Kansas City
14-21, 0
South Dakota
16-21, 0
Seniors Step Up In Walk-Off Win Over Coyotes
3/30/2024 2:06:00 PM | Softball
Kansas City's Senior Day celebration carried over into a 3-2 win over South Dakota
KANSAS CITY - If a script was written for Senior Day at Urban Youth Academy, it could not have been much better than how things panned out for Kansas City Softball (14-21, 3-3 Summit) against South Dakota (16-21, 1-4 Summit) today. A gritty Roos squad used their senior experience to grind out a 3-2 win in walk-off fashion, earning a series win over the Coyotes.
Senior Camryn Stickel was monstrous from the rubber, pitching all seven innings and allowing just two earned runs with four strikeouts. Fellow senior Abby Husak was the hero, putting the game-winning ball in play and forcing an error that allowed two runs to score. The game-tying run came from Espy Daniels, yet another senior that got in on the action.
Prior to the game, Stickel, Husak, Daniels, Sydney Nichols and Marina Karnes were all honored during the Senior Day festivities for their dedication to the Kansas City Softball program.
KEY MOMENTS | HIGHLIGHTS
- Bottom 3 / 0-0 | The Roos' first scoring opportunity came in the third inning as Lauren Parker got KC's first hit of the day with two outs. She stole second and advanced to third on an errant throw, but was tagged out at home on a ground ball to end the inning.
- Top 5 / 0-0 | Stickel got her first 1-2-3 inning of the day in the fifth, beginning things with a strikeout. She forced a line out to right field before a come-backer found her glove for an easy out.
- Bottom 6 / 1-2 | The Coyotes scored a pair of runs in the top of the sixth, but KC would respond with a two-out rally. Lexy Smith doubled to deep left field, and Briona Woods sent a ball to the same place, trading places with Smith and bringing KC within a run.
- Bottom 7 / 3-2 | Needing a rally, Elleana Navarro started things off in the bottom of the seventh with a single. Following a pop fly for the first out, Katie Noble and Parker went for back-to-back singles, loading the bases. Husak stepped to the plate, and with a 2-2 count sent a ground ball to second base. A wild throw made it past the catcher, allowing Daniels to score the tying run and Gianna Lickel to stride across home plate for the walk-off win.
STATS TO NOTE
- Smith continued her scorching play at the plate with her eighth extra-base hit of the season. She is batting .420 on the year, which would go down as the second-best single season batting average in program history if the season ended today.
- Today's win marked Kansas City's third walk-off win of the season, and its second in the past eight games. In games decided by one run, the Roos own a 5-4 record.
- The win gives the Roos their first series win of the season in conference play and the second of Head Coach Kiki Stokes O'Connor's KC career. The first came last season against Western Illinois from April 22-23.
POSTGAME INTERVIEWS
Head Coach Kiki Stokes O'Connor | Camryn Stickel/Abby Husak
UP NEXT
The Roos continue conference play in Brookings, S.D. against South Dakota State on April 6 and 7.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Stickel, Camryn (7-10)
L: Clara Edwards (6-10)
Batting:
2B: Clara Edwards 1
RBI: Clara Edwards 2
SH: Clara Edwards 1 ; Rylie Jones 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Brylee Hempey 1 ; Autumn Iversen 1
HBP: Alecea Mendoza 1
Batting:
2B: Smith, Lexy 1 ; Woods, Briona 1
RBI: Woods, Briona 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Smith, Lexy 1 ; Daniels, Espy 1 ; Lickel, Gianna 1
SB: Parker, Lauren 1
