Kansas City
Troy
Kansas City Battles Fiercely with Troy, Falls 16-11 in Eight Innings
3/9/2013 3:58:00 PM | Softball
In the first, the Trojans scored two unearned runs to go up 2-0, only to see their lead erased later in the inning when Kansas City's Marlee Maples (2) blasted a three-run homer to give her squad a 3-2 advantage. Next up, outfielder Emily Ott doubled to center and later moved to third after ensuing batter Katie Kelley grounded out to short.
Then, infielder Chelsea Hartwig grounded out to second, but not before Ott scored to give the Kangaroos a 4-2 lead. Kansas City continued its offensive output in the first when outfielder Kelsey Dean RBI-tripled to drive in catcher Caitlin Christopher, who singled earlier in the inning.
In the fourth with one out, same score, the Kangaroos found themselves in a jam when Troy loaded the bases after pitcher Cinda Ramos (2-4) allowed a walk and back-to-back singles. With Troy's Caitlin Ortiz at the plate, she tallied the Trojans' third single of the inning as the runner from third scored to cut Kansas City's lead to two. The Trojans later cut the deficit to one in the inning after a sac-fly RBI by designated player Brittany Russ.
Next inning, with Kansas City still maintaining its 5-4 lead, the Kangaroos forced Troy to ground out twice to open the fifth. But, the Trojans countered with back-to-back singles, followed by head coach Meredith Smith inserting Kelly (1-1) for Ramos in the circle.
After the pitching change, Troy's Chandler Griffin drove in infielder Keelie Housley from third with a single to right to tie the game. Next up, Troy regained the lead when infielder/outfielder Kacie McAllister tripled to bring in two runs to give her squad a 7-5 advantage.
Yet, Kansas City closed the gap to one later in the inning when Hartwig drove in her second run of the game, this time singling to right as pinch runner Bri Wyatt scored from second.
After keeping the Trojans scoreless in the sixth and seventh frames, Ott led off the seventh with a single up the middle. Next up, Kelley reached first on an error by the Trojans as Kansas City now had two on and nobody with Hartwig coming to the plate.
After a Trojan pitching change, Hartwig drove in her third RBI of the afternoon with a double to center to tie the game at seven as Kelley moved to third. With first base open, the Trojans intentionally walked ensuing batter Christopher to load the bases, but the Kangaroos failed to capitalize as Troy recorded three-straight outs to send the game into extra innings.
In the eighth, with Ramos back in as the pitcher, Troy wasted no time in regaining the lead when Russ RBI-singled to right to bring in two runners and give the Trojans a 9-7 lead. Later, after Kelley was reinserted for Ramos in the circle, Housley drove in a runner from third to make it a 10-7 ball game. Troy would go on to score six more runs in the inning, capped off by catcher Hannah Renn (6) hitting a three-run homer.
Now facing 16-7 deficit, the Kangaroos did not go down without a fight as Maples and Ott recorded back-to-back RBI-singles to cut the lead to seven. Next up, after Kelley recorded a sac-fly RBI, outfielder Kristi Lee went down swinging for the second out. Later in the inning, with Maples at third and Ott at second, Christopher reached first on a muffed throw as both runners scored to make it a 16-11 ball game.
Despite Kansas City's momentum building, the Trojans halted the Kangaroos' second late-game rally attempt by forcing Dean to fly out to center to end the game.
Even though UMKC committed six errors on the defensive end, Kansas City's offense had 13 hits with three players connecting on three, led by Maples going 3-for-5 with a homer, two runs and four RBI. Meanwhile, Rangel went 3-for-5 with two runs scored and Ott going 3-for-4 with three runs scored, whereas Hartwig managed to go 2-for-4 with three RBI.
Coming up later today at 4 p.m., the Blue & Gold will look to avenge yesterday's 8-0 loss in five innings to Texas Tech. So far this season, Kansas City is 0-3 against the Red Raiders.
