks.**Another sidenote**: I predicted a Land homerun. He was about 6 feet short. It was too high, and it was the wind. Bad combo.KU boosted the lead another run on a John Allman RBI single, coming right after Nebraska starter Tony Watson was yanked. His final line: 1.2 IP, 6H, 4ER…on 29 pitches…oof.And some props to the KU Athletics crew in the press box. There’s no more fitting song than Daniel Powter’s ‘Bad Day’ to play when a pitcher gets shelled and subsequently replaced. Well played, gentlemen.**_7:38, Friday, 2-1 Nebraska_**Marks’ outfield assistance wasn’t so available in the top of the second. After a pair of flyouts, with a runner on base, he served up back-to-back two-out doubles, scoring a pair of ‘Husker runs and making it a 2-1 game.**Sidenote**: Congratulations to former Jayhawk slugger Travis Metcalf, who after three years in the Texas Rangers’ farm system was called up today to replace two-time All-Star third baseman Hank Blalock, who was put on the disabled list and may need to have a rib removed, missing as many as possibly three months.”The solution is we need a 10-week solution,” general manager Thad Levine said in an AP report Friday afternoon. “But we’re going to give Travis an opportunity. We think he has dramatically improved this year in his second time in Double-A. He’s one of the brightest spots in our minor leagues.”Metcalf jumped over Triple-A, and this year was hitting .294 with 11 doubles, 6 homeruns and a team-high 25 RBI in 38 games with Double-A Frisco.**_7:19, Friday, 1-0 KU_**Interesting start for the Jayhawks, but there’s no room for complaints. Sophomore Andy Marks threw a fastball and breaking ball that Nebraska leadoff man D.J. Belfonte watched, dropping him to 0-2 quickly. But Marks helped him out by plunking him lightly in the helmet on his third offering. But KU’s defense gave a 4-6-3 double play to retire Belfonte, and an Andrew Brown flyout to right ended the top of the first.KU’s bats, however, had some pop. Robby Price and John Allman lit up back-to-back singles out of the two- and three-holes, and an Erik Morrison sacrifice fly gave KU a 1-0 edge after one inning.P.S. A lot….A LOT…of red in the stands. Most loyal fans in the Big 12 come from Lincoln. This just adds more to the case.**_KUSports.com editor Ryan Greene can be reached at rgreene@ljworld.com, or by phone at (785) 832-6357._** [1]: http://www2.kusports.com/blogs/greene_room/
