Kansas City
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Kansas
Jayhawks Stymie Kansas City?s Offense in Wednesday Night?s Doubleheader
4/24/2013 10:27:00 PM | Softball
(Lawrence, Kan.) – The Kansas City softball team (16-19, 5-3 SL) saw their four-game winning streak come to a sudden halt in Wednesday evening's doubleheader on the road as the Kansas Jayhawks (29-13, 4-5 Big 12) allowed a total of three hits to shutout the Kangaroos in both games, 11-0 and 4-0.
In game one, the Jayhawks got off to a fast start when catcher Maddie Stein (2) connected for a two-run homer in the first off starting pitcher Cinda Ramos (4-9).
Next inning, KU scored eight runs on eight hits, along with recording three walks, to push its lead to 10, headlined by outfielder Alex Hugo (12) hitting a three-run bomb to left center. Coming in, the Jayhawks were one of the best teams in the country at the plate as they held the nation's sixth highest batting average at .346.
After KU made it an 11-0 ball game in third when infielder Kylee Kennedy drew a walk with the bases loaded, starting pitcher Alicia Pille (13-6) mowed down Kansas City's lineup as the game ended in five innings. To pick up win, Pille allowed one hit, no walks and tallied 10 strikeouts.
The lone hit for the Kangaroos came off the bat of outfielder Emily Ott when she doubled in the opening inning.
In game two, meanwhile, Kansas City stayed within striking distance throughout the contest thanks to its defense and solid pitching by Ramos, who finished the game allowing eight hits, two walks, four earned runs and recording two strikeouts. However, UMKC's offense managed two hits with outfielder's Bri Wyatt and Kelsey Dean both singling, as KU did just enough at the plate to come away with the victory.
With the game still scoreless heading into the third, KU scored three runs during the frame when Hugo RBI-doubled down the left field line with runners at first and second, followed by Stein driving in two runs with a double of her own.
In the fourth with KU still leading 3-0, Stein came up big yet again for the Jayhawks when she RBI-singled to right to bring in outfielder Maggie Hull, who doubled to lead-off the inning.
Getting her second start, Pille matched her strikeout total from game one (10), along with surrendering three walks and two hits in the nightcap.
Coming up, the Blue & Gold faces a tough road ahead as they'll continue this current nine-game road swing with a Summit League series at South Dakota this weekend, followed by a doubleheader against the Iowa State Cyclones on Monday.
