Kansas City
San Diego State
Ramos Leads ?Roos to Day Two Split
3/7/2014 5:08:00 PM | Softball
(Kansas City, Mo.) – Cinda Ramos allowed only three hits over six innings of work, striking out seven batters, and leading Kansas City to an 8-0 victory with a complete game shutout of North Dakota on Friday afternoon.
The junior from Olathe, Kan., turned in her best pitching performance of the season, completely overpowering a North Dakota lineup that managed just five baserunners. She was nearly as impactful at the plate, as well, going 2-for-3 with two RBI and a walk from the lead-off spot.
After a scoreless first, Caitlin Christopher led off the second inning with a single and a stolen base – moving to third on an Alex Friloux groundout. Marlee Maples followed with a double into the left-centerfield gap to plate Christopher and put the 'Roos on the board. Two batters later, a passed ball allowed Maples to score from third and it was 2-0, Kansas City.
After Ramos and Brooke Parker reached base with a pair of hits to begin the third inning, Christopher drove in the third run of the afternoon with a single into right field.
Meanwhile, Ramos was cruising in the circle, striking out two hitters in the third inning and two more in the fourth, before taking offensive matters into her own hands in the home half of the latter. After Aly Zembruski and Kaitlyn Carey reached scoring position with a pair of hits, Ramos smacked a two-out, two RBI single into right field to effectively blow the game open.
The 'Roos would continue to add insurance in the fifth inning, filling the bases with a walk, an error, and a Maples single. Two batters later, Zembruski delivered a pair of runs with an RBI single into left field to put UMKC up a touchdown.
Ramos worked a scoreless sixth, and reached with a walk to kick-start the bottom half of the inning. Parker chased her with a single, and Katie Kelley moved the runners with a sacrifice bunt. Friloux put a bow on it two batters later, inducing the run-rule with an RBI single down the right field line.
Eight of the nine 'Roos with plate appearances earned at least one hit. Ramos, Christopher, Maples, Lee, and Zembruski each produced a pair of hits.
Kansas City plated a pair of runs and brought the tying run to the plate during a furious seventh inning rally, but the comeback fell short as San Diego State held off the Kangaroos 4-2 in the early game on Friday.
The Aztecs had baserunners in each inning, but starting pitcher Kenzie Flaws was able to repeatedly work through jams and minimize the damage, scattering six walks and seven hits to allow just two earned runs through 6.2 innings of work.
Trailing by four runs in the bottom of the final inning, Maples led-off the frame with a single up the middle and scored the first of two Kansas City runs, but the comeback would fizzle with the tying run in the batter's box.
Weather permitting, the 'Roos will return to Wilkins Stadium to face Iowa State and Northern Illinois at 1 p.m. and 6 p.m., respectively.
