Kansas City
12-18, 0
St. Thomas
4-25, 0
Kansas City Splits with St. Thomas in League-Opening Doubleheader
3/23/2024 5:39:00 PM | Softball
The Roos opened the day with a 3-2 win over the Tommies, using a two-out rally to win the game
KANSAS CITY, Mo. - A pair of evenly matched teams took the field at Urban Youth Academy this afternoon, as Kansas City Softball (12-19, 1-1 Summit) opened Summit League play against St. Thomas (5-25, 1-1 Summit) in doubleheader action. The difference in the games came on the defensive side of the ball, as errors plagued both teams. The Roos took advantage of UST's errors in the first game, winning, 3-2. In the second game it was the Tommies that made the most of their opportunities, claiming a 8-1 win.Â
St. Thomas committed three errors in the first game, one which allowed a run to score, the other two coming with two outs and extending KC's batting opportunities. In the second game, it was the Roos who committed three errors, sparking a four-run inning for the Tommies.
Abby Husak had a good day at the plate for the Roos, going 1-of-2 with an RBI in the first game and 1-of-3 in the second game. Lexy Smith returned to Kansas City's lineup after missing nearly three weeks of play, going 1-of-2 from the plate and scoring the Roos' lone run in the second game.
KEY MOMENTS - GAME ONE | HIGHLIGHTS
- Bottom 1 / 0-0 | Kansas City had a scoring opportunity in the first inning, as Abby Husak opened with a four-pitch walk and Kadin Vire laid down a bunt single to put runners on first and second. Katie Noble advanced the runners on a ground out, but KC was unable to bring anyone around to score.
- Top 4 / 0-2 | The Tommies put a pair of runs across in the third inning, prompting Camryn Stickel to take the circle. In her first inning of action she went 1-2-3, needing just 10 pitches to get through the inning.
- Bottom 4 / 3-2 | After a quick two outs to start the inning, Elleana Navarro started a rally, sending a single up the middle. Espy Daniels and Lauren Parker drew walks to load the bases, bringing Abby Husak to the plate. She poked a single into left field, bringing Navarro in to score. An error by the left fielder allowed Daniels to come around and tie the game up. Vire notched her second hit of the day in the next at-bat, bringing Parker in for what proved to be the game-winning run.
- Top 7 / 3-2 | Stickel took care of business to end the game, striking out a pair of batters and forcing a pop-out in foul territory, giving the Roos a conference-opening victory.
KEY MOMENTS - GAME TWO | HIGHLIGHTS
- Top 2 / 0-0 | Stickel retired the first six batters start the game, ending the second inning with a four-pitch looking strikeout.
- Bottom 4 / 1-4 | The Tommies scored four runs to go ahead in the top of the fourth, but the Roos responded with a run in the bottom of the inning. Smith stepped in and pinch hit, sending a single to right and advancing to second on an error. A wild pitch allowed her to move to third, and Amelia Fitzgerald flew a sacrifice fly to center field, allowing Smith to score.
- Top 7 / 1-8 | Sheridon Wilber came in to finish the game in the circle for Kansas City, allowing zero runs across two innings. She got a pair of strikeouts in the seventh, but a come back was not in the books for the KC bats.
STATS TO NOTE
- Vire went for a pair of singles in the first game, her second-straight multi-hit game and her fourth in the last seven games. Her batting average is up to .310 on the season, the second-best on the team among qualified players.
- Parker's run in the first game was her second-straight game scoring a run. Dating back to March 12, she has scored five runs in the past seven games.
- Wilber came in to pitch the end of the second game, her first appearance since March 10. She has allowed no runs in each of her last two appearances after allowing at least one earned run in seven of her first eight showings.
- The Roos' three errors in the second game of the day was the third-most in a game this season, and was the most since a March 2 loss to Drake.
UP NEXT
The Roos and Tommies will decide the series tomorrow, with first pitch scheduled for 11 a.m.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Stickel, Camryn (6-8)
L: Christina Crawford (1-14)
Batting:
2B: Ella Cook 1
HR: Avery Wukawitz 1
RBI: Avery Wukawitz 1 ; Ella Cook 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Avery Wukawitz 1 ; Laken Lienhard 1
SB: Kenzie Miller 1
Batting:
RBI: Husak, Abby 1 ; Vire, Kadin 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Navarro, Elleana 1 ; Daniels, Espy 1 ; Parker, Lauren 1
SB: Daniels, Espy 1
