UMKC To Participate In Missouri Coaches vs. Cancer Classic This Weekend
3/5/2009 5:00:00 PM | Softball
Kansas City, Mo. -- UMKC will play in its last tournament before diving into Summit League play with Western Illinois on Saturday, March 14. The Kangaroos head to Springfield, Mo., to compete in the Missouri Coaches vs. Cancer Classic. UMKC will face four different opponents in two day. The Kangaroos face Missouri at 2:00 p.m., followed by a 4:00 p.m. game with Southeast Missouri State on Friday, March 6.
The Kangaroos are 5-11 on the season headed into this weekend's tournament. UMKC went 1-1 last weekend and had two games canceled due to winter weather at the Memphis Tournament. The Kangaroos defeated Memphis 9-4 but then suffered a 5-4 loss to North Dakota.
Danielle Bennefeld leads the sticks with a .400 batting average. The freshman has appeared in 13 games and earned the starting nod in 10. She has scored nine runs off of 12 hits. Bennefeld has recorded five doubles, two triples, one home run and four RBIs. She is currently sitting at a .800 slugging percentage.
Leading the way on the mound for UMKC is Taya Upkes, who has pitched in five innings for the Kangaroos and holds a 1.40 ERA. Upkes has allowed six hits with just one run scoring. She has six strikeouts on the season. Senior Sam Hurst leads the UMKC pitchers in strikeouts with 41 on the season in 43.2 innings of work.
Missouri Coaches vs. Cancer Classic
Springfield, Mo.
Friday, March 6 - Saturday, March 7
Opponent Preview
? UMKC vs. Missouri ? Mar. 6 ? 2:00 p.m.
Missouri has a 13-2 overall record for the 2009 season. Last weekend the Tigers defeated Oregon (8-7), Santa Clare (10-0), and San Diego (9-0) at the San Diego Classic I. UCLA and San Diego State, however, topped Missouri at the tournament 4-2 and 2-1, resulting in the Tigers only losses of the season. The Tigers lead the Big 12 for team batting and team pitching.
Rhea Taylor leads Missouri with a .462 batting average. She has scored 12 runs off 12 hits with one double, one triple, one homerun, and three RBIs. On the mound for the Tigers is Chelsea Thomas, who has a 1.11 ERA. In 44.1 innings pitched, Thomas has allowed 14 runs, with seven of those runs being earned, off 27 hits. She has struck out 41 batters and walked only 12.
? UMKC vs. Southeast Missouri Sate ? Mar. 6 ? 4:00 p.m.
Southeast Missouri State is 4-2 overall this season, after dropping one game each to Central Arkansas (8-0) and Centenary College (10-2) in their last contest. The Redhawks are led by Elise Sperakos, who is batting .333 this season. Sperakos has scored five runs off of six hits with two doubles, one triple, and three RBIs. Gina Zimmerman is 3-0 this season on the mound for the Redhawks. She leads the team with a 1.11 ERA in 19 innings pitched. Zimmerman has given up four runs (three earned) off of 15 hits and struck out 16 batters.
? UMKC vs. Saint Louis ? Mar. 7 ? 12:00 p.m.
Saint Louis brings a 3-9 overall record this season after dropping a game against Oklahoma 7-4 last weekend. The Billikins are led by Nicki Jost, who is batting .333 this season. Jost has scored seven runs of 11 hits with two doubles, one triple, two homeruns, and seven RBIs. On the mound for Saint Louis is Erin Kelly, who has a 4.67 ERA. In her 18 innings of work, Kelly has allowed 21 runs off of 21 hits, with 12 of those being earned. She has struck out 18 batters and walked 12.
? UMKC vs. Missouri State ? Mar. 7 ? 5:00 p.m.
Missouri State is 7-5 overall for the 2009 season. Last weekend, the Bears topped Valparaiso 7-6 and Tennessee Tech 4-0 before the Frost Classic was canceled. Jessie Smith leads the Bears with a .500 batting average. Smith has scored 9 runs off 18 hits with four doubles, three homeruns, and seven RBIs. On the mound for the Bears is Lauren McGinley with a 1.95 ERA. McGinley is 4-1 overall this season making an appearance in 28 innings. She's allowed 23 hits with eight runs scoring. McGinley has walked 10 batters and struck out 12.
