'Roos Set For Home, Summit League Openers
3/9/2010 3:30:00 PM | Softball
This Week
The UMKC softball team will welcome a pair of opponents to Kansas City this week when the 'Roos battle Wichita State in their home opener and take on IPFW in their Summit League opener. UMKC will take on the Shockers in a doubleheader on Wednesday starting at 3:00 p.m. at Loyola Park on the campus of Rockhurst University. The squad will then welcome the Mastodons to Kansas City for three games, starting with a doubleheader on Friday at 3:00 p.m. and concluding Saturday at noon.
Opponent Preview
» UMKC vs. Wichita State »March 10, 2010 » 3:00 p.m. & 5:00 p.m.
Wichita State enters Wednesday's games with an 8-8 record, which includes losses to Tulsa and a 1-2 record against Texas Tech, both common opponents. The Shockers are led at the plate by Heather Gerritse, as the junior leads the team in batting average (.400), hits (16), home runs (4), RBIs (13), slugging percentage (.700), walks (11) and on-base percentage (.538). On the mound, Kasha Kolb is the staff ace, as the sophomore has a team-low 2.62 ERA in 45.1 innings while striking out 44 and allowing a .230 opponent batting average. On the base paths, WSU has stolen 22 bases in 24 attempts. Wichita State leads the all-time series between the two school 31-4, including a sweep of last year's two contests in the Shocker Invitational.
» UMKC vs. IPFW » March 12 & 13, 2010 » 3:00 p.m., 5:00 p.m. & 12:00 p.m.
IPFW enters the week with a 6-6 record, which includes posting a perfect 4-0 record in the Winthrop Early Bird Tournament. The Mastodons will take on SEMO on Wednesday before heading to Kansas City to face the 'Roos. Junior Kristina Karpun leads the 'Dons in batting average (.412), hits (14) doubles (5), slugging percentage (.735) and on-base percentage (.487) while sitting second on the team in home runs (2) and RBIs (8). Sara Hopwood, meanwhile leads the team in hits (14), home runs (3) and RBIs (10), while sitting second in doubles (3) and slugging percentage (.684). As a team, IPFW has combined for a 3.03 ERA, led by Amanda Olendar's 2.37 ERA. Courtney Cronin, meanwhile, has a 3.22 ERA in 36.1 innings with 27 strikeouts. UMKC leads the all-time series between the two schools 5-2, including a 2-1 series win last season in Fort Wayne.
LAST WEEK
The UMKC softball team went 1-4 last weekend at the Missouri Breast Cancer Awareness Tournament. In the event, the 'Roos defeated Southeast Missouri State in the opener (7-1), while dropping games against Saint Louis (0-8), Missouri (9-3) and Missouri State (3-0). Emily Ott led the 'Roos at the plate, as the freshman finished with a .364 batting average and five RBIs, while junior Amanda Kinn went 4-6 with two walks and three RBIs. On the mound, Anna Sokolik went 1-1 with a 1.38 ERA in 13 innings while striking out 10, including a career-high six against Missouri State.
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.
LATE ADDITION
UMKC has added No. 12 Oklahoma to the 2010 schedule after cancellations earlier in the season made room for the Sooners on the schedule. The 'Roos will travel to Norman, Okla., on Monday, March 15 to face OU for a 5 p.m. contest. Oklahoma leads the all-time series between the two schools, 3-0.
HANLEY'S DEBUT
Sophomore Betsy Hanley will make her season debut this Wednesday against Wichita State after suffering a knee injury during the fall season. 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 slugging (.476), OBP (.500), runs (12), hits (15), RBIs (9), doubles (5), total bases (20), HBPs (4) and is second on the team in stolen bases (4), batting average (.357) and walks (8). Other category leaders for the 'Roos include Amanda Kinn in batting average (.375), Emily Ott in RBIs (9), Anna Sokolik in triples (2), Lauren Rodrigues and Carli Slagle in home runs (1), Chelsea Hartwig in walks (9) and Kelly Fischer in steals (5).
COMING OUT SWINGING
The UMKC line-up currently features three hitters with a batting average above .350, including junior Amanda Kinn's .375 average, sophomore Kaelene Curry's .357 average and Emily Ott's .353 average. Combined, the trio is hitting .360 with 17 runs scored, eight doubles, 22 RBIs and a .460 on-base percentage.
OUT-HITTING=WINNING
When the UMKC bats are going, they are tough to beat. The 'Roos have a 3-1 record when they out hit their opponents, while holding an 0-12 mark when they are out hit. In its three wins, UMKC has out hit Jackson State, 5-3, Maine, 12-9 and SEMO, 8-3. 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, Anna Sokolik and Kelly Fischer. Curry has the league's second highest OBP at .500, while also sitting fourth in runs (12), fifth in RBIs (9), sixth in doubles (5) and walks (8), eighth in stolen bases (4) and ninth in batting average (.357) . Sokolik is tied for the league lead with two triples, while Hartwig is tied for second in walks with nine. Fischer's five steals are fifth in the league, while Ashley Whiteside is tied for eighth with four.
Freshman Deanna Friese, meanwhile, is second in the league in strikeouts (49) and fourth in appearances (12) and games started (9), while sitting fifth in complete games (6) and innings pitched (49.2). Sokolik, meanwhile, is seventh in ERA (2.67) and eighth in opponent batting average (.246).
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 two home runs.
'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 number one and number two pitchers. Friese has compiled a 2-8 record this season with a 6.34 ERA and 49 strikeouts in 49.2 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 2.67 ERA in 30.1 innings, while striking out 21.
Rounding out the pitching staff for the 'Roos are junior Taya Upkes and freshman Emily Ott. On the season, Upkes has thrown 10 innings, while Ott has gone 12.1 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, 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.
'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.
