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Kansas City
New Mexico State
?Roos Drop Two on Final Day of WAC Regular Season Play
5/1/2016 2:24:00 AM | Softball
Game 1 Box Score | Game 2 Box Score
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The UMKC softball team dropped two games to New Mexico State on Saturday, 7-2 and 11-8, to close Western Athletic Conference regular season play, and solidify the 'Roos as the two-seed in the WAC tournament in Seattle on May 12-14.
Game one of the day, which was originally scheduled to be played on Friday, was pushed all the way back to a 6 p.m. start time, due to an abundant amount of rain in the Kansas City area Friday night that left the Missouri 3&2 Field in less-than-ideal conditions.
The delay took a toll on both teams, as each side struggled to get much going throughout the course of the game, but UMKC senior Alexandra Friloux didn't let the weather get her down, as she boasted perfection going 3-for-3 from the dish and driving in UMKC's (21-22, 10-5 WAC) only two runs of the ballgame.
Friloux's RBIs came in the second and fifth innings, and senior Katie Kelley (8-11) held off the potent NM State (35-19, 14-1 WAC) offense for the majority of the game, but a five-run outburst in the seventh sunk the 'Roos in game one, 7-2.
Game two was an all-out slugfest, as both teams combined for 31 hits, 18 from the visiting Aggies, and 13 off the bats of the 'Roos.
NMSU drew blood first with a run off three hits in the top of the first innings, but the 'Roos answered back with a two-run bottom half of the inning, with senior Brooke Parker (3-for-5) scoring on an error, and sophomore Kendra Leach (1-for-2) driving in the second of the inning on a single to left field.
An eight-run second inning for the Aggies left the 'Roos in a major hole, but they did their best to claw their way out of it, tacking on two runs in the third.
Kelley (1-for-4) became the UMKC school record holder for career doubles (48) with a one-out two-bagger to right center field to start a little rally, and Sophomore Kelsey Goodwin (3-for-3) followed suite with a double to left to drive in the new record holder. Freshman Bri Sims (1-for-3) kept the train moving with a single to bring the deficit back to 9-4.
NMSU's bats tacked on two more runs in the fourth to push the lead back to 8 runs, but an RBI single from Goodwin in the bottom of the frame chipped away at the Aggie lead.
A pinch-hit home run from redshirt freshman Rachel Pate (2-for-2) in the bottom of the sixth sparked a little rally, as the next three batters would reach base, including an RBI single down the right field line from freshman Morgan Bryn (2-for-3) to bring the score within four runs.
A zero on the top half of the board in the seventh brought UMKC to the plate down four runs with three outs remaining, and the 'Roos put the pressure on Aggies, driving in another run, but eventually falling 11-8 in the contest.
UMKC is back in action at Missouri 3&2 Field on Monday, May 2 with a doubleheader at 2 and 4 p.m. against Omaha.
