UMKC Heads to Indiana for Evansville Tournament
2/23/2012 11:48:00 PM | Softball
The 'Roos will face-off against Butler (12:30 p.m.) and Evansville (4:30 p.m.) on Saturday. Then on Sunday, UMKC will play Detroit (9:30 a.m.) and Butler again (1:30 p.m.) to close out the weekend.
THE OPPONENTS
» UMKC vs. Butler (0-2) » Saturday, Feb. 25, 2012 » 12:30 p.m.
Coming into 2012, the Bulldogs were picked to finish second in The Horizon League after winning 32 games last season, which was the second most in team history. In league action, the Bulldogs won a school-record 14 games and finished third in the final standings.
On the mound, Butler returns last season's Horizon League Pitcher of the Year Jenny Esparza who set a league championship record with 60 strikeouts in 2011. In addition, she tied her own team single-season record with 18 wins along with increasing her school career strikeouts record to 575.
Also, first baseman Erin Falkenberry set a team record for most home runs in a season with 13.
As for head coach Scott Hall, he is in his second season at the helm after spending the previous 12 in the Indiana high school ranks.
To start 2012, the Bulldogs traveled to Nashville, Tenn. to compete in the Lady Bison Round Robin, hosted by Lipscomb on Feb. 18-19. In two games, Butler fell 1-0 to Lipscomb and 4-3 to Samford.
» The Series: First meeting.
» UMKC vs. Evansville (2-0) » Saturday, Feb. 25, 2012 » 4:30 p.m.
After finishing 12-42 (6-21 Missouri Valley) in 2011, the Purple Aces enter this season with 14 players returning from last year's squad, including their entire pitching staff.
In their two wins this season, Evansville outscored Alcorn State 23-1. In the first contest, Evansville won 13-0 in six innings behind junior pitcher Sarah Patterson's one hit and seven strikeout performance on the mound.
In game two, Evansville completed the two-game sweep with a 10-1 victory in five innings in which junior Kendall Kautz gave up five hits and recorded five strikeouts.
Entering his third season, Mark Redburn holds a 32-76 record. Before coming to Evansville, Redburn served as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator for Missouri for three seasons.
» The Series: UMKC is 1-3 all-time against Evansville. In the last meeting, the Kangaroos fell 8-0 to the Purple Aces on March 10, 2007 in the OU/Worth Invitational.
» UMKC vs. Detroit (0-3) » Saturday, Feb. 25, 2012 » 4:30 p.m.
The Detroit Mercy kicked off its 2012 season with losses to South Carolina Upstate, St. Bonaventure, and Ohio in the South Carolina Upstate Tournament on Feb. 10-11.
Coming off a 7-37 (2-20 Horizon League) 2011 campaign, Detroit was picked to finish ninth in The Horizon League this season. Leading the way on the field is the team's top returning hitter, infielder Rachel Copple. Last season, the Dearborn Heights, MI. native led the team in hitting (.317) and runs scored (19).
Also returning is 2011 Horizon League All-Newcomer Team member Sara Cupp who will see time at multiple positions.
In her third year at the helm, head coach Sunny Jones holds a 9-63 record.
» The Series: First meeting.
FRIESE NAMED LEAGUE PITCHER OF THE WEEK
Monday, Feb. 20, junior pitcher Deanna Friese earned her sixth career Summit League Pitcher of the Week honor and first of the season after throwing a one-hitter against Hawaii in UMKC's lone game of the week.
In her third complete-game performance of the season, the Kennesaw, Ga. native struck out nine, while allowing one hit and one earned run.
CURRY PICKING WHERE SHE LEFT OFF
In 54 games last season, infielder Kaelene Curry finished as the team's leader in batting (.378), runs scored (46), hits (65), and on-base percentage (.454).
Through five games in 2012, the reigning Summit League Player of the Year leads her team in batting (.412), slugging percentage (.471), and hits (7).
FRESHMAN RAMOS OFF TO A SOLID START
In her first career start on Feb. 10 against Seattle, the Olathe, Kan. native recorded a complete-game performance giving up no runs, five hits, walking one, and striking out five in a 1-0 win for UMKC.
Against DePaul on Feb. 11, Ramos had a toughing outing as she allowed nine hits along with six earned runs in 3.1 innings in her second start.
Later in the day, Ramos bounced back nicely against Seattle with another complete-game performance as she allowed two hits and two earned runs along with three strikeouts as the 'Roos won 3-2.
In three games started, Ramos holds a 2-1 record with an ERA of 3.23 and nine strikeouts.
'ROOS FINISH THIRD IN OCEANIC TIME WARNER CABLE PARADISE CLASSIC
Feb. 9-11, the 'Roos kicked off its season with a third place finish in the Oceanic Time Warner Cable Paradise Classic in Honolulu, Hawaii, hosted by Hawaii.
In five games, the 'Roos went 2-3, dropping one to Hawaii and two to DePaul, while winning two against Seattle.
Senior Kelly Fischer was the lone Kangaroo named to the all-tournament team. Starting in all five games at second base, the Glendale, Ariz. native batted .308 with four hits and two runs scored to go along with a .308 slugging percentage.
SIXTH INNING UNKIND TO THE 'ROOS THUS FAR
In the first matchup between UMKC and Hawaii on Feb. 10, the 'Roos held a 1-0 lead going into the bottom half of the sixth. After scoring the game's first run earlier in the inning, UMKC gave up five runs, pin-pointed by a Leisha Lillii three-run homer to seal the 5-1 victory for UH.
In the second matchup three days later, the game was nodded at zero going into the bottom half of the sixth until UH's Kayla Wartner hit a leadoff solo homerun for the first and only run of the game.
MISSOURI 3&2 THE HOME FOR UMKC IN 2012
After playing its home games at numerous locations in 2011, the UMKC softball team will play all of its home games this season at the Missouri 3&2 Field located at 9600 Blue River Road here in Kansas City, Mo.
