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?Roos Host Utah Valley for Three-Game Series
4/14/2016 3:42:00 PM | Softball
Game Notes
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Winners of eight of their last nine games, the UMKC softball team hosts Utah Valley for three games of Western Athletic Conference play, April 15 and 16 at Missouri 3&2 Fields in Kansas City.
Games one and two will be played on Friday, April 15, with game one starting at 2 p.m., and game two following. The series will conclude on Saturday with first pitch scheduled for noon.
Fan Information
All three games of the series will have a live audio broadcast via UMKCKangaroos.com/LiveEvents with T.J. Jackson calling the action. Live stats will be available at UMKCKangaroos.com/LiveStats.
Base Hits
- UMKC holds an all-time record of 398-839.
- Head coach Meredith Smith Neal is the winningest coach in UMKC softball history with an all-time record of 198-292.
- UMKC has won eight of their last nine games, including a six-game winning streak that started against Grand Canyon (April 1) and ended against South Dakota (April 12).
- UMKC is 19-16 all-time in WAC regular season play.
- The 'Roos are 7-3 in the all-time series history against Utah Valley.
- UMKC swept the 2015 series with Utah Valley, outscoring the Wolverines 37-17 in the three games combined.
- Senior Katie Kelley is riding a six-game hitting streak, and has reached base safely in 11-straight games.
- Junior Abby Warkentine holds a five-game hitting streak.
- Sophomore Kendra Leach has reached base safely in nine-straight games.
Parker Earns First-Career WAC Weekly Award
Senior outfielder Brooke Parker tabbed her first WAC Player of the Week honor, being named Hitter of the Week for April 4-10, after tallying 10 hits in the series sweep of CSU Bakersfield. Among her 10 hits, Parker had a 4-for-4 effort in game two of the series. The four hits marked a career-best performance, and she would go on to match the four-hit effort in the series finale with a 4-for-5 outing. Parker also scored five runs and drove in another two in the series.
Yep, That'll Play
The 'Roos are off to a 5-1 start in conference play, which is the best since 2002 at UMKC, where the 'Roos started conference (Mid-Continent Conference) 14-1, before finishing 16-3 in league play. In the first six conference games, the 'Roos are batting .329 with nine doubles and are averaging 7.67 runs per game.
#Plunklist
Junior Alex Gale has made her way on UMKC opponents' plunk list, as she has been hit by a pitch 12 times this season. On three separate occasions, Gale has been hit by a pitch twice in a game, including both games of the doubleheader against CSU Bakersfield. Her season total leads the WAC, and ranks 16th in the nation in hit by pitch per game (0.36).
Clutch Gene
Senior Katie Kelley is batting .486 with runners in scoring position (18-for-37), leading the 'Roos in the category this season. What's more, Kelley has stepped to the plate seven times this season with the bases loaded, and has came through with a hit six times. She is 9-for-11 (.818) with a runner on third base with less than two outs, and 9-for-22 with two outs.
Already a Regular
Freshman Morgan Byrn has made herself a regular in the lineup this season, as she is the only player on the team to start every game at the same position.
Double Down
With nine doubles this season, senior Katie Kelley's career total is 46, one shy of the UMKC record of 47, set by Amanda Rice (1999-2002).
On the Chase for the Record
Katie Kelley has recorded 42 hits this season, averaging 1.273 hits per game. With a total of 195 in her career, she currently ranks fourth on UMKC's all-time list. If she continues her pace, she would end with 212 career hits at the end of the regular season, 11 shy of the UMKC record of 223 (Kaelene Curry, 2009-12).
Up Next
UMKC will head to Seattle, Washington to face Seattle U in a three game series, April 22 and 23.
