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Kangaroos Host Westerwinds At Cleveland Park For Three-Game Series
3/13/2009 9:00:00 AM | Softball
Kansas City, Mo. -- It's a big weekend for the UMKC softball team as the Kangaroos are playing their first regular season game at home and kicking things off in The Summit League. UMKC will host Western Illinois on Sat., March 14 at noon for a double-header and then wrap up the three-game series on Sun., March 15 at noon.
UMKC is 5-15 so far this season and is coming off of a 0-4 weekend in the Missouri Coaches vs. Cancer Classic at Springfield, Mo. The Kangaroos fell to Missouri, 9-0, and Southeast Missouri State, 10-3. In the final day of the tournament, UMKC dropped a pair of games to Saint Louis (7-1) and Missouri State (3-1).
The Kangaroos are led by Chelsea Hartwig, who is one-of-three players to start and appear in all 20 games. Hartwig is the team leader with 22 hits, four homeruns and 15 RBIs. She has scored six runs and is batting .349 on the season. Right behind Hartwig is Danielle Bennefeld with a .333 batting average. Bennefeld has scored nine runs off of 14 hits and leads the team with six doubles and two triples. She has a team high .643 slugging percentage on the season.
Having a good year on the mound for UMKC is Taya Upkes, who leads the Kangaroos with a 1.27 ERA in five appearances. In 11 innings of work, she has allowed six runs (two earned) to score off of 14 hits, while striking out 10. Sam Hurst is leading UMKC in the strikeout department, as she has retired 42 batters this season.
Opponent Preview
Western Illinois comes to Cleveland Park with a 4-10 overall record. The Westerwinds four wins this season were against Wright State, IUPUI and two games against Minnesota. Western Illinois will be looking to snap an eight-game losing streak in Kansas City.
The Westernwinds are led by Colleen Biebel, who is batting .400 in 14 games. Biebel leads the team with 16 hits and has scored seven runs this season. Julie DePolo, Ashley Campbell and Erin Schlotfeldt have all sent one over the fence this season.
On the mound for Western Illinois with a 2.88 ERA is Lori Pankratz. She is 1-4 on the year and has seven appearances this season. In 34 innings pitched, Pankratz has allowed 21 runs to score, 14 of which were earned, off of 32 hits. She has 29 strikeouts so far this season.
Last time out for the Kangaroos....
UMKC Wraps Up Day Two at Missouri Coaches vs. Cancer Classic
Missouri State 3 ? UMKC 1
Megan Vicino recorded two hits and Anna Sokolik score the Kangaroos only run in the 3-1 loss to Missouri State. The Kangaroos outhit the Bears 6-5, but just couldn't drive in those hits. Missouri State scored in the second and fourth innings and the UMKC offense wouldn't get going until the seventh when Sokolik scored the lone run.
Saint Louis 7 ? UMKC 1
Ashley Whiteside led the Kangaroos against Saint Louis, scoring the lone run off of one hit.
Saint Louis jumped on the scoreboard first, scoring one run in the first inning but Whiteside's run in the top of the third would tie the game, 1-1. With one out, Whiteside hit a single to the pitcher and stole second. Whiteside would score off of a Kelly Fischer fielder's choice.
A three-run third inning for Saint Louis would extend its lead, 3-1 and the Kangaroos were never quite able to recover. Saint Louis scored a run in the fourth, fifth and sixth innings and were able to hold UMKC scoreless.
On the game, UMKC would leave five runners stranded on base. Anna Sokolik started the game for UMKC and threw 3.1 innings, giving up five runs off of six hits. She recorded two strikeouts. Taya Upkes would close on the mound for UMKC, pitching 2.2 innings, giving up two runs on five hits.
Missouri 9 ? UMKC 0
UMKC was only able to muster up one hit against the Tigers in the loss. Missouri busted out 14 hits to score nine runs, which were all earned. Bennefeld recorded the lone hit for the Kangaroos.
Southeast Missouri State 10 ? UMKC 3
The Kangaroos scored three runs off of six hits but it wouldn't be enough to stop the Southeast Missouri sticks, who recorded 12 hits on the day. SEMO took a 3-0 lead in the top of the third but UMKC got on the scoreboard in the bottom of the third, with Rashonda Stanley and Kelly Fischer scoring.
A four-run fourth inning for SEMO increased their lead to five, 7-2. UMKC was only able to score one more run in the game in the bottom of the sixth. Chelsea Hartwig singled and then Rhiannon Mendez pinch ran for her and a Bennefeld double would score Mendez.
SEMO was able to tack on three insurance runs in the top of the seventh for the win.
Samantha Hurst and Taya Upkes traded pitching duties for UMKC. Hurst finished the day with one strike out in 3.2 innings of work and Upkes recorded three in 3.1 innings.
