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LAWRENCE — Dan Fitzgerald viewed Kansas baseball winning the Big 12 Conference regular season title as step one, and is now moving on to step two with the conference tournament.
Fitzgerald, the Jayhawks’ head coach, noted earlier this week that it’ll be a challenge to win three games against a tough field. At the time he didn’t know his team would be facing No. 8 seed Baylor in the quarterfinals, with first pitch set for 2:30 p.m. (CT) on Thursday in Surprise, Arizona, so they were compiling multiple scouting reports. But while he would have loved to know who his team was playing and who was going to start on the mound for that opponent, in the end being the top seed with a double-bye to the quarterfinals is a great opportunity in itself.
RELATED: What channel is Kansas baseball vs Baylor today? Time, TV schedule
Here are three things to keep in mind before the Big 12 tournament begins for KU (39-16):
KU had to persevere during its most recent series, on the road at BYU, to win the games necessary to both take that series and clinch the Big 12 regular season title. Both wins the first two games saw the Jayhawks give up six run leads, and have to bounce back. But they did, and Fitzgerald described it as a moment he’ll remember for the rest of his life.
Junior Tyson LeBlanc said their team loves playing in close games, and have a never-give-up mentality. They’ve been in a lot of them this year. And he thinks that’ll benefit them in postseason play, because not every game is going to go how they want from start to finish.
Sophomore Mason Cook allowed it can feel a little different, preparing for the postseason, but the preparation itself doesn’t change. It’s just a new title that they’re trying to win now. After getting back from the series at BYU, and enjoying the regular season championship, they just got back to work.
Fitzgerald noted that mentality starts in the recruiting process, with the coaches being clear about their vision and those coaches finding players who are in line with that. That also allows the staff and players to be who they are, because they’re all pursuing the same goals. He called it a fun group that loves to compete together, and the All-Big 12 individual awards they received — including him being coach of the year — points to the success they’ve been able to have collectively.
Junior Brady Ballinger, an honorable mention All-Big 12 honoree, is expected to miss the Big 12 tournament due to injury. Ballinger had started all 55 games that Kansas had played to this point. But Fitzgerald noted Ballinger is anticipated to return for the NCAA regional.
KU senior Dariel Osoria, senior Max Soliz Jr. and sophomore Savion Flowers were the three players mentioned by Fitzgerald as being potential options to step in for Ballinger.
Jordan Guskey covers University of Kansas Athletics at The Topeka Capital-Journal. He was the 2022 National Sports Media Association’s sportswriter of the year for the state of Kansas. Contact him at [email protected] or on Twitter at @JordanGuskey.
This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: What to know about Kansas baseball in Big 12 Conference tournament
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Fitzgerald, the Jayhawks’ head coach, noted earlier this week that it’ll be a challenge to win three games against a tough field. At the time he didn’t know his team would be facing No. 8 seed Baylor in the quarterfinals, with first pitch set for 2:30 p.m. (CT) on Thursday in Surprise, Arizona, so they were compiling multiple scouting reports. But while he would have loved to know who his team was playing and who was going to start on the mound for that opponent, in the end being the top seed with a double-bye to the quarterfinals is a great opportunity in itself.
RELATED: What channel is Kansas baseball vs Baylor today? Time, TV schedule
Here are three things to keep in mind before the Big 12 tournament begins for KU (39-16):
Kansas has momentum, recently winning the Big 12 regular season title
KU had to persevere during its most recent series, on the road at BYU, to win the games necessary to both take that series and clinch the Big 12 regular season title. Both wins the first two games saw the Jayhawks give up six run leads, and have to bounce back. But they did, and Fitzgerald described it as a moment he’ll remember for the rest of his life.
Junior Tyson LeBlanc said their team loves playing in close games, and have a never-give-up mentality. They’ve been in a lot of them this year. And he thinks that’ll benefit them in postseason play, because not every game is going to go how they want from start to finish.
Kansas’ mentality isn’t changing just because it’s the postseason
Sophomore Mason Cook allowed it can feel a little different, preparing for the postseason, but the preparation itself doesn’t change. It’s just a new title that they’re trying to win now. After getting back from the series at BYU, and enjoying the regular season championship, they just got back to work.
Fitzgerald noted that mentality starts in the recruiting process, with the coaches being clear about their vision and those coaches finding players who are in line with that. That also allows the staff and players to be who they are, because they’re all pursuing the same goals. He called it a fun group that loves to compete together, and the All-Big 12 individual awards they received — including him being coach of the year — points to the success they’ve been able to have collectively.
Kansas’ Brady Ballinger is expected to miss Big 12 tournament due to injury
Junior Brady Ballinger, an honorable mention All-Big 12 honoree, is expected to miss the Big 12 tournament due to injury. Ballinger had started all 55 games that Kansas had played to this point. But Fitzgerald noted Ballinger is anticipated to return for the NCAA regional.
KU senior Dariel Osoria, senior Max Soliz Jr. and sophomore Savion Flowers were the three players mentioned by Fitzgerald as being potential options to step in for Ballinger.
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Jordan Guskey covers University of Kansas Athletics at The Topeka Capital-Journal. He was the 2022 National Sports Media Association’s sportswriter of the year for the state of Kansas. Contact him at [email protected] or on Twitter at @JordanGuskey.
This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: What to know about Kansas baseball in Big 12 Conference tournament
Continue reading...
