'Roos To Battle Jags In Summit League Series
3/17/2010 3:33:00 PM | Softball
This Week
The UMKC softball team will continue Summit League play this week when it welcomes in IUPUI for a three game series at Loyola Park now set to begin on Thursday at 7:30 p.m. , while Friday's doubleheader is set to being at 1 p.m. Originally the two teams had been scheduled for a doubleheader Friday at 3 and 5 p.m. and a single game Saturday at noon, but due to inclement weather, the schedule was adjusted. Live stats will be available at the start of each game at www.UMKCKangaroos.com.
Opponent Preview
» UMKC vs. IUPUI » March 18 & 19, 2010 » 7:30 p.m., 1:00 p.m. & 3:00 p.m.
IUPUI enters the weekend series with a 3-12 record overall and a Summit League mark of 0-3, dropping all three contests over the weekend to Western Illinois. Joy Perry (.353) and Kelsey Rupert (.292) lead the squad at the plate, while Alicia Garrison is tops on the team with six RBIs. Meanwhile, five separate Jags have belted home runs, led by Mia Ettl's two. On the mound, Amy Raker leads the team with a 4.05 ERA in 19.0 innings, while Jocelyn Oppenhuis paces the squad with 22 strikeouts.
LAST WEEK
The UMKC softball team had its biggest week of the season, going 3-2 against Wichita State and IPFW, including a doubleheader sweep of the Shockers. On Wednesday, the 'Roos downed Wichita State in the first game 2-1 and 4-0 in the second game. Starting pitchers Anna Sokolik and Deanna Friese led the 'Roos, as each pitcher reached their career-highs in strikeouts at nine.
On Friday against IPFW, the 'Roos took the first game, 9-4, before falling in the second game, 11-9. In a day filled with offense, Betsy Hanley paced the squad, finishing 4-for-8 with four RBIs, two doubles, two runs scored and a home run. In game three, UMKC fell 14-1, while on Monday the squad dropped its game at No. 12 Oklahoma, 17-1.
'ROOS NOTCH SCHOOL'S 250TH WIN
With its 9-4 win over IPFW on Friday night, the UMKC softball teamed recorded the 250th win in school history. Overall the 'Roos are 250-631 for a .284 winning percentage, while sitting 109-158 in Summit League play. Head Coach Meredith Smith holds a 38-126 record in over three seasons at the helm of the squad.
POWER SURGE
The Summit League opening series with IPFW featured a total of ten home runs between the two teams, including seven in the second game of Friday's doubleheader. For the 'Roos, Betsy Hanley, Emily Ott, Taylor Hill and Amanda Kinn all went yard, while IPFW's Kristina Karpun hit four home runs in the series.
SUCCESSFUL DEBUT
Sophomore Betsy Hanley made her season debut last week against Wichita State and IPFW after suffering a knee injury during the fall season. Hanley finished the week with five RBIs, two doubles, two runs and a home run. Last season, the Minooka, Ill., native led the team with a .342 batting average with 13 RBIs, nine steals, six doubles, a triple and a home run, while spending most of her time at third base for the 'Roos.
LEADING THE 'ROOS
Kaelene Curry is off to a monster start in her sophomore campaign, as the Downer's Grove, Ill., native currently leads the 'Roos in batting average (.404), OBP (.534), runs (20), hits (23), doubles (5), total bases (28), walks (11), HBPs (5), steals (8) and is second on the team in slugging percentage (.491). Other category leaders for the 'Roos include Betsy Hanley (.500), Emily Ott in RBIs (13), Anna Sokolik in triples (3), while six different 'Roos each have one home run.
CHICAGOLAND GIRLS
The UMKC softball features a quartet of girls from the Chicagoland area, including sophomores Kaelene Curry (Downer's Grove, Ill.), Betsy Hanley (Minooka, Ill.) and Megan Vicino (Oak Brook, Ill.) and freshman Emily Ott (Des Plaines, Ill.). Combined, the foursome is hitting .302 with 34 RBIs, 32 runs scored and 13 doubles and includes four of the top six RBI women on the team.
COMING OUT SWINGING
The UMKC line-up currently features four hitters with a batting average above .300, including sophomore Kaelene Curry's .404 average, Kelly Fischer's .309 average, Emily Ott's .314 average and Amanda Kinn's .306 average. Combined, the four players are hitting .335 with 38 runs scored, 12 doubles, 35 RBIs and a .420 on-base percentage.
OUT-HITTING=WINNING
When the UMKC bats are going, they are tough to beat. The 'Roos have a 5-1 record when they out hit their opponents, while holding a 1-13 mark when they are out hit. In its five wins, UMKC has out hit Jackson State, 5-3, Maine, 12-9, SEMO, 8-3, Wichita State, 6-4 and IPFW, 11-9. The squad's lone loss came in the first game of the season when they out hit the Redhawks, 10-7.
SUMMIT LEAGUE LEADERS
Several 'Roos sit on top of The Summit League statistical standings, led by Kaelene Curry and Anna Sokolik. Curry leads the league's in OBP at .534, while sitting second in runs (20), fourth in batting average (.404) and stolen bases (8), fifth in hits (23) and walks (11) and sixth in doubles (5). Sokolik is tied for the league lead with three triples, while Hartwig is tied for sixth in walks with t10. Fischer's seven steals are fifth in the league, while Emily Ott's 13 RBIs are tied for fourth.
