Big 12 Baseball Weekly Review - April 13th, 2008 - Texas Suffers Edition

by corn blight on Apr 13, 2008 6:14 PM CDT in Baseball Comment 6 comments

In the Big 12 this week:

- Texas A&M takes over the lead in conference after Nebraska loses to Oklahoma State and the Aggies sweep Oklahoma

- Nebraska suffers their first Big 12 series loss

- Texas suffers after giving up a school-record 31 runs on Friday to Missouri

- Kansas sweeps Texas Tech

Big 12 Baseball Weekly Review - April 13th, 2008

Big 12 National Rankings
National Collegiate Baseball Writers	March 31	Missouri, 10th; Texas, 13th; TexasA&M, 16th; Nebraska, 22nd; Oklahoma State 23rd; Baylor, 29th
Baseball America Top 25	April 7th	Nebraska,6th; Missouri, 8th; Texas, 12th; Oklahoma State 21st
Collegiate Baseball Top 25	April 7th	Nebraska, 6th; Texas A&M 12th; Texas, 14th; Missouri, 16th;
ESPN/USA Today Coaches Poll	April 7th	Nebraska, 6th; Texas, 10th; Texas A&M, 11th; Missouri, 12th; Oklahoma State 25th

	Record Last Week	Results	Upcoming (RPI)
Baylor	3-2	Tue., Apr. 8 TCU 4, Baylor 3 Wed., Apr. 9 Baylor 6, UT Arlington 5 Fri., Apr. 11 Kansas State 6, Baylor 1 Sat., Apr. 12 Baylor 5, Kansas State 4 Sun., Apr. 13 Baylor 3, Kansas State 0	Dallas Baptist (29) @Dallas Baptist @Texas A&M (28) Texas A&M
Baylor proved they can go on the road and win a Big 12 series. Not only that but they do it in gut-check fashion, losing the first game and wining the final two. Saturday's win snapped a five game losing streak at Manhattan going back to 2004. In Sunday's game, Bear hurler Shawn Tolleson threw a complete game shutout allowing only hits and getting a career-high 12 K's. Up next is Texas A&M, where the teams will play first at College Station, then at Waco. Maybe Baylor can do some more gut-checking and take the Aggies down a notch. Don't count on it.

Kansas	3-0	Fri., Apr. 11 Kansas 9, Texas Tech 5 Sat., Apr. 12 Kansas 9, Texas Tech 1 Sun., Apr. 13 Kansas 5, Texas Tech 2	Baker Missouri State (70) @Nebraska (16)
Kansas gets a much-needed sweep against the Red Raiders, pulling themselves out of the conference basement. It is their first Big 12 series win of the season, but unfortunately they get to go to Lincoln next weekend.

Kansas State	1-3	Tue., Apr. 8 Wichita State 4, Kansas State 3 Fri., Apr. 11 Kansas State 6, Baylor 1 Sat., Apr. 12 Baylor 5, Kansas State 4 Sun., Apr. 13 Baylor 3, Kansas State 0	@Creighton (96) @Texas Tech (61)
Kansas State loses to Baylor at home and assigns themselves to the cellar. Wildcat pitcher Brad Hutt continues to do well, not giving up a hit through five innings on Friday, but this was the third time that the Wildcats have been swept in a Big 12 series. What else is there to say?

Missouri	3-1	Wed., Apr. 9 Missouri 8, Missouri State 4 (6) Fri., Apr. 11 Missouri 31, Texas 12 Sat., Apr. 12 Missouri 13, Texas 2 Sun., Apr. 13 Texas 9, Missouri 2	William Woods @Oklahoma (52)
Missouri came into the weekend aching for runs and they found them. In Friday's game, Texas jumped out to an early 8-0 lead and then it was all Tigers after that. Aaron Crow finally gave up some runs, but in return, Missouri scores more runs than anyone against the 'Horns in their baseball history. Saturday brings more of the same, a double-digit win for the Tigers. The Missouri team hit .500 as a whole through the first two games, leaving Texas with a 23.06 ERA. Even with the loss on Sunday, Missouri has won eight of their last 11 games against the 'Horns. The Tigers could have driven the Longhorns below .500, but they either wore themselves out or didn't have the guts to finish the job. What gives on that?

