March 10, 2005

The University of Kansas baseball team will continue to prepare for play in the Big 12 Conference as it plays hosts to North Dakota State in a three-game series this weekend at Hoglund Ballpark. Game times are 3 p.m. Friday and 1 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.

The Jayhawks (13-8) are coming off a road trip to Mississippi where they took part in the 2005 NBC Classic hosted by Mississippi State. The Jayhawks split a pair of games with Austin Peay, pounding out a season-high 18 hits in a victory over the Governors on Saturday. KU was unable to take a game from No. 17 Mississippi State, who improved to 6-0 over the weekend.  Junior outfielder A.J. Van Slyke turned in an impressive performance at the tournament, collecting seven hits in 15 at bats to lead the team with a .467 batting average. The Ladue, Mo., native also connected on his team-leading third home run of the season against APSU. Senior Travis Dunlap tied his career-highs with three hits and four RBI in a 3-for-4 performance during the Jayhawks' opening loss of the tournament.

Junior reliever Don Czyz was KU's top pitcher over the weekend, working 5 1/3 innings out of the KU bullpen and yielding no runs on only three hits, while collecting seven strikeouts.

 North Dakota State (0-7-1), which has not played since Feb. 26, comes to Lawrence still searching for its first win in its first season at the Division I level. The Bison have yet to play at home this season, as they have taken part in a tournament hosted by the Air Force Academy and traveled to Sacramento, Calif., to take on Sacramento State in a four-game series.