Kansas City
South Dakota
UMKC Goes 2-0 On Opening Day Of Dakotas Round Robin Tourney
4/16/2011 8:10:00 PM | Softball
Olathe, Kan. -- The UMKC softball team (25-14) opened the Dakotas Round Robin Tournament with a pair of wins on the first day of play behind two strong performances on the mound from starters Deanna Friese and Anna Sokolik. In the early game, the 'Roos shutout South Dakota (15-26), 2-0 with Friese tossing a complete game, one-hitter with 15 strikeouts, while Sokolik picked up the win in the 4-3 victory over North Dakota (12-28), allowing three runs in six innings with five strikeouts.
Against South Dakota, Friese opened up by striking out the side in the top of the first for her first three strikeouts of the game.
In the bottom half of the inning, the 'Roos struck for two quick runs to take an early lead. Shortstop Kaelene Curry led-off with a single to extend her hit streak to 23 and moved to second on Kelly Fischer's bunt single. After a ground out by Sokolik put the runners on second and third, Emily Ott singled to short to knock in Curry. Ott then stole second and after a fielder's choice by Megan Ussary put runners on the corner, Ussary and Ott pulled off a double steal giving UMKC a 2-0 advantage.
The two runs would be the 'Roos' only runs of the game and the only ones they would need as Friese would dominate the Coyotes by striking out at least one batter in every inning and taking a no-hitter into the seventh.
In the inning, the South Dakota lead-off batter hit a pop fly to the pitcher's mound, but the ball dropped between two 'Roos for USD's first hit of the game. Friese, though, would regroup and retire the next three hitters, including striking out the final two, to hold on for her 18th win of the season.
In the game, Ott led the UMKC offense, going 1-for-3 with an RBI, a run, and two stolen bases.
Against North Dakota, the 'Roos again struck first, this time scoring two runs in the bottom of the second when junior Danielle Bennefeld bombed a two-run home run over the center field fence that scored Katie Henning and put UMKC up 2-0.
Two innings later, the Kangaroos built their lead to 3-0 when Henning knocked in Megan Ussary from third after the third baseman singled, stole second and advanced to third on an Amanda Kinn groundout.
Henning and Ussary would account for the 'Roos' final run of the game in the sixth when Ussary doubled to left and scored on Henning's RBI single to center.
Sokolik, meanwhile, held the Fighting Sioux scoreless through the first six innings, but gave up a three run home run in the seventh that cut the UMKC lead to one at 4-3.
Friese, though, would come in and shut the door on UND to pick up the squad's first save of the season.
In the game, Ussary, Henning, and Bennefeld combined to go 6-for-8 with four RBIs, four runs, two stolen bases a home run, a double and a walk.
In the first game of the day, South Dakota defeated North Dakota 5-3 with a five-run seventh.
The three teams will continue play in the tournament tomorrow, with the first pitch scheduled for 11 a.m. in the opening game between North Dakota and South Dakota.
