Kansas City
Maine
Kansas City Shakes Off Slow Start to Beat Maine, 9-3
2/10/2013 12:03:00 PM | Softball
The Kangaroos found themselves in an early hole in the first when Maine led off with a single and a double to put runners at the corners. With Maine's Jessica Burk at the plate, catcher Alexandra Friloux was unable to handle a wild pitch by Deanna Friese (2-0) as the runner scored from third. The Black Bears made it a 2-0 ball game later in the inning when infielder Katlin Norton RBI-singled to center.
Kansas City would have a chance to do some damage at the plate in the first and second inning's with runners at the corners and two outs, but Maine's defense held steady and maintained its lead.
In the third, however, Kansas City broke through. With pinch runner Katie Cruse at first and nobody out, the Kangaroos cut the deficit to one when infielder Marlee Maples RBI-doubled to right-center and later advanced third after an error by Maine. Next up, outfielder Emily Ott drove in Maples when she singled to right-center to tie the game at two. With that RBI, Ott tied Amanda Rice (97) for the program's all-time leader in that department.
The Kangaroos capped off their big inning when pinch hitter Kelsey Dean hit the ball deep to right-center, but Makalia Kowalsky dropped it for Maine's fourth error of the game. As a result, Dean reached third as two runners scored to give Kansas City a 4-2 lead.
In the fourth, Kansas City's offense continued to thrive when Maples doubled and later advanced to third as two runners scored to increase the lead to four. Later in the inning, with the score now 7-2 after Friloux drove in Maples on a fielder's choice RBI, infielder Jenna Rangel laid down a bunt to reach first and later advance to second on an error by Maine as Ott scored.
The Kangaroos later put the game out of reach in the fifth when Maples scored from third on a wild pitch to make it a 9-2 ball game.
Offensively, Kansas City tallied 10 hits, led by Maples' 2-for-3 performance at the plate to go along with three RBI, two runs and a stolen base. As for Ott, she went 2-for-4 with an RBI and a scored, while Broyles went 2-for-3 with a run scored.
In the circle, Friese bounced back after a rocky start to finish the game with seven strikeouts while surrendering one walk.
Coming up, the Blue & Gold will head to Las Cruces, N.M. later this week (Feb. 15 - 17) for the Troy Cox Classic, hosted by New Mexico State.
*Note: Freshman Liz Broyles, sophomore Marlee Maples and freshman Katie Kelley were named to the Upstate Classic All-Tournament Team.
In four games, Broyles batted .636 with seven hits and three runs while tallying a home run, a stolen base and a walk each.
As for Maples, she managed a .385 batting average with five hits, including three doubles to go along with four RBI, six runs and two stolen bases.
Meanwhile, Kelley not only saw time at the plate as a batter, but in the circle. Against North Carolina Central, the Coweta, Okla. native struck out five batters and surrendered no walks in a shutout performance to get the win. Offensively, Kelley batted .444 with four hits, two walks and two runs in four games.
