Kansas City
CSU Bakersfield
Kelley Homers as ?Roos Fall to Runners in WAC Tourney Opener
5/12/2016 6:57:00 PM | Softball
Box Score
SEATTLE – The UMKC softball team was unable to overcome a four-run third inning from the CSU Bakersfield Roadrunners in their first game of the Western Athletic Conference tournament, and fell 4-3 on Thursday afternoon in Seattle, Washington.
The 'Roos (24-25) struck first in the contest, after loading the bases with no outs in the bottom of the second inning. Senior catcher Alexandra Friloux (1-for-2) drove in redshirt freshman Rachel Pate (1-for-4) with an RBI single to right-center.
After posting two scoreless innings in the circle, sophomore pitcher Amber Grove (14-10) struggled in the third. After striking out the first batter of the inning, she gave up two-consecutive hits, and hit a batter to load the bases, then gave up a walk to bring in the first CSUB (14-32) run of the day.
Head coach Meredith Smith Neal elected to bring in senior Katie Kelley to relieve Grove, but Kelley was slow to get going and gave up two RBI singles and a bases-loaded walk to give the Runners a 4-1 lead, before retiring the next two batters to get out of the inning.
The 'Roos had an opportunity to cut the three-run deficit in the bottom of the fourth, loading the bases with one out, but strikeouts at the plate from sophomore Ashlin O'Brien (1-for-4) and Kelley (1-for-3) left the bags full and kept the score 4-1 in Bakersfield's favor.
Kelley steadied in the circle and prevented any further runs from scoring the rest of the game, and help the UMKC cause when they needed it. In the bottom of the seventh, still down three, the Coweta, Oklahoma native stepped to the plate with no outs after O'Brien led off the inning with a single to right center. The senior captain stepped up like she has all season and mashed her ninth homer of the season, driving in runs 50 and 51 on the year, and bringing the 'Roos within one with three outs to go. None of the next three UMKC batters were able to come through, however, and the 'Roos fell to the Runners, 4-3.
UMKC has a quick turnaround and will play the tournament host, Seattle U, at 6 p.m. PST (8 p.m. CST) Thursday night, after the Redhawks fell to Utah Valley in their tournament opener, 4-0.
