Kansas City
IPFW
'Roos And 'Dons Combine For Nine Home Runs In Split Of Doubleheader
3/12/2010 11:52:00 PM | Softball
Kansas City, Mo. -- The UMKC softball team split its doubleheader on Friday with IPFW, taking the first game, 9-4 before falling in the second game, 11-9. In a day filled with offense, Besty Hanley paced the squad, finishing 4-for-8 with four RBIs, two doubles, two runs scored and a home run.
In the first game, IPFW jumped ahead early with two first inning runs on a Kristina Karpun home run.
UMKC cut the lead in half when Megan Vicino's groundout scored Rhiannon Mendez from third.
The 'Roos then took their first lead of the day with a four-run fourth when the squad started the inning with four straight singles from Anna Sokolik, Kaelene Curry, Kelly Fischer and Emily Ott. Sokolik would cross the plate first on an illegal pitch by the 'Dons, while Curry scored on Ott's single. Fischer then crossed the plate next on a wild pitch during Chelsea Hartwig's at-bat. Vicino followed with her second RBI of the game when her single knocked in Ott to give the squad a 5-2 lead.
UMKC put the game out of reach in the sixth when it tacked on three more runs on Hanley's three-run blast that scored Curry and Fischer.
The Mastodons would cut the lead to 8-4 with two runs in the top of the sixth, but the 'Roos would push the lead to the final 9-4 margin when Curry scored on a wild pitch in the bottom half of the inning.
For the 'Roos, the one through four hitters did a bulk of the damage in the game, going a combined 8-for-14 with eight runs, four RBIs and a home run. On the mound, Sokolik picked up the win, throwing a complete game, allowing four runs while striking out four.
In game two of the doubleheader, IPFW again got on the scoreboard first with a home run, this time getting a two-run shot from Karpun and a solo blast from Kaylee Faurote.
UMKC immediately answered in the bottom of the inning, putting five runs of its own on the board. Curry would score first, crossing the plate on Fischer's RBI single. Hanley's single then scored Fischer, and after a walk to Lauren Rodrigues, Amanda Kinn hit her first home run of the year, giving the 'Roos a 5-3 lead.
It would be a short-lived lead for the squad though, as the 'Dons recaptured the lead with a four run second behind Sara Hopwood's two-run triple and Karpun's two-run home run, her second of the game and third of the day.
The 'Roos would again answer, tying the game at seven with two runs in the bottom of the third on an RBI single by Taylor Hill and an error by the IPFW catcher that allowed Hartwig to score.
IPFW answered back in the top of the fourth on Karpun's third home run of the game and fourth of the day. This time, the junior sent a three-run shot over the left field fence. The 'Dons would get their final run of the game on back-to-back doubles that gave them an 11-7 lead.
UMKC would add solo shots by Emily Ott and Taylor Hill in the sixth and seventh inning but they would not be enough as IPFW took the game, 11-9.
In the game, the two teams combined for seven home runs, while tallying nine on the day. For the 'Roos, eight players notched hits in the second game, led by Kinn and Hill who each had two hits and a home run.
The two teams will be back in action again tomorrow for the third and final game in the series at Loyola Park with 12:00 p.m. scheduled start.
