Game Day: North Dakota @ MU

The Fighting Lawsiouxts began their season a week later than everyone else by being swept 4-0 by Wichita State, then split a 2-game set at Kansas. This past weekend they were swept 3-0 by St. Louis U.  In their 8 losses they were outscored 10-96.  In their win against Kansas, the score was 12-9, making their total for-and-against 22-105.

Their team batting average stands at .189, their ERA 11.92.  The pitching staff has amassed 8 wild pitches and 15 HBP in 9 games.

UND is ranked 249th on the BoydsWorld.com RPI.  MU is 117th.

♦ Former Mizzou catcher J.C. Field is an assistant coach with UND.

♦ North Dakota is still going by the name of the Fighting Sioux, a controversy that has seen more ups and downs than J.C. Field's batting average.  You can read the detailed history of the controversy at the University of North Dakota Nickname and Logo Blog.

♦ Jayhawks unable to make another comeback against Fighting Sioux (Daily Kansan)

The Jayhawks would go on to take a 9-8 lead in the seventh when senior designated hitter Chris Manship took a bases-loaded walk.

Not every baseball story ends on a good note for the home team. Junior reliever Tanner Poppe came on in the ninth to try and finish off the comeback. Poppe pitched a perfect ninth inning against North Dakota the day before, but this was his fourth outing in five days.

Poppe was tired. For someone who usually pitches in the mid-to-upper 90s mph, Poppe only threw 91-92 mph, allowing North Dakota hitters to time the fastball.

The Fighting Sioux would score four times in the inning on four hits, but the Jayhawks didn’t have another comeback in them, falling 12-9.

“That’s a devastating loss,” Price said. “That’s a game we clearly expect to win. When you fight back like that, you’ve got to close the deal. That’s what I was most disappointed with.”

♦ Preseason press conference with UND Head Coach Jeff Dodson