Kansas City
Maine
UMKC Takes Two On Day One Of UCF/Courtyard by Marriott Invitational II
2/26/2011 12:05:00 AM | Softball
Orlando, Fla. -- The UMKC softball team (8-3) picked up a pair of wins on the opening day of the UCF/Courtyard by Marriott Invitational II, downing Maine (3-4), 6-0 in the opener before taking down host UCF (3-8), 12-3 in the night cap.
Junior Anna Sokolik led the 'Roos with five hits and three RBIs on the day, while sophomore Emily Ott finished with four hits and a team-high four RBIs. On the mound, freshman Katie Franks tossed a complete game against the Black Bears, earning her first collegiate win with a three-hit, five strike out performance. Sophomore Deanna Friese, meanwhile, allowed just on earned run to register her sixth win of the season against UCF.
Against Maine, the 'Roos jumped ahead early and never looked back. UMKC got the scoring started in the first inning when freshman Katie Henning dropped an RBI double into right field that scored Sokolik and junior Megan Ussary.
The 'Roos would hold onto the two run lead until the bottom of the fifth when Ott's double down the left field line again knocked in Sokolik and Ussary, putting UMKC ahead 4-0.
The Kangaroos then put the game away in the bottom of the sixth when Sokolik two-run single scored junior Danielle Bennefeld and junior Ashley Whiteside.
Franks then struck out the first two batters in the seventh before getting the game's final batter to pop out to right, preserving the 6-0 win.
In the evening game against the Knights, UMKC trailed after giving up two unearned runs on a home run in the first inning.
Bennefeld quickly answered for the 'Roos, belting a two-run shot over the centerfield fence to tie the game at 2-2.
In the third, UMKC took its first lead of the game when junior Kaelene Curry came around to score on Ott's RBI groundout.
Two innings later, the 'Roos extended their lead to three when Curry and Ussary both scored on UCF miscues; Curry on a throwing error and Ussary on a wild pitch.
UCF trimmed the lead to two in the bottom half of the inning, but the 'Roos would open up the flood gates in the sixth.
In the inning, Sokolik knocked in Bennefeld with an RBI single before Ussary drove in Curry and Whiteside with a two-run double. Ott's RBI single that scored Sokolik then chased the UCF pitcher from the game, but the 'Roos were still not done scoring, as pinch hitter Megan Vicino sent a two-run single up the middle that knocked in Ott and Ussary. The 'Roos then got their final run of the game when Brooke Whiteside's RBI single scored Henning to put them ahead 12-3.
Friese then retired three of the four batters she faced in the bottom of the inning, including striking out the game's final batter.
The Blue and Gold will be back in action again tomorrow when they take on UNF at 10 a.m. and No. 9 Michigan at 3 p.m.
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