Roos Softball Makes History With Win Over #6 Oklahoma State

Friday, March 19

Stillwater, OK

1:30 PM

Kansas City

11-5

Wichita State University

16-3

Wichita State

Kansas City

Roos Softball Makes History With Win Over #6 Oklahoma State

3/19/2021 11:31:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2 Final Box- Oklahoma State Final Box- Wichita State

Kansas City Defeats Their First Ranked Opponent in Program History

Kansas City, MO. – Kansas City Softball (12-5) made history tonight as they defeated their first ranked team in program history in a nail-biting 6-5 win over #6 Oklahoma State. This win came after an out-of-character performance by the Roos in their loss to Wichita State earlier in the afternoon. Kansas City didn't let that loss define them and took advantage of the next opportunity in front of them. The Roos seized the opportunity to go down in the record books.

"It is a great feeling to be the first team in program history to achieve this accomplishment," Head Coach Kerry Shaw said. "Although I fully expect there will be more to come this season and for this program in years to come."

Game No. 1 v. Wichita State [Final 3-9]
Kansas City's defensive miscues and stale offense gave the Wichita State Shockers (16-3) the upper hand in the 3-9 final. A tough third inning on defense left the Roos in a three-run deficit. Kansas City earned one back in the bottom of the third when Kloe Hilbrenner doubled to right center to score Faith Willis. The bases were left loaded in the bottom of the third inning after the Shockers' shortstop made a diving play to end a potential big inning for Kansas City.

Wichita State scored five unearned runs in the fifth inning that gave the Roos' offense a big hole to dig out of. Ally Vonfeldt scratched away at the lead after she went yard for her fourth homerun of the season. Her two-run bomb brought Kansas City within five, but the hole would prove too big to overcome.

"Cam threw well enough to be in a competitive game," Shaw said. "The defense did not fuel our pitching or hitting efforts."

Willis was the highlight of Kansas City's defense, putting out ten Shockers' hits to the left side of the outfield. Hilbrenner had a good game at the plate, going 3-for-4 with an RBI. Camryn Stickel pitched the first five innings, giving up three earned runs on eleven hits and one walk. Hayley Patterson came in to finish the final two innings and held the Shockers to one run on two hits.

"I told our team it's not going to get any easier from here," Shaw said. "We have to decide what team we are going to be; we have a lot of great teams to play on our schedule."

Game No. 2 v. #6 Oklahoma State [Final 6-5]

The Kansas City Roos grabbed their first win over a ranked team in program history, taking down #6 Oklahoma State (21-3) with a 6-5 victory. The game came down to the last out of the game and kept Kansas City fans on the edge of their chairs until the end.

Oklahoma State gave Kansas City a pair of walks to start off the second inning. Those walks would give Kansas City a momentums that would end up deadly for the Cowgirls. Vondelft and Lia Lombardini walked to the begin the inning. Lombardini scored on a Cowgirls' miscue on defense and Vonfeldt scored on an Ashley Thorne single up the middle. The Roos completed the second inning with a 3-0 early lead after Katherine Karnatz drove in Macy Hornosky, who pinch ran after Delainey Fenoglio reached on a fielder's choice.

"Alexis's two-out hit to give us our fifth and sixth run of the game was very clutch," Shaw said. "We need more of these timely hits to back up our great pitching performances and to give relief to our pitchers and defense."

Kansas City added three more runs in the top of the fourth. Abby Sciara started with a single down left field line who later scored on another defensive woe by Oklahoma State. Alexis D'Ambrosio brought two more home for Kansas City with a two-out single up the middle with Willis and Hilbrenner on third and second, respectively. The six runs ended up being just enough for the Roos to hang on to a history-making win.

"Mia deserved this win," Shaw said. "She has pitched in so many big games and has kept our team in a lot of close ones. This was hers to win and I am so happy her team had her back to give her this big win."

Mia Hoveland battled the distance on the mound, allowing only four earned runs and eight hits to the sixth ranked team in the country. Her composure was just what the Roos needed to shut down the Cowgirls when there were runners in scoring position. In a picture-perfect finish, Hoveland struck out the final Oklahoma State batter with the winning run on second base. She ended the game with eight strikeouts and 69 on the season, one shy of her season-high set in her freshman campaign during the 2019 season.

Kansas City is back in action tomorrow at the Mizuno Classic where they will face-off against UTSA at 1:30 p.m. and get a chance at a sweep of #6 Oklahoma State at 6:30 p.m.