July 9, 2012

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KANSAS CITY - Kansas men's basketball coach Bill Self homered in his first at bat, the middle of back-to-back-to-back home runs by the American League at the Taco Bell All-Star Legends and Celebrity Softball Game at Kaufman Stadium Sunday night.

Self sent the first pitch he saw from Olympic Gold Medalist Jennie Finch over the left center field wall in the second inning, following a blast by former Kansas City Royals All-Star Mike Sweeney and preceding a home run by actor Chord Overstreet (Glee). The three home-runs accounted for nearly half of the American League's run total as the National League cruised to a 21-8 victory.  

"I don't know if anybody actually swung and missed the whole night, maybe one or two, but I was nervous I'd do it three times," Self said.  "To actually put the bat on the ball was pretty cool."

Self finished the contest 2-for-3 and tracked down a pop-up to record the first out of the game. He wore No. 8 - a nod to Kansas' 2008 National Championship squad, and coincidentally the number of consecutive Big 12 Championships his teams have won - and played second base. Self grounded out in the fourth inning and laced a hit into left in the sixth before being pulled for a pinch runner.

A tape-delayed broadcast of the 2012 Taco Bell All-Star Legends and Celebrity Softball Game will be shown on ESPN following the State Farm Home Run Derby, which begins at 7 p.m. (CT) Monday.