Softball Earns First Win of Season in Walk-Off Fashion

Saturday, February 12

Tampa, FL

9:30 AM

Kansas City

0-3

Florida

2-0

Kansas City

Florida

Softball Earns First Win of Season in Walk-Off Fashion

2/12/2022 8:00:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2 Final Box- Florida Final Box- Illinois State

Nichols finished with a pair of runs, hits and RBI in victory

TAMPA, Fla. – Kansas City Softball (1-3) split the second day of the USF Rawlings Invitational. The Roos scored the first run of the game against No. 6 Florida (3-0) but ended up falling 1-7 after seven innings. In the second game of the day, KC walked off it's first victory of the 2022 season as Sydney Nichols crossed the plate on a Delainey Fenoglio RBI to complete the 6-5 comeback over Illinois State (0-4).

GAME 1 v #6 FLORIDA - INNING-BY-INNING

T1 / 1-0 | The Roos started on top early after Kloe Hilbrenner earned a leadoff hit and stole second, then Fenoglio rocketed a single to the outfield that scored Hilbrenner.
B1 / 1-0 | Mia Hoveland and the defense shut down the Gators after their first two batters reached base.
T2 / 1-0 | Kansas City put three balls into play in the second, but no Roos reached base.
B2 / 1-2 | A two-out, two-run homerun gave the Gators the lead.
T3 / 1-2 | Two sharp line drives right at the Florida's defense shuts down KC's attempt to get on board.
B3 / 1-2 | Hoveland earned her second strikeout of the game and a pair of pop-ups to get out of the inning.
T4 / 1-2 | The Roos struggled to get anything going in the fourth.
B4 / 1-3 | Florida added a solo homerun in the fourth to widen the gap.
T5 / 1-3 | Ashley Thorne drew a free base and Hilbrenner follows with her second hit of the game, but they were stranded on the corners.
B5 / 1-3 | Hoveland continued to deal, sitting down the Gators in order.
T6 / 1-3 | Faith Denning and Katie Slauson earned their first hits of the season off the All-SEC pitcher, but the two-out rally was ended before KC could get any across home plate.
B6 / 1-7 | The Gators exploded for four runs in their last at-bat to secure the game.
T7 / 1-7 | KC could not muster any offense in the final frame.

GAME 1 v #6 FLORIDA - STATS TO NOTE

Fenoglio, Hilbrenner, Denning, and Slauson all earned hits off Florida's All-American pitcher, Elizabeth Hightower.
Hilbrenner tallied her third hit and fourth stolen base of the season while plating the Roos' only run of the game.
Fenoglio has earned a hit in each game of the season thus far against nationally ranked top-30 teams.
Hoveland went the distance on the mound, allowing six earned runs off nine hits, while tallying three strikeouts.

GAME 1 v #6 FLORIDA- COACH SHAW, QUOTES

"We had a couple opportunities, but we just couldn't get the timely hit and they made a couple nice plays to stall us."
"All we can do is keep grinding and compete. Circumstances have been unfortunate, but we can't run away from what's ahead of us."

GAME 2 v ILLINOIS STATE- INNING-BY-INNING

T1 / 0-0 | Casey Stout got her first career start in the blue and gold and held Illinois State scoreless in the first.
B1 / 0-0 | Ally Vonfeldt singled up the middle for the first hit of the game, but the score remained knotted.
T2 / 0-1 | The Redbirds strung together three hits to bring in a run.
B2 / 0-1 | Back-to-back hits by Katelyn Garcia and Marina Karnes threatened a two-out rally but KC was kept out of the scoring column.
T3 / 0-1 | Illinois State got a leadoff double, but Kansas City stranded her at third.
B3 / 0-1 | Hilbrenner led off with an infield single and stole second, but the offensive production stopped there in the third.
T4 / 0-1 | A two-out triple threatened, but the Roos got off the field without any more damage.
B4 / 0-1 | KC went three-up, three-down at the plate.
T5 / 0-1 | Stout sat another Redbird down with a strikeout swinging and kept the Roos within a run.
B5 / 0-1 | The Roos were stumped at the plate once again by junior pitcher, Amanda Fox.
T6 / 0-4 | The Redbirds caught onto Stout and added three runs to pull away.
B6 / 4-4 | Kansas City started a four-run rally with a leadoff homerun from Nichols, her second long-ball of the weekend. That was followed by runs from Vonfeldt, Fenoglio and D'Ambrosio to tie the game.
T7 / 4-5 | A two-out solo homerun took back the lead for Illinois State, but Kansas City had one more shot in the final frame.
B7 / 6-5 | Hilbrenner went with the pitch and leadoff the inning with a single and then moved into scoring position with another steal. Nichols came up big again with a double to score the tying run and moved one base closer with an infield sac by Vonfeldt. Then Fenoglio finished it off bringing in Nichols for the Roos' first victory of 2022.

GAME 2 v ILLINOIS STATE- STATS TO NOTE

After hitting her first career homerun yesterday, Nichols turned around and blasted her second homerun tonight for a big momentum swing. She finished 2-for-4 at the plate with a double, a homerun, two RBIs, and the game winning run.
Fenoglio continued her streak of a hit in each of the Roos' four games this season with three RBIs, including the game winning RBI tonight.
Hilbrenner continues to rack up the stolen bases, swiping six in four games this weekend thus far.
Stout completed 5.2 innings in her first career start in KC, giving up three runs and striking out two Redbirds.
Camryn Stickel came on in relief to earn her first win of her sophomore season.

GAME 2 v ILLINOIS STATE- COACH SHAW, QUOTES

"You have to credit the girls for adjusting to the pitching change and getting better at-bats. We're proud of the fight the girls are showing even when things aren't looking our best and a lot of people are being forced to play in positions they aren't used to playing."

UP NEXT
Kansas City will round out the USF Rawlings Invitational with a second shot at #16 Michigan in the morning, first pitch scheduled for 8:30 a.m. CST.