Nebraska	1-2	Fri., Apr. 11 Oklahoma State 1, Nebraska 0 Sat., Apr. 12 Oklahoma State 19, Nebraska 2 Sun., Apr. 13 Nebraska 14, Oklahoma State 5	Wichita State (38) Kansas (144)
Not a big shock that Nebraska loses to the Cowboys in Stillwater, as we stated in our weekend preview it's a tough place to play. Johnny Dorn picked up his first loss of the season on Friday as the Huskers couldn't generate any offense. Saturday turned into an ass-kicking, with every Cowboy starter having at least two hits. It happens some times. The Cornhuskers stopped the bleeding in healthy fashion on Sunday, but suffer their first Big 12 series loss of the season. With the loss Nebraska gives up first place to Texas A&M. I wouldn't worry much as Kansas comes to Lincoln next Saturday. The midweek game against the Shockers should be interesting.

Oklahoma	0-3	Fri., Apr. 11 Texas A&M 8, Oklahoma 7 Sat., Apr. 12 Texas A&M 10, Oklahoma 3 Sun., Apr. 13 Texas A&M 12, Oklahoma 2	@TCU (40) Missouri (27)
Oh, Oklahoma. We said in the preview that you might be staring at Kansas State at eye-level in conference wins and look where you are! There are too many close losses in this season for you. With Missouri up next, how will you respond?

Oklahoma State	3-1	Tue., Apr. 8 Oklahoma State 6, Western Illinois 1 Fri., Apr. 11 Oklahoma State 1, Nebraska 0 Sat., Apr. 12 Oklahoma State 19, Nebraska 2 Sun., Apr. 13 Nebraska 14, Oklahoma State 5	@UT-Arlington (128) @Texas (35)
Oklahoma State won their second consecutive Big 12 series, but couldn't pull of the sweep. They won Friday's pitching duel, then blasted the Huskers on Saturday. Like we said earlier, every Cowboy starter had at least two hits as they pounded out 24 hits. They can't pull off the sweep, though, and stay behind Missouri at fourth in the Big 12. A big series for the Cowboys next weekend at Texas. If they win, they keep themselves in the top quarter of the Big 12. A loss means that Texas will be up there.

Texas	2-2	Tue., Apr. 8 Texas 5, Texas State 3 Fri., Apr. 11 Missouri 31, Texas 12 Sat., Apr. 12 Missouri 13, Texas 2 Sun., Apr. 13 Texas 9, Missouri 2	UT-Arlington (128) Oklahoma State (10)
A school record 31 runs given up on Friday. It doesn't get any better for Texas on Saturday, in fact, it's so bad, the guys at Barking Carnival are calling for the head of Longhorn pitching coach Skip Johnson, pointing out that the football team has only given up more than 31 to Missouri once. The good news for Texas is that Kyle Russell seems to have awakened from his slump. Maybe there was something in the Tigers' water this weekend, and someone gave some to Russell. Texas saves themselves from a sweep with a decent win Sunday, but the damage has been done. I'm not sure how far Texas will drop in the ratings, but to this point, I'd submit they've been rated high because they're Texas, not because they're that good. A 31 point game will have everyone taking notice. Lose next weekend against Oklahoma State, with Baylor and Texas A&M waiting, and you have to wonder how far Texas can fall.

Texas A&M	4-0	Tue., Apr. 8 Texas A&M 13, Houston 6 Fri., Apr. 11 Texas A&M 8, Oklahoma 7 Sat., Apr. 12 Texas A&M 10, Oklahoma 3 Sun., Apr. 13 Texas A&M 12, Oklahoma 2	Rice (24) @Baylor (48) Baylor
Texas A&M has taken over as the hottest team in the Big 12, having won 13 in a row and taken over first place in the Big 12. This weekend's sweep was the third consecutive sweep for the Aggies - they haven't done that since 1991. It was also the first series sweep over Oklahoma in Aggie school history. To burst their bubble a bit those three series came against Kansas, Kansas State, and Oklahoma, all three of which are at the bottom of the Big 12. They lost their only series to an upper eschelon team - Oklahoma State - and series against Baylor, Missouri, Nebraska, and Texas are coming.

