Kansas City
Texas Tech
?Roos Drop Heartbreaker to Texas Tech
2/21/2014 11:07:00 PM | Softball
(Arlington, Texas) – Katie Kelley threw her fourth complete game of the season, but it wasn't enough, as a late Kansas City rally fell short in a heartbreaking 5-4 loss to Texas Tech at Allan Saxe Field in Arlington, Texas on Friday evening.
The Red Raiders plated a pair of runs in the top of the first inning with a Kristi Belshe RBI double. It was the eighth time in 11 games that the 'Roos have surrendered at least two runs in the first inning – a frame during which UMKC has been outscored by its opponents 25-5 in 2014.
Three innings later, Texas Tech added to its lead with its second RBI double of the game, before Aly Zembruski cut down the trail runner at the plate to end the frame.
Kansas City answered with a run in the home half of the fourth, thanks, in large part, to Bri Wyatt. With Texas Tech crashing toward the plate in anticipation of a bunt, Wyatt slapped a single through the left side to lead-off the frame. Katie Kelley followed with a single, and Wyatt and pinch runner Carnecia Kirkwood stole second and third base a few pitches later. The aggressive base-running allowed Wyatt to score on a wild pitch one batter later, and the 'Roos were on the board.
The Red Raiders would add a run in the top of the fifth, before Kansas City erupted in the most bizarre fashion in the bottom of the sixth.
Wyatt and Kelley singled with one out to set the table for Caitlin Christopher. Christopher, with a full count, went down on strikes, but the ball bounded away from Texas Tech catcher Kady Crow. Wyatt scored from third base on the wild pitch, and Christopher easily reached first base, but she wasn't done. The Denton, Texas-native rounded first and attempted to stretch the mistake into two bases. Tech pitcher Cara Custer wheeled and threw to second, but the ball sailed high, over the head of the centerfielder and nearly rolled to the wall. Instead of a strikeout and stranded runners, three runners scored, and the Kangaroos were within a run at 5-4.
Unfortunately for Kansas City, the rally fell just short – quite literally, in fact – as a towering fly ball off the bat of Marlee Maples was killed in the cross wind just a few feet shy of the right field wall. The Red Raiders escaped the seventh inning unscathed, dropping the 'Roos for the second time this season.
In addition to a 2-for-3 effort at the plate, Kelley went seven innings for UMKC, allowing three earned runs on six hits and four walks, while striking out four. Wyatt went 2-for-2 with a walk, a pair of singles, and two runs scored.
Kansas City will return to the diamond tomorrow for a pair of games vs. Illinois and UT-Arlington, respectively.
