Czyz Breaks Records, #24 KU Win Series Over #26 Texas Tech
April 9, 2006
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LAWRENCE, Kan. –
Senior Don Czyz broke two records and the University of Kansas won its second straight Big 12 series Sunday with a 5-3 victory over Texas Tech at Hoglund Ballpark. No. 24 KU improves to 22-13 overall and 6-6 in the Big 12 while the 26th-ranked Red Raiders fall to 23-13 and 5-6 in conference play.<?xml:namespace prefix=”o” ns=”urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office”?>
Czyz pitched the eighth and ninth innings to earn the save and in the process set the Big 12 record for career appearances with his 112th and the Kansas single season saves record with his 12th of the year.
For the second time in the series freshman Paul Smyth served as Czyz’ set up man and for the second time turned in a stellar performance. The Atascadero, Calif. native threw 1.1 innings of hitless baseball in relief of KU starting pitcher Kodiak Quick.
Quick (6-2) picked up his third straight Big 12 victory for the Jayhawks. Quick tied a season high with six strikeouts while allowing three runs off six hits in 5.2 innings.
After the Red Raiders scored in the top of the first, KU put single runs on the board in the first, second and third innings.
Sophomore Brock Simpson and senior Ritchie Price opened the bottom of the first inning with back-to-back singles. A sacrifice bunt by senior Matt Baty put runners on second and third. Senior Gus Milner then drove in Simpson with an RBI ground out.
Freshman Preston Land drew a one-out walk in the second inning and scored on junior Dylan Parzyk’s double down the left field line. Sophomore John Allman continued his hot hitting with a RBI single in the third that scored Ritchie Price.
A triple by Milner gave Kansas a 4-1 lead in the fifth inning. The three-bagger was Milner’s team-leading third of the year. Land picked up an RBI with a single that scored Milner.
Texas Tech pulled to within two runs with a two-run double in the sixth inning. After the double Quick was replaced by Smyth. On his first pitch, Smyth got Willie Rueda to fly out to center to end the threat.
Kansas will stay home to host North Dakota State in a two game series beginning Tuesday, April 11 at 6 p.m. The two teams will play the second game on Wednesday at 3 p.m.
Game Notes: Sophomore John Allman is hitting .429 in Big 12 play (18-for-42) and carries a .510 on-base percentage … Allman was 5-for-10 with five RBI during the series … KU’s 6-6 record in the Big 12 is its second best start ever, the Jayhawks were 7-5 in 1997, the first year of the Big 12 … Don Czyz surpassed Jimmy Walker’s mark of 11 saves set in 1993 … Czyz has saved 24 games in his career, a KU record, the Big 12 record is 41 set by Huston Street of Texas.
