30th-Ranked Jayhawks Face 8th-Ranked and Red Hot Sooners

April 27, 2006

LAWRENCE, Kan. –

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Matchup: #8 Oklahoma (33-10, 11-4 Big 12) at #30 Kansas (31-16, 9-9 Big 12)
Dates/Times:
Saturday, April 29, 1 p.m.
Saturday, April 29, 6 p.m.
Sunday, April 30, 1 p.m.
Location: Lawrence, Kan.
Stadium: Hoglund Ballpark (2,500)
Internet: GameTracker at KUathletics.com
Radio: KLWN (1320 AM) and online at KUathletics.com (Saturday’s first game and Sunday)
Pre-game show starts 15 minutes before first pitch
Brian Hanni and Jud Easterday
Series: OU leads 135-79-1
KU Coach: Ritch Price (12th season, 4th at Kansas)
Record: 350-331-2, 133-103-1 at KU
Promotions:
Friday– “Biggest Group” Contest
Saturday– Karaoke Competition
Sunday– Free popcorn for fans wearing blue; Family Day (2 adults GA & 2 youth GA tickets, 4 hot dogs and 4 drinks for $30 or 2 adults GA & 2 youth GA tickets for $12). After the game children can run the bases and get autographs.

Probable Starters
Friday

Sean Land, LHP, Jr. (4-6, 5.03)
Daniel McCutchen, RHP, Sr. (6-5, 3.46)
Saturday
Ricky Fairchild, RHP, Sr. (5-4, 5.18)
Steve Guerra, RHP, Sr. (8-1, 3.14)
Sunday
Kodiak Quick, RHP, Sr. (7-3, 3.25)
P.J. Sandoval, RHP, Sr. (6-1, 4.76)

Leading Off
No. 30 Kansas (31-16, 9-9 Big 12) will host No. 8 Oklahoma in a critical Big 12 series beginning Friday, April 26 at Hoglund Ballpark. Friday’s game will start at 7 p.m. with Saturday’s game slated for 6 p.m. while Sunday’s contest will start at 1 p.m. With three conference series remaining, the Jayhawks are in a tie for fourth place while the Sooners sit in third.

A Look at #8 Oklahoma
The Sooners carry an 11-game winning streak into the series and a No. 8 ranking. Oklahoma has won five-straight Big 12 contests including a sweep of Texas Tech last weekend in Lubbock, Texas. The Sooners’ .983 fielding percentage leads the NCAA.
OU’s weekend starters are a combined 20-7 on the year with ace Daniel McCutchen striking out 80 batters in 88.1 innings. The Sooners are batting .319 as a team and are third in the Big 12 with 63 stolen bases.

Quick Hits
-Kansas is 14-2 at Hoglund Ballpark this season and 5-2 in Big 12 games at “The Hog.”

-KU’s 1.21 home runs/per game ranked 21st in the NCAA at the beginning of the week.

-In its two mid-week victories, the Kansas pitching staff did not allow an earned run, held its opponents to a .094 batting average and had a 9-to-1 strikeout to walk ratio.

-KU’s bullpen is 10-1 this season.

-Junior Ryotaro Hayakawa has not given up a run in his last seven appearances (5.3 innings)

-KU has now won 30-plus games for the fourth straight season. Prior to this stretch, KU had never won 30-plus games more then two straight years.

NCAA Record Watch
While already leaving their mark on the KU career record book, seniors Don Czyz and Ritchie Price have started to put their name into the NCAA record books:
– Czyz’ 116 pitching appearances ranks 19th all-time
– Czyz’ 113 relief appearances ranks 19th all-time
– Price’s 51 hit by a pitch ranks 21st all-time