BY GEORGE WATSON l AVALANCHE-JOURNAL

You’d never know it by looking at the statistics, but Kansas’ pitching staff has been at a disadvantage all season.

For a team that has gone through the entire 2009 baseball season without the anticipated services of its top two hurlers due to injuries, the Jayhawks haven’t done too badly. In fact, they’re right in the thick of the Big 12 Conference race.

“We all preach to our players about overachieving,” veteran Kansas coach Ritch Price said. “We have to find a way to play well every day, and with only four seniors on the roster we feel good about what we’ve accomplished.”

With a different offensive makeup than they’ve had the past few years, and with pitchers Andy Marks and Wally Marciel still recovering from surgeries, the 24th-ranked Jayhawks enter the weekend at 24-12 overall, 7-5 in the Big 12 and with a Top 25 ranking for the first time this year. Ironically, it’s been driven by one of the best pitching staffs in the league.

Marciel underwent Tommy John surgery in April of 2008. Price said Marciel is healthy enough to pitch but lacks confidence in his arm at the moment and is not ready to return to the mound. Marks, who missed all of last season with a torn labrum in his right shoulder, underwent a second repair procedure after the first one was unsuccessful, and he is out once again.

But their absence is paying dividends thanks to the emergence of junior left-hander Shaffer Hall (3-2, 2.52 ERA) and sophomore right-hander T.J. Walz (4-0, 3.15). Hall opened the Jayhawks’ season with a no-hitter against Air Force, and both rank in the top 13 in the league in ERA. That, along with the emergence of freshman right-hander Lee Ridenour (3-2, 3.38), gives Kansas the No. 2 pitching staff in the Big 12 with a 3.78 ERA.

“I think (Walz and Hall) have both benefitted from the experience they got last year with (Marciel and Marks) out,” said Price, who is in his seventh season with the Jayhawks. “They were thrown into the fire last year, really before they were ready. That gives us three solid Big 12 pitchers and our bullpen has been solid, and our defense has played very well.”

Maybe the only negative to Kansas’ pitching right now would be usually dependable closer Paul Smyth, who after saving 10 games last year is just 1-5 with a 6.00 ERA. Smyth has almost as many blown saves (five) this year as he does saves (six).

Pitching and timely hitting have definitely defined Kansas during the Big 12 chase. The Jayhawks have been almost unstoppable at home, winning seven of their nine games at Hoglund Ballpark including sweeps of then-No. 1 Texas and then-No. 17 Oklahoma State.

But Kansas is 0-3 on the road in the Big 12 as Texas A&M swept the Jayhawks at Olsen Field with a three-run victory and two one-run wins, this after KU swept UT in three one-run games the week before.

The problem for the Jayhawks hasn’t been pitching, it’s been hitting. Price admits his offense is not as physical as it has been in the past, and that has led to fewer home runs. Kansas is about on pace to match last year’s total of runs scored and RBIs, but is on a pace to hit just 34 home runs, which would be the lowest total under a Price-coached KU team.

Price said the biggest problem has been getting production from the bottom of the order. Senior first baseman Preston Land, who hit .314 with nine home runs and 33 RBIs as a freshman, is struggling once again. Since 2006, Land has not hit higher than .221 and this year is hitting .229 with no home runs and six RBIs.

More bad news hit Sunday when senior outfielder Nick Faunce, who was second on the team last year with a .326 average, broke a finger in the final game against Oklahoma State and will miss this weekend’s series against Texas Tech, leaving freshman Jason Brunansky (.247, 2 HRs, 8 RBIs) to take his place. Only sophomore third baseman Tony Thompson has more than four home runs, and he leads the team with a .391 average.

“We’ve got to get more production from the bottom of the order,” Price said. “We know how tough it is to come from behind with a crooked number on the scoreboard if you’re not physical with the bat. We don’t have the depth that most teams in the league have with position players.

“We’ve got our work cut out for us to stay in the pack.”

College baseball

• Who: No. 24 Kansas at Texas Tech

• When: 6:30 p.m. Friday, 5 p.m. Saturday, 1 p.m. Sunday

• Where: Dan Law Field

• Records: Kansas 24-12, 7-5 in Big 12; Texas Tech 16-23, 7-8

• Radio: KKAM 1340 AM

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