Kansas City
Wichita State
Friese Mows Down Wichita State, ?Roos Sweep Shockers to End Slide
3/13/2013 10:40:00 PM | Softball
(Wichita, Kan.) - Wednesday evening, the Kansas City Kangaroos (9-12) swept the Wichita State Shockers (9-13) on the road, 4-2 and 7-0, in their final games before opening up league play later this week. With these victories, the Blue & Gold ended a five-game skid.
To begin game one, Kansas City pitcher Deanna Friese (5-5) struck out six out of eight batters through two innings. Although, during that stretch, the Shockers took a 1-0 lead in the second when infielder Erin Carney RBI-singled to left to drive in infielder Laura Vickers, who doubled to lead off the inning.
Despite the hiccup, Friese and Kansas City's defense kept Wichita State scoreless until the Kangaroo offense woke up in the fifth to take a 4-1 lead. To spark the big inning, designated player Caitlin Christopher recorded UMKC's first hit of the game with a double to left-center. Next up, after pinch runner Bri Wyatt replaced Christopher, catcher Alexandra Friloux singled through the left side as Wyatt advanced to third.
Then, Kansas City took advantage of two Wichita State errors when ensuing batter Kelsey Dean reached first and later advanced second, while Friloux moved to third and Wyatt scored. Later in the inning, outfielder Brooke Parker RBI-single to left to bring in Friloux as Dean advanced to third.
The Kangaroos tallied their next two runs with Dean scoring on a passed ball and Parker touching home plate after Wichita State's third error of the inning.
In the seventh, same score, the Shockers made a push to extend the game when they had runners at the corners with nobody out. After Friese struck out her 14th batter, Carney capitalized on UMKC's lone error of the game when she stole second as pinch runner Kacie Eich scored to make it a 4-2 ball game.
Yet, the Kangaroos halted Wichita State's late-game rally with Friese recording her 15th strikeout and forcing a fly out to center to secure the victory.
To go along with her 15 K's, which was a season-high and coming within one of matching a career-high, Friese surrendered two walks, four hits and one earned run to push her season record to .500.
In game two, the Kangaroos took an 1-0 in the second when Dean RBI-singled to left to drive in outfielder Emily Ott from second, who singled to the lead off.
The following inning, same score, Kansas City extended its lead when infielder Marlee Maples RBI-singled up the middle and later advanced to second on the throw as Parker scored from second.
In the fifth, with the Kangaroos still leading 2-0, Parker led off the inning with a single to center. Later, after the Shockers retired the next two batters as Parker moved to third, Parker scored on Wichita State's second error of the contest. Meanwhile, with Ott at the plate, she sent a solo shot to center for her second home run of the season to extend Kansas City's lead to four.
UMKC continued its offensive output in the sixth by making it a 7-0 contest to put the game out of reach, headlined by Ott driving in Parker and Maples with a single to center.
At game's end, Kansas City connected on 14 hits, led by Ott going 3-for-4 with three RBI, two runs and a home run, whereas Parker went 3-for-4 with three runs scored.
In the circle, Friese's (6-5) momentum carried over to the nightcap as she tallied 12 strikeouts while allowing five hits in the Kangaroos' first shutout victory of the season.
Coming up, the Blue & Gold will open Summit League action with a road series at Fort Wayne this weekend on Saturday (12 p.m. and 2 p.m.) and Sunday (11 a.m.).