Texas Tech	1-4	Tue., Apr. 8 Texas Tech 10, New Mexico 0 Wed., Apr. 9 New Mexico 7, Texas Tech 2 Fri., Apr. 11 Kansas 9, Texas Tech 5 Sat., Apr. 12 Kansas 9, Texas Tech 1 Sun., Apr. 13 Kansas 5, Texas Tech 2	@UNLV (121) Kansas State (71)
Tech - it's hard to say much about Tech after reviewing Texas A&M. I hate to say that, but, hell, it's true. They looked like they might be turning things around after winning a series against Missouri, then they get swept by Kansas?

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Comments

Weekend

K-State did not get swept.

Unfortunately, that's about all the good I can say.

http://www.bringonthecats.com, We'll carry the banner high!

by TB on Apr 13, 2008 10:50 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

KU played great baseball this weekend.

Most of the analysis of the KU-TTU series has focused on Tech's collapse. The flip side, KU executed well all weekend. Three very solid starts by Czyz, Esquibel and Walz. A lot of two-out hits. KU drove the ball out of the park all weekend long. Terrific defense, no errors. The Hawks controlled the Tech running game.

Next weekend's series in Lincoln will go a long way in revealing if the Jayhawks are finally playing up to their expected level, or if they just hit a hot streak this weekend vs. a struggling team.

I expect KU to win at least one in Lincoln. Suddenly the KU season is full of hope and excitement again.

Not to pile on Texas' misery, but it seems to me that not even Auggie can figure out how to get this roster to play well as a team. There is no way to spin surrendering 50 runs in two days. It was just a pitching and defensive collapse.

by James Quinn on Apr 14, 2008 10:17 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

I figure

I had you there to cover me talking about KU. :)

should be interesting... we should do a preview.

Texas came into this season acting weird... you have to wonder if they're ever going to recover. Nebraska never really recovered from their own internal issues last season, so maybe it's the Longhorns' turn.

Go Big Red!

by corn blight on Apr 14, 2008 12:23 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Love to do the joint-preview.

I am playing around with the idea of driving up to Lincoln on Saturday for the game. It would be stupid and self destructive, given how much work I have to do, but I still am thinking about it.

by James Quinn on Apr 14, 2008 9:11 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Saturday

is Nebraska's spring game.

I'm coming back for that.... if I can get Friday off, I plan on getting to baseball Friday and Sunday, although Saturday might be a stretch.

Keep in touch about what you're doing, man!

Go Big Red!

by corn blight on Apr 15, 2008 3:07 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Big-12 Baseball RPI Update

Given the excitement surrounding the basketball national championship I didn't get around to updating the baseball RPI rankings last week so this update will reflect two weeks of action.

Despite only holding an 8-7 conference record OSU has impressed the computer plenty. The Pokes move to the top of conference, RPI wise. Nebraska falls from six to thirteen and come in right behind Oklahoma State. Texas A&M hasn't lost a game in forever and they continue to rise in the rankings. The Longhorns treaded water over the last two weeks. I find is surprising the RPI still favors them over Missouri. This update reflects not only the Tigers demolition of Texas this weekend, but also their poor showing at Texas Tech, hence the sharp decline in their ranking. Baylor is fading. The Bears are in danger of missing the NCAA tournament at this point. Quite a come-down from their lofty pre-season expectations. Oklahoma and Texas Tech are coming apart. K-State holds steady, while Kansas takes a step forward based on their sweep of Tech this weekend. If I were to pick two of the lower ranked teams to go on a late season run I would go with the two Kansas schools. Both have underachieved this season based on roster talent.

RPI ranking	Team	NCAA D-I record	Big-12 record	Two weeks ago
12	Oklahoma State	23-10	8-7	18
13	Nebraska	24-6-1	11-3-1	6
26	Texas A&M	30-6	12-3	38
28	Texas	23-12	8-7	29
36	Missouri	24-9	7-5	18
47	Baylor	21-13	8-7	34
56	Oklahoma	22-13-1	3-8-1	45
64	Texas Tech	17-19	4-11	52
71	Kansas State	16-18	3-9	75
132	Kansas	19-16	4-8	150