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?Roos Ready for Jayhawk Invitational
3/9/2016 2:51:00 PM | Softball
Game Notes
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The UMKC softball team heads to Lawrence, Kansas to compete in the Jayhawk Invitational hosted by KU, March 10-13. The 'Roos look to carry momentum from a two-game winning streak, including six-inning shutout of Southeast Missouri State that ended with a walk off grand slam, into the weekend.
Originally scheduled to play just four games in the Jayhawk Invitational, forecasts for rain in the Lawrence area forced an adjustment to the schedule in the likelihood that Saturday's games are unplayable. UMKC will now open the weekend on Thursday against Missouri State at 4 p.m.
Fan Information
The Jayhawk Invitational will be played at Arrocha Ballpark inside Rock Chalk Park in Lawrence. For fans that are unable to make the trip west, live stats of every game from the weekend can be found at SidearmStats.com/Kansas/softball.
Base Hits
- UMKC holds and all-time record of 387-830.
- Meredith Smith Neal is the winningest coach in UMKC softball history with an all-time record of 187-283.
- Smith Neal is a combined 18-27 as UMKC's head coach against this weekend's opponents.
- UMKC is 10-36 all-time against Missouri State, playing last weekend with the Bears winning 11-8.
- UMKC and Northern Iowa have squared off 15 times in the history of the two programs, with UNI winning 14 of the contests. Under Smith Neal, the 'Roos have yet to face the Panthers, with the last meeting coming in 2006, a 5-2 loss.
- Western Illinois holds a 47-23 advantage in the all-time series, but UMKC is currently on a three-game win-streak against the Leathernecks. Smith Neal holds a record of 8-12 against WIU, including winning eight of the last 10 meetings. The last game between the two was an 8-0 mercy rule victory for UMKC in six innings (March 15, 2014).
- UMKC and Omaha have faced each other just seven total times, six of which came in the Smith Neal era at UMKC. Omaha took the first meeting between the schools, but since Smith Neal's arrival, the 'Roos have went 3-3, including an 8-0 five-inning mercy rule victory most recently (April 7, 2015).
Wearing It
Junior Alex Gale ranks 24th in the nation in hit-by-pitch per game, wearing it five times in 13 games played, equating to getting hit by a pitch 0.38 times per game. Helping her get to that number, she was hit by two pitches twice this season, against Drake (Feb. 27) and against Saint Louis (March 5). Gale is no stranger to getting beaned, as she has done so 16 times in her three years, including three times against CSU Bakersfield last season (May 7).
Gettin' in the GROVE
Sophomore pitcher Amber Grove has found her groove in the circle this season, already tallying four wins, halfway to her total from a year ago. Grove pitched 19 innings in the Breast Cancer Awareness Tournament, including complete-game wins over Saint Louis and Southeast Missouri State. Against SLU, she recorded a season-high eight strikeouts, one shy of a career-best. In the win against SEMO, Grove allowed just one hit in six innings, in the 9-0 victory.
Home Run Montage
While UMKC has started off slower this year than last year in the home run category, hitting seven through 14 games as compared to 16 last year in the same amount of games, the 'Roos blasted four in the Breast Cancer Awareness Tournament, including three against Southeast Missouri State.
The first home run of the weekend came from Alex Gale in the fifth inning against Saint Louis, the first homer of her career. Against SEMO, Bri Sims got things started with a fourth inning leadoff blast, the second of her career. Kendra Leach and Katie Kelley each hit a home run in the sixth inning, with Kelley's being a game-ending grand slam to put the mercy rule in effect.
Up Next
The 'Roos head back to Lawrence for the Rock Chalk Invitational, March 18-20, where they will play a total of five games against Kansas, Minnesota, Saint Louis and two against Tulsa.