Freshman Deanna Friese, meanwhile, is second in the league in strikeouts (72), while sitting fifth in appearances (16), innings pitched (66.2), games started (12) and complete games (7). Sokolik, meanwhile, is ninth in ERA (3.22) and eighth in opponent batting average (.269).
'ROOS ON THE MOUND
This season, the UMKC softball team will count on one first-year player and one second-year player to handle the bulk of the duties on the mound, as freshmen Deanna Friese and sophomore Anna Sokolik will be the 'Roos one and two pitchers. Friese has compiled a 3-8 record this season with a 4.73ERA and 72 strikeouts in 66.2 innings of work. Sokolik, meanwhile, has emerged as the 'Roos most consistent pitcher in the early part of the season. Thus far, the Bettendorf, Iowa, native has compiled a team-low 3.22 ERA in 45.2 innings, while striking out 34.
Rounding out the pitching staff for the 'Roos are junior Taya Upkes and freshman Emily Ott. On the season, Upkes has thrown 12.2 innings, while Ott has gone 13.1 innings in her debut campaign.
RICE INDUCTED INTO UMKC HALL OF FAME
Three-time First Team all-Mid-Con selection (1999-01) Amanda Rice was inducted into the UMKC Hall of Fame on Jan. 22. Rice, who was a Mid-Con all-Tournament team honoree in 1999, is the UMKC career record holder in hits (201), doubles (47) runs batted in (97) and home runs (14). She also finished her career ranked second in putouts (219), fourth in games played (218), sixth in batting average (.309) and fifth in walks (40).
WHITESIDE ON THE MEND
Starting center fielder Ashley Whiteside will miss significant action for the 'Roos, as the junior injured her ankle against Eastern Illinois in a collision at first base. On the season, Whiteside had amassed a .286 batting average with seven runs, and four stolen bases, while providing the squad with a strong defensive presence in center field.
SOKOLIK NAMED SUMMIT LEAGUE PITCHER OF THE WEEK
UMKC's Anna Sokolik was named The Summit League Pitcher of the Week on March 8 after posting a 1-1 record with a 1.38 ERA and 10 strikeouts in the Missouri Breast Cancer Awareness Tournament. The Bettendorf, Iowa, native began the tournament by picking up her first win of the season over Southeast Missouri State on Friday, tossing a complete game, allowing one earned run and eight hits, while striking out four. Against Missouri State, Sokolik threw all six innings, giving up one earned run on eight hits with a career-high six strikeouts.
SOKOLIK, FRIESE NAMED TO ULM MARDI GRAS CLASSIC ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM
Sophomore Anna Sokolik and freshman Deanna Friese were named to the ULM Mardi Gras all-Tournament team. Sokolik finished the tournament with an .833 batting average, as the sophomore collected five hits, including two triples, scored two runs, drove in one run and slugged 1.667 in three games. On the mound, the Bettendorf, Iowa, native pitched two hitless innings. Friese, meanwhile, finished the tournament with a 1-1 record and a 3.46 ERA in 13 innings of work, while striking out 17 in two complete game efforts.
THE LONE SENIOR
Carli Slagle returns to the 'Roos for her fourth season in the Blue and Gold, making her the only senior on this year's team. Slagle, who is second all-time in UMKC history with nine career home runs, will be counted on to by Head Coach Meredith Smith to provide leadership to a team that features five freshmen, 10 sophomores and six juniors. Last season, the outfielder finished with a .267 batting average, while finishing second on the team with 23 RBI's and third in home runs with four. This season, Slagle has mashed one of the team's six home runs.
'ROOS PICKED FIFTH IN PRESEASON POLL
The UMKC softball team was picked to finish fifth in The Summit League Preseason Poll in a vote of the league's nine head coaches. The 'Roos received 30 points in the polls, trailing fourth place Oakland by only four points. Western Illinois was picked as the preseason favorite, finishing with 5 first place votes for a total of 61 points.
RETURNEES GALORE
UMKC returns eight starters, including a pair of Second Team all-Summit League honorees in Kelly Fischer and Chelsea Hartwig, from a squad that finished 20-34 and 10-14 in The Summit League last season.
HEAD COACH MEREDITH SMITH
Meredith Smith is entering her fourth season at the helm of the UMKC softball program with a 35-124 overall record and a 17-44 mark in Summit League play through her first three years. After inheriting a program that had finished with a winning season once in the previous 18 years of existence, Coach Smith has at least doubled her win total in each of her three seasons. Last season, Smith led the squad to 20 wins, the most since the 2002 season.
LAST SEASON
The UMKC softball team finished the 2009 campaign with a 20-34 overall record, while going 10-14 in Summit League play to finish sixth. The 20 wins mark only the fourth time in school history that the team has reached the total. The squad was led on the year by Second Team all-Summit League selections Kelly Fischer and Chelsea Hartwig. Fischer finished with a .313 average, while notching a team-high 28 runs and 57 hits. Hartwig, meanwhile, recorded team-highs of eight home runs, 25 RBIs, 15 walks and a .486 slugging percentage in 2009. The eight home runs for Hartwig were a UMKC single season record.
