Kansas City
South Dakota State
'Roos Come From Behind To Down Jackrabbits In Nine Innings
4/3/2010 5:21:00 PM | Softball
Brookings, S.D. -- The UMKC softball team (10-23, 5-7) defeated South Dakota State in the series finale at Jackrabbit Softball Stadium, 7-4, in nine innings after trailing by three heading into the seventh inning. Sophomore Anna Sokolik (6-6) picked up the win on the mound for the 'Roos, tossing all nine innings, allowing four runs, while striking out four.
The 'Roos jumped ahead 1-0 in the first when Sokolik's RBI single scored Kaelene Curry who had led off the game with a single.
The score remained 1-0 until the bottom of the third when the Jacks put three runs on the board on a Tina Winter solo home run and an Ashley Durazo two-run single to take the 3-1 lead.
SDSU would tack on an insurance run in the bottom off fifth to take a 4-1 lead into the seventh after holding UMKC scoreless in their last five at-bats.
The 'Roos would not go quietly though, as a three-run seventh would send the game into extra innings. Janessa Swinney started the UMKC rally with a one-out single, before Kelly Fischer's two-out double put runners on second and third for a red-hot Sokolik. Sokolik would come through for the 'Roos, as her grounder to the pitcher scored Curry, who reached on a fielder's choice, from third and put runners on the corners for the squad's RBI leader, Emily Ott. Ott would not disappoint, as her two-run double knocked in Fischer and Sokolik to tie the game at four and send it to extra innings.
In extras, the two teams would go scoreless in the eighth before a three-run ninth gave the 'Roos the 7-4 lead and the series victory. Ott got the squad started in the inning, reaching after being hit by a pitch, and advanced to second on Danielle Bennefeld's single. Megan Vicino then put the 'Roos ahead for good with a two-run triple down the right field line, scoring Ott and Bennefeld. Vicino then came around to score on an SDSU error to give the squad its final run, while Sokolik would retire the Jackrabbit hitters in order in the bottom of the inning to end the game.
In the game, Fischer, Sokolik and Ott all registered two hits and a run, while eight of the nine UMKC starters finished with at least one hit.
The Blue and Gold will be back in action next weekend when they host the Dakota's Round Robin Tournament featuring South Dakota and North Dakota.
