Big12Baseball.com Selects Three Jayhawks Preseason All-Big 12

Jan. 13, 2005

LAWRENCE, Kan. – Three members of the University of Kansas baseball team have been selected to the Big12Baseball.com Preseason All-Big 12 team. Senior catcher Sean Richardson, junior shortstop Ritchie Price and junior outfielder Matt Baty all represent the Jayhawks on the second team.

Richardson, a native of Vista, Calif., was named team MVP and second team All-Big 12 following the 2004 season after transferring to KU from Palomar Junior College. Richardson led the Jayhawks with 69 RBI, while collecting a .332 batting average and 12 home runs, including a team-high eight during Big 12 play. He also collected eight stolen bases in 14 attempts.

Price, who enters 2004 as the team’s starting shortstop for the third consecutive season, also posted a career-best season as a sophomore in 2004. Last season, Price finished fourth on the team with a .339 batting average and led the team with four triples, while driving in 47 runs. The San Luis Obispo, Calif., native set a new school record by collecting six hits against Oakland on Feb. 26. In 281 fielding chances at shortstop, he committed only 13 errors to post a .954 fielding percentage. Following the season, he was selected as second team All-Big 12.

In 2004, Baty became the first Jayhawk ever selected first team All-Big 12 after he hit .344 out of the leadoff spot. The Wichita, Kan., native scored a team-high 62 runs for the KU offense, which finished tops in the Big 12 last season with a .316 team batting average. Baty was 26-for-36 on the base paths in 2004 to lead the Jayhawks in stolen bases and steal attempts.