UMKC Set to Closeout Home Schedule with a Doubleheader Against Wichita State
5/1/2012 3:21:00 PM | Softball
(Kansas City, Mo.) - Wednesday, the UMKC softball team (22-27, 10-11 SL) will conclude its regular season home schedule with a doubleheader against the Wichita State Shockers (14-36, 7-17 MVC) at 5 p.m. and 7 p.m.
THE OPPONENT
» Wichita State Shockers (14-36, 7-17 Missouri Valley Conference as of May 1)
Entering Wednesday, the Shockers are 5-5 in their last 10 games, including going 1-2 in a series with conference foe Bradley this past weekend.
Offensively, outfielder Sydney Stuever leads Wichita State in batting (.324), hits (48), doubles (10), and stolen bases (13). Also, she is second in home runs (5) behind infielder/catcher Erin Carney (9), while tied for second in RBI with Carney and infielder Hayley Temple (22) behind catcher/infielder Melanie Jaegers' team leading 24.
In the circle, Katie Armagost (7-12) holds a team-best 5.02 ERA with 74 strikeouts and one shutout in 35 appearances this season. As for Sloan Anderson (6-21), she has struck out 55 batters, while holding an ERA of 5.30 in 33 appearances.
» The Head Coach: Kristi Bredbenner is in her first year at Wichita State after coming over from Emporia State (Kan.), where she was the winningest coach in team history with 326 wins for a .763 winning percentage.
» The Series: UMKC is 6-31 all-time against the Shockers. Last time out on March 10, 2010, the Kangaroos at home swept Wichita State in a doubleheader, 2-1 and 4-0.
LAST TIME OUT...
The Kangaroos returned home this past weekend after a six-game road trip and swept Oakland by outscoring the Grizzlies, 11-0.
In game one on Saturday with UMKC leading 1-0, designated player Chelsea Hartwig increased the lead to three when she RBI-singled to left to bring in two runs.
In the sixth with the score now 4-0 and the bases loaded, catcher Caitlin Christopher made the score 6-0 when she doubled to left to bring in two runners. UMKC later push its lead to seven when infielder Kelly Fischer scored from third after a wild pitch by Katie Moy (0-2) to Hartwig later in the inning.
To seal the victory in the seventh, pitcher Deanna Friese (11-14) retired the Grizzlies in order as she finished the day allowing two hits, while walking one and striking out five.
As for game two, it headed to extra innings with pitcher's Cinda Ramos (10-12) and Brittany Doyle (5-17) allowing a combined eight hits, as Ramos surrendered three compared to Doyle's five.
After keeping the game scoreless in the top half of the eighth, the Kangaroos led off the inning with back-to-back singles for infielder Kaelene Curry's second and Fischer's third hits of the game. Next up, Christopher recorded her second single of the game when she hit one to left to bring in Curry for the game-winning run.
As for Ramos, she allowed four hits and walked one, while striking out three for her 12th completed game and second shutout of the season.
On Sunday after a little over a three-hour rain delay, the Kangaroos shutout Oakland for the third-straight time, 3-0, to secure the sweep on Senior Day.
Offensively, infielder Megan Ussary led the way by going 1-for-3 with two RBI, while Curry chipped in with a 1-for-4 performance with an RBI and run scored.
In the circle, Friese allowed four hits, walked two, and struck out eight, including five out of her eight first 10 batters going down on strikes through three innings.
FRIESE NAMED LEAGUE PITCHER OF THE WEEK BY COLLEGE SPORTS MADNESS
Monday, Friese was named the Summit League Pitcher of the Week by College Sports Madness after posting a 2-1 record in three starts with a 1.05 ERA, 16 strikeouts, and two shutouts.
Despite a 3-1 loss to Kansas in game one of a doubleheader on April 25, the Kennesaw, Ga. native completed her 17th game of the season along with striking out three and walking two.
In two starts against Oakland later in week, Friese dueled out shutouts, while allowing six hits and striking out 13 as the Kangaroos.
This marks the third pitcher of the week award for Friese this season as she was named The Summit League's on Feb. 20 and April 9.
SUMMIT LEAGUE TOURNAMENT HOPES STILL ALIVE
With its sweep over Oakland and South Dakota (16-36, 12-9 SL) sweeping Western Illinois (23-25, 13-8 SL) this past weekend, UMKC's league tournament hopes remained alive.
Despite sitting sixth in the league standings behind South Dakota, the Coyotes are ineligible to compete in the league tournament due to this being their inaugural season in The Summit League.
In order to get in, UMKC would have to sweep the weekend series with the Leathernecks on May 5-6 to guarantee a spot. However, one loss to Western Illinois would eliminate the Kangaroos from competing in the league tournament.
WHERE THEY STAND IN THE RPI
On Monday, the NCAA released its sixth RPI rankings of 2012 as the Kangaroos moved up seven spots to claim the 156th slot. In 2011, UMKC finished with its highest ranking in team history at 117.
MOVING UP THE SINGLE-SEASON AND ALL-TIME CAREER LIST
This past weekend, multiple Kangaroo student-athletes moved up the all-time single-season and career list's in numerous categories.
Single-season wise, Friese moved into sixth for most innings pitched (184.0), a four-way tie for the seventh most wins (11), two-way for the sixth most appearances (34), fifth in starts (28), and fifth in completed games (20), while Fischer moved into a three-way for the fifth most walks (21).
On the all-time career list, Ussary is now sixth in RBI (68), fifth in games played (151), sixth in at-bats (439), and sixth in runs scored (73), while Curry is fifth in at-bats (609) as Fischer is third in sacrifices (34). Also, outfielder Anna Sokolik is now ninth in at-bats (442) and third in runs scored (73), while Hartwig moved into 10th for most RBI (52).
In the circle, Friese moved into the top spot for most appearances with 108.
THROUGH 49 GAMES IN 2011...
The 'Roos were 17-5 in the Summit League and 35-14 overall coming off a 4-1 win over Southern Utah on May 7 in the second game of a three-game set.
Currently, the Blue & Gold are 22-27 (10-11 SL) heading into its doubleheader with Wichita State on Wednesday.
NEXT UP FOR THE KANGAROOS...
They will end their regular season with a three-game series against Western Illinois on the road on Saturday (12 p.m. and 2 p.m.) and Friday (12 p.m.).
