Kansas City
Western Illinois
'Roos Drop Final Game Of Series With WIU
3/27/2010 4:21:00 PM | Softball
Macomb, Ill. -- The UMKC softball (8-20, 3-6) team dropped the final game of the series at Western Illinois (17-7, 6-0), 7-5, on Saturday afternoon at Mary Ellen McKee Stadium. Kelly Fischer led the 'Roos in the game, finishing with two hits and two runs scored.
The 'Roos got the scoring started in the first, taking a 1-0 lead when Fischer scored on Emiy Ott's RBI single.
The Leathernecks quickly responded with three runs in the bottom of the first on a Jamie Goss three-run home run off starter Anna Sokolik.
After a scoreless second, WIU tacked on two runs in the third and a single run in the fourth, pushing the lead to 6-1.
UMKC would not go away, however, as the squad began its comeback effort with a four-run fifth to cut the Leatherneck lead to 6-5. Fischer got the 'Roos started with a lead-off triple and came around to score on Lauren Rodrigues' RBI double. Betsy Hanley then reached on an error to put runners on the corners. The next batter, Megan Vicino, reached on an error by the WIU left fielder, scoring Rodrigues and Hanley and eventually scored on an illegal pitch to pull the 'Roos within one.
Deanna Friese then sat the Leathernecks down in order in the bottom of the fifth, before the 'Roos mounted one last comeback attempt. Sokolik led the inning off by reaching on an error, eventually ending up on second. Fischer's sacrifice bunt moved Sokolik to third giving Rodrigues a chance to tie the game. Rodrigues sent the ball to right field and Sokolik tagged from third, but was thrown out at home to end the threat.
Western Illinois added an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth giving it the 7-5 win.
At the plate, Rodrigues finished with an RBI and a run scored, while Friese tossed 3.2 innings, allowing one earned run while striking out six.
The Blue and Gold will be in action again on Tuesday when they head to Lawrence, Kan., for a doubleheader with Kansas.
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