UMKC is 5-15 so far this season and is coming off of a 0-4 weekend in the Missouri Coaches vs. Cancer Classic at Springfield, Mo. The Kangaroos fell to Missouri, 9-0, and Southeast Missouri State, 10-3. In the final day of the tournament, UMKC dropped a pair of games to Saint Louis (7-1) and Missouri State (3-1).
The Kangaroos are led by Chelsea Hartwig, who is one-of-three players to start and appear in all 20 games. Hartwig is the team leader with 22 hits, four homeruns and 15 RBIs. She has scored six runs and is batting .349 on the season. Right behind Hartwig is Danielle Bennefeld with a .333 batting average. Bennefeld has scored nine runs off of 14 hits and leads the team with six doubles and two triples. She has a team high .643 slugging percentage on the season.
Having a good year on the mound for UMKC is Taya Upkes, who leads the Kangaroos with a 1.27 ERA in five appearances. In 11 innings of work, she has allowed six runs (two earned) to score off of 14 hits, while striking out 10. Sam Hurst is leading UMKC in the strikeout department, as she has retired 42 batters this season.
Opponent Preview
Western Illinois comes to Cleveland Park with a 4-10 overall record. The Westerwinds four wins this season were against Wright State, IUPUI and two games against Minnesota. Western Illinois will be looking to snap an eight-game losing streak in Kansas City.
The Westernwinds are led by Colleen Biebel, who is batting .400 in 14 games. Biebel leads the team with 16 hits and has scored seven runs this season. Julie DePolo, Ashley Campbell and Erin Schlotfeldt have all sent one over the fence this season.
On the mound for Western Illinois with a 2.88 ERA is Lori Pankratz. She is 1-4 on the year and has seven appearances this season. In 34 innings pitched, Pankratz has allowed 21 runs to score, 14 of which were earned, off of 32 hits. She has 29 strikeouts so far this season.
Last time out for the Kangaroos....
UMKC Wraps Up Day Two at Missouri Coaches vs. Cancer Classic
Missouri State 3 ? UMKC 1
Megan Vicino recorded two hits and Anna Sokolik score the Kangaroos only run in the 3-1 loss to Missouri State. The Kangaroos outhit the Bears 6-5, but just couldn't drive in those hits. Missouri State scored in the second and fourth innings and the UMKC offense wouldn't get going until the seventh when Sokolik scored the lone run.
Saint Louis 7 ? UMKC 1
Ashley Whiteside led the Kangaroos against Saint Louis, scoring the lone run off of one hit.
Saint Louis jumped on the scoreboard first, scoring one run in the first inning but Whiteside's run in the top of the third would tie the game, 1-1. With one out, Whiteside hit a single to the pitcher and stole second. Whiteside would score off of a Kelly Fischer fielder's choice.
A three-run third inning for Saint Louis would extend its lead, 3-1 and the Kangaroos were never quite able to recover. Saint Louis scored a run in the fourth, fifth and sixth innings and were able to hold UMKC scoreless.
On the game, UMKC would leave five runners stranded on base. Anna Sokolik started the game for UMKC and threw 3.1 innings, giving up five runs off of six hits. She recorded two strikeouts. Taya Upkes would close on the mound for UMKC, pitching 2.2 innings, giving up two runs on five hits.
Missouri 9 ? UMKC 0
UMKC was only able to muster up one hit against the Tigers in the loss. Missouri busted out 14 hits to score nine runs, which were all earned. Bennefeld recorded the lone hit for the Kangaroos.
Southeast Missouri State 10 ? UMKC 3
The Kangaroos scored three runs off of six hits but it wouldn't be enough to stop the Southeast Missouri sticks, who recorded 12 hits on the day. SEMO took a 3-0 lead in the top of the third but UMKC got on the scoreboard in the bottom of the third, with Rashonda Stanley and Kelly Fischer scoring.
A four-run fourth inning for SEMO increased their lead to five, 7-2. UMKC was only able to score one more run in the game in the bottom of the sixth. Chelsea Hartwig singled and then Rhiannon Mendez pinch ran for her and a Bennefeld double would score Mendez.
SEMO was able to tack on three insurance runs in the top of the seventh for the win.
Samantha Hurst and Taya Upkes traded pitching duties for UMKC. Hurst finished the day with one strike out in 3.2 innings of work and Upkes recorded three in 3.1 innings.
Players Mentioned
C/IF
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IF
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IF
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P/UTIL
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OF
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P/UTIL
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OF
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OF
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Wednesday, May 07
SB Highlights @ South Dakota (Game Three)
Saturday, May 03
SB Highlights @ South Dakota (Game Two)
Friday, May 02
SB Highlights @ South Dakota (Game One)
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