The UMKC softball team completed the series sweep of Western Athletic Conference foe CSU Bakersfield with a 10-7 victory on Saturday at Missouri 3&2 Field in Kansas City. The win extends the UMKC win-streak to five games, with a 5-1 start in conference play.
Seniors Brooke Parker (4-for-5) and Katie Kelley (2-for-4) played major parts in the UMKC (13-17, 5-1 WAC) success this weekend, with Parker tallying a total of 10 hits in the three contests, including four in the series finale, and Kelley driving in four runs on Saturday and picking up the win in the circle.
Sophomore pitcher Amber Grove made the start for the ‘Roos against the ‘Runners (10-25, 2-4 WAC) and worked a clean first inning, and the UMKC bats gave her an early 2-0 lead after the first inning.
Parker set the tone for the game, leading off with an infield single, and despite getting thrown out on an attempt to steal second, the ‘Roos rallied behind her, with Kelley (2-for-2) stroking a double with a runner on, and freshman Bri Sims (0-for-2) working a walk to load the bases for senior Alexandra Friloux (0-for-2).
With the bases jammed, the CSUB defense faltered, allowing Friloux to reach, and the first UMKC run of the game to come across the plate. With the bags still packed, freshman Morgan Bryn (1-for-3) worked a walk to bring home the second run of the game and give the ‘Roos the 2-0 advantage.
The ‘Runners leveled the score with UMKC after a leadoff home run in the second inning and an error to score an unearned run, the ‘Roos took the punch and landed one of their own, in the form of two more runs in the bottom half of the frame.
Junior Alex Gale (2-for-4) reached on an error to start the inning, and Parker notched her second hit of the game, a bunt single, to put two on. Sophomore Ashlin O’Brien (1-for-4) laid down a perfect bunt and the CSUB defense failed to get the lead-runner out, loading the bases for Kelley.
Making easy work of the bases loaded, Kelley hit a sacrifice fly to right field, driving in Gale to regain the lead. Parker would go on to score on a wild pitch before the ‘Runners could end the inning, making the score 4-2 after two.
Grove started the third inning shaky, allowing a leadoff single and hitting a batter. With two runners on and no outs, head coach Meredith Smith Neal decided to make a change and bring in Kelley (6-8) to try to work out of the jam.
Work out of the jam is exactly what she did, striking out the first two batters she faced and inducing an easy 6-3 groundout to leave two stranded.
Sophomore Kelsey Goodwin (2-for-4) led off the bottom of the third with a homer to left-center field, her first of the season and second of her career, to make the score 5-2.
The ‘Runners put up a three-spot in the fifth with a sacrifice fly and a two-run homer, their second of the game, bringing the score even again, but the ‘Roos had another answer, as Parker recorded her third hit of the contest to drive in a run, and after five UMKC held the upper hand, 6-5.
The ‘Roos hung a zero on defense in the sixth, and put up a six-spot in the bottom half of the inning to take a big lead. The six-run inning marked the third time in the series the ‘Roos score five or more runs in one inning, scoring five runs in the third inning of game one and six runs in the first inning of game two.
Goodwin notched another RBI with a double to right field to get the scoring started in the frame, and Byrn singled up the middle to push another run across. Gale singled through the right side with one out to drive in another run, and with two outs and the bases loaded, Kelley smashed a double to left center to drive in three to cap the scoring in the inning.
With just three outs left and trailing 12-5, the ‘Runners tried to get back into the game, scoring two runs on their third homer of the contest, but the bomb was too little, too late, as UMKC would go on to win, 12-7.
The ‘Roos are back in action on Tuesday, as they head to Vermillion, South Dakota for a non-conference doubleheader against South Dakota, before making their way across the Mount Rushmore State to Brookings for a doubleheader against South Dakota State on Wednesday. The ‘Roos will wrap-up the bust week at home with a three-game series against Utah Valley, with a doubleheader on Friday, April 15, and the series finale on Saturday, April 16.
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