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UMKC Takes On Centenary To Kick-Off Spring Break Trip
3/22/2009 11:00:00 PM | Softball
Kansas City, Mo. -- The Kangaroos will hit the road for a eight-game road trip over UMKC's spring break. UMKC will resume with Summit League play in a three-game series at Centenary College and then drop out of league play for a double-header against Grambling State. UMKC will wrap up its week up in Rochester, Mich., at Oakland.
UMKC is 5-21 overall on the season and will look to snap an 11-game losing streak. The Kangaroos are also hoping to secure their first Summit League win as they are 0-6 in league play.
Despite the Kangaroos rough patch, they have several players posting some good numbers at the plate. Kelly Fischer leads UMKC with 13 runs scored off of 24 hits. First baseman Chelsea Hartwig has scored seven runs off of 23 hits and leads the team with five home runs and 17 RBIs.
Taya Upkes is still throwing well for UMKC with a 2.88 ERA. In 17 innings of work, Upkes has allowed 15 runs to score, seven of which were earned, off of 26 hits. She has recorded 16 strikeouts so far this season. Samantha Hurst leads the UMKC pitching staff with a .299 opponent batting average and 55 strikeouts in 66.1 innings pitched.
Opponent Preview
Centenary
The Ladies are currently 18-10 on the year and 1-1 in The Summit League. Centenary is led by Lindsey Smith with a .382 batting average, scoring 18 runs off of 34 hits. Smith has recorded eight doubles, nine home runs and 27 RBIs. On the mound with a 1.89 ERA is Hillary Phillips. Phillips has allowed 29 runs to score of off 58 hits, with 23 of those runs being earned. She is 8-4 on the season, with 70 strikeouts and 24 batters walked.
Grambling State
The Tigers are 2-10 on the season and are led by Denean Woods. Woods has started and appeared in all 12 games and has scored five runs off of 14 hits, highlighted by three doubles. Leading Grambling State on the mound is Brandi Payne with a 2.30 ERA. Payne is 1-3 on the year and in 51.2 innings of work has allowed 31 runs, 17 earned, to score off of 50 hits. Payne has retired 16 batters this season.
Last time out for the Kangaroos....
Kangaroos Swept by Bison at Cleveland Park
NDSU 6, UMKC 2
North Dakota State jumped out to a 2-0 lead after scoring a run in both the second and third innings.
In the bottom of the fourth, the Kangaroos cut their deficit in half thanks to a Chelsea Hartwig long ball ? her fifth jack of the season.
The two teams then traded runs in the fifth inning. In the bottom half, UMKC used three singles and a walk ? all with two outs - to plate its run. Amanda Evans collected the RBI in the inning, as her single to left field brought in Ashley Whiteside, who opened the two-out rally with a single.
NDSU then closed the door on the UMKC rally with three runs in the top of the seventh to take a 6-2 lead.
Samantha Hurst took the loss for the ?Roos, as she allowed six runs on seven hits, while pitching all seven innings. The senior, however, finished with six strikeouts in the contest.
Game Two ? NDSU 6, UMKC 0
The Bison again struck first in the second game of the doubleheader. The Bison pushed a pair of runners across the plate in the second inning courtesy of Taylor Lynn's two-out double. The squad then notched its third run in the third inning.
The Kangaroos couldn't muster up anything against NDSU hurler Kim Westendorf. The pitcher allowed just five hits in the complete game shutout, as she picked up her second win of the season.
NDSU removed any doubt in the contest by plating three insurance runs in the top of the seventh inning before going on to the 6-0 victory.
Game Three - NDSU 14, UMKC 0 (5)
The UMKC softball team dropped the series finale to North Dakota State by the score of 14-0 in five innings on Saturday afternoon at Cleveland Park. The Bison held the Kangaroos hitless in the contest, as they completed the three-game series sweep.
NDSU jumped on UMKC starter Anna Sokolik in the first inning, as the squad scored seven runs on four hits. The Bison then tacked on two more runs in the second inning courtesy of a towering Melissa Chmielewski home run to stretch the lead to 9-0.
The Bison continued clicking offensively, as they scored three in the fourth and two in the fifth to claim the 14-0 victory.
NDSU hurler Andi Padilla picked up her 12th victory of the season in the contest, as she pitched a five-inning perfect game.