The Kangaroos are 5-11 on the season headed into this weekend's tournament. UMKC went 1-1 last weekend and had two games canceled due to winter weather at the Memphis Tournament. The Kangaroos defeated Memphis 9-4 but then suffered a 5-4 loss to North Dakota.
Danielle Bennefeld leads the sticks with a .400 batting average. The freshman has appeared in 13 games and earned the starting nod in 10. She has scored nine runs off of 12 hits. Bennefeld has recorded five doubles, two triples, one home run and four RBIs. She is currently sitting at a .800 slugging percentage.
Leading the way on the mound for UMKC is Taya Upkes, who has pitched in five innings for the Kangaroos and holds a 1.40 ERA. Upkes has allowed six hits with just one run scoring. She has six strikeouts on the season. Senior Sam Hurst leads the UMKC pitchers in strikeouts with 41 on the season in 43.2 innings of work.
Missouri Coaches vs. Cancer Classic
Springfield, Mo.
Friday, March 6 - Saturday, March 7
Opponent Preview
? UMKC vs. Missouri ? Mar. 6 ? 2:00 p.m.
Missouri has a 13-2 overall record for the 2009 season. Last weekend the Tigers defeated Oregon (8-7), Santa Clare (10-0), and San Diego (9-0) at the San Diego Classic I. UCLA and San Diego State, however, topped Missouri at the tournament 4-2 and 2-1, resulting in the Tigers only losses of the season. The Tigers lead the Big 12 for team batting and team pitching.
Rhea Taylor leads Missouri with a .462 batting average. She has scored 12 runs off 12 hits with one double, one triple, one homerun, and three RBIs. On the mound for the Tigers is Chelsea Thomas, who has a 1.11 ERA. In 44.1 innings pitched, Thomas has allowed 14 runs, with seven of those runs being earned, off 27 hits. She has struck out 41 batters and walked only 12.
? UMKC vs. Southeast Missouri Sate ? Mar. 6 ? 4:00 p.m.
Southeast Missouri State is 4-2 overall this season, after dropping one game each to Central Arkansas (8-0) and Centenary College (10-2) in their last contest. The Redhawks are led by Elise Sperakos, who is batting .333 this season. Sperakos has scored five runs off of six hits with two doubles, one triple, and three RBIs. Gina Zimmerman is 3-0 this season on the mound for the Redhawks. She leads the team with a 1.11 ERA in 19 innings pitched. Zimmerman has given up four runs (three earned) off of 15 hits and struck out 16 batters.
? UMKC vs. Saint Louis ? Mar. 7 ? 12:00 p.m.
Saint Louis brings a 3-9 overall record this season after dropping a game against Oklahoma 7-4 last weekend. The Billikins are led by Nicki Jost, who is batting .333 this season. Jost has scored seven runs of 11 hits with two doubles, one triple, two homeruns, and seven RBIs. On the mound for Saint Louis is Erin Kelly, who has a 4.67 ERA. In her 18 innings of work, Kelly has allowed 21 runs off of 21 hits, with 12 of those being earned. She has struck out 18 batters and walked 12.
? UMKC vs. Missouri State ? Mar. 7 ? 5:00 p.m.
Missouri State is 7-5 overall for the 2009 season. Last weekend, the Bears topped Valparaiso 7-6 and Tennessee Tech 4-0 before the Frost Classic was canceled. Jessie Smith leads the Bears with a .500 batting average. Smith has scored 9 runs off 18 hits with four doubles, three homeruns, and seven RBIs. On the mound for the Bears is Lauren McGinley with a 1.95 ERA. McGinley is 4-1 overall this season making an appearance in 28 innings. She's allowed 23 hits with eight runs scoring. McGinley has walked 10 batters and struck out 12.
Players Mentioned
C/IF
/ Softball
P
/ SoftballSB Highlights vs. #3 South Dakota
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)
Friday, May 02