Kansas City
Utah Valley
UMKC Sweeps Utah Valley, Secures No. 2 Seed
4/25/2015 11:38:00 PM | Softball
OREM, Utah – UMKC clinched the No. 2 overall seed in the 2015 WAC Tournament on Saturday with a 9-7 victory over Utah Valley. The 'Roos' sweep of UVU was the program's first WAC series sweep since joining the league and the first three-game sweep of any sort since May 5-6, 2012.
The 'Roos took a 6-0 lead with a six-run second inning. Marlee Maples drew a one-out walk and advanced to third base on an error that allowed Alex Friloux to reach base, as well. One batter later, Maples scored the first run of the contest on a passed ball. Aly Zembruski drew a walk, Kelsey Goodwin was hit by a pitch, and the bases were loaded for UMKC without a single hit in the inning. Brooke Parker recorded the first hit with a RBI infield single one batter later. Bri Wyatt followed Parker with a 2 RBI double to left field, and Katie Kelley drove in two more runs with a single during the ensuing at-bat that tied the school's single-season hits record.
After the Wolverines battled back with four in the home half of the second inning and two more in the bottom of the fifth, the 'Roos reclaimed the lead in the sixth inning. Wyatt led things off with a triple and scored two batters later when Cinda Ramos moved back into a tie with Kelley – and previous record-holder Kaelene Curry – with a two-run home run that so happened to be her school record 65th hit of the season.
Brooke Parker added an insurance run in the seventh with a two-out RBI double into left field, plating Abby Warkentine. Parker and Wyatt combined to go 6-for-10 with four RBI and three runs scored at the top of the UMKC batting order.
The victory guarantees that the 'Roos will meet Bakersfield on the opposite side of the bracket from New Mexico State to start the WAC Tournament. UMKC will close out the regular season on Thursday at South Dakota.
