HI NOTES: Moving On

♦ Missouri-Kansas reminisce after likely finale (Fox Sports MW)

It's a gorgeous, sunny, blustery Saturday afternoon, and his Tigers are about to put the finishing touches on a 6-3 win over the Jayhawks, their century-old rival. As it is with a lot of Tigers fans, the notion of life without Kansas is starting to sink in for Larry Wyatt. And it feels — well, it feels weird.

"I really miss it," he sighs. "I mean, you kind of wish it wouldn't end. But Mizzou has put out the olive branch, like, 'We'll still play you.' And KU just said, 'No.'"
. . .
"I'm a Californian. I grew up 15 miles from Cal and I coached 15 miles from Stanford. And they talk about 'The Big Game,'" offers Kansas baseball coach Ritch Price. "I wasn't prepared for the first year that we played. I've never seen a rivalry as intense as this one."

♦ MU baseball team gets last word with KU (Columbia Tribune)

The Missouri baseball team won the final scheduled meeting between MU and Kansas in any sport with a 6-3 victory yesterday at Hoglund Ballpark in Lawrence, Kan. The Jayhawks won the first two games of the series.

♦ Kansas baseball loses battle with Missouri, but wins final Border War series (LJWorld.com)

Saturday, nearly 121 years after Kansas University kicked it off with a 22-10 football victory over arch-rival Missouri in 1891, the historic Border War series between KU and Mizzou ended at KU’s Hoglund Ballpark with a 6-3 victory for Missouri’s baseball team and a rather calm and cordial exchange of handshakes.

For the rest of time, or at least until they meet again somewhere, somehow, in some sport, KU supporters will spin it as the Jayhawks (22-32 overall, 7-16 Big 12) winning the final series between the two bitter rivals. At the same time, MU fans likely will point out that the Tigers won the final game. Maybe it’s not dead after all.

MU RECRUITS

♦ 2012 MLB Draft Q & A: Alec Rash (Scout.com, subscription only)

The next interview in our 2012 MLB Draft Q & A series is with Iowa prep right-handed pitcher Alec Rash. Rash has been rumored to being moving up on some draft boards and is ranked by Scout's Frankie Piliere as the draft's number 98 prospect. Inside he discusses his arsenal of pitches and approach on the mound, his preparation for this year's draft, his commitment to Missouri and much more.

MU IN THE MINORS

♦ What a leg kick (Hampton Roads)

Lefthander Rick Zagone threw five scoreless innings of relief Friday and has now thrown 11 scoreless innings for the Tides since being called up from Class A Frederick.

That's impressive, but it isn't as impressive as his leg kick.

The 6-foot-3, 214-pounder kicks his leg up over his head during his windup, resembling legendary Cleveland Indians pitcher Bob Feller, but from the other side. Feller was righthanded.

"I've had that leg kick since high school," Zagone said. "Eddie (Gamboa) is always telling me to kick the roof of the dugout."

Can he actually do that?

"Yes," Zagone said. "But the roof of the dugout's only about 7 feet tall."