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Kansas City
Utah Valley
?Roos Split Doubleheader with Utah Valley
4/15/2016 9:57:00 PM | Softball
Game 1 Box Score | Game 2 Box Score
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The UMKC softball team split a doubleheader with Utah Valley on Friday, April 15 in Kansas City, Missouri, winning game one 3-2 in a 10-inning knock-down, drag-out fight behind a complete game from sophomore Amber Grove. Game two went the way of the Wolverines, as the 'Roos fell 4-3.
Don't let the low-scoring numbers in game one fool you, the UMKC (17-19, 6-2 WAC) bats were on fire the majority of the game, tallying 15 hits in the 10 innings, but numerous hard-hit balls were scorched directly at the Utah Valley (6-31, 2-6 WAC) fielders, in very inopportune times, as the 'Roos left 14 runners stranded in the game.
It wasn't until inning eight that a run was put on the board, a two-run home run off Grove (9-8) gave the Wolverines a 2-0 lead, and put the 'Roos backs against the wall.
Down two runs, senior Katie Kelley (3-for-4) stepped to the dish to lead off the bottom half of the eighth, and singled up the middle to start a rally.
Freshman Bri Sims (2-for-3) followed Kelley with a double, putting both runners in scoring position with no outs.
A fly-out from redshirt freshman Rachel Pate (0-for-5) brought sophomore Kendra Leach to the plate with one away and two ducks on the pond. Leach (2-for-4) ripped a single up the middle that scored Kelley, and Sims scored on an error by the centerfielder failing to field the hard-hit ball cleanly, knotting the score at two.
The 'Roos threatened to take the game at that point, but stranded two, due to one of the hard-hit lineouts.
Grove buckled down and hung zeros in the ninth and tenth frames, and the 'Roos had an opportunity thanks to a leadoff walk from Leach in the bottom of the 10th. A sacrifice bunt moved her into scoring position and a single up the middle from sophomore Kelsey Goodwin (1-for-2) moved her to third with two outs, bringing senior Brooke Parker (3-for-6) to the plate with the chance to win it.
Parker hit a ball hard right at the Utah Valley shortstop, but good luck was on the side of the 'Roos, and the ball rolled between the defender's legs, leaving Leach free to score and win the game, 3-2.
Game two had quicker action in the scoring department, as UMKC got on the board in the third inning with a solo home run from Sims (2-for-4), her sixth of the year, giving the 'Roos the first lead of the game, 1-0.
Utah Valley took their first lead of the day in the fifth inning of game two, with a three-run home run of Kelley (7-10), but the 'Roos bounced back in the sixth to re-knot the score.
Leach (0-for-1) walked with one out to become the first baserunner in the inning for UMKC, and junior Abby Warkentine (1-for-2) smashed a double over the left fielder to put Leach at third. Freshman Morgan Bryn then matched Warkentine with a double of her own, this one burning the Wolverine right fielder, and it drove in both 'Roos to make it three-all.
The 'Roos had a chance to take the lead, but left three runners stranded to head to the last scheduled inning of the day.
With the sun setting in centerfield, the Wolverines fought through and tallied two hits and a run to take the lead, and the 'Roos were unable to answer and fell 4-3.
The rubber match between UMKC and Utah Valley is scheduled for noon on Saturday, April 16 at Missouri 3&2 Field in Kansas City.
