It was a total team effort that led the UMKC softball team to two victories over CSU Bakersfield in the home-opening doubleheader at Missouri 3&2 Field on Friday, April 8, extending the Kangaroo winning-streak to a season-long four games. Senior outfielder Brooke Parker was on fire at the dish, racking up six total hits on the day to power the UMKC offense.
Sophomore pitcher Amber Grove (6-8) took the circle in game one for the ‘Roos (12-17, 4-1 WAC), and pitched seven innings of one-run ball, striking out five CSU Bakersfield (10-24, 2-3 WAC) batters for the complete-game win.
Nine hits for ‘Roos, including two each from senior Parker (2-for-4), sophomore Kendra Leach (2-for-3) and freshman Morgan Byrn (2-for-3) helped Grove pick up the win in the early game.
Most of the action happened in the third stanza, with UMKC racking up five runs in the inning. It all started with an Alex Gale (1-for-1) single up the middle, followed by Parker legging out a bunt single to put two on. Senior Katie Kelley (0-for-3) worked a one-out walk to load the bases, and Leach smacked a double to left field to drive in two runs.
Kelley would go on to score on an error, and Byrn hit a perfectly placed blooper over the first baseman that side-spun to the fence for a double, driving in another run to make it a four-run lead.
Senior Alexandra Friloux (1-for-3) capped off the scoring run for UMKC with an RBI single through the right side, nearly driving in two, except a perfect throw from the CSUB right fielder gunned Byrn down trying to score from second.
The ‘Runners got a run back momentarily in the fourth, but a bases loaded walk from freshman Bri Sims (1-for-3) in the bottom half of the frame put the ‘Roos back up by five runs, 6-1.
Grove went on to shut down the CSUB bats over the next two innings to pick up win number one on the day for UMKC.
Kelley (5-8) took the circle and matched Grove’s efforts with a complete-game victory of her own, striking out four batters and allowing just two earned runs off six hits.
Akin to game one of the day, a big inning sparked the UMKC offense, but this time it was inning number one that held the major outburst for the ‘Roos.
Parker (4-for-4) led the game off with a single, advancing to second on an error by the centerfielder, and O’Brien (1-for-4) singled to the shortstop, moving Parker to third to give UMKC runners at the corners.
Parker trotted home on a wild pitch, and O’Brien wound up at third after a stolen base and the out-of-control throw from the circle. Kelley (1-for-3) walked and Leach (0-for-2) was plunked to load the bases for the ‘Roos.
Redshirt freshman Rachel Pate (2-for-3) hit a sacrifice fly to right field, driving in O’Brien, then junior Abby Warkentine (1-for-3) and Byrn (2-for-4) hit consecutive singles up the middle to each drive in a run. Before the inning was said and done, Parker picked up her second hit of the game and drove in another run, and UMKC held a six-run advantage after the first inning.
Kelley battled her command in the fourth inning, and gave up two runs on two hits, but her offense had her back the whole way, answering with another crooked number on the scoreboard.
The UMKC bats lit up in the bottom of the fourth to score three more runs, including an RBI single from Kelley to help her own cause, and two unearned runs on an error, making the score 9-2.
The ‘Runners put another notch in the run column in the fifth, but a Sims homer in the sixth sealed the fate of the visitors, as UMKC went on to sweep the doubleheader with a 10-3 victory in game two.
The ‘Roos look to go for the series sweep on Saturday, April 9, with first pitch scheduled for noon at Missouri 3&2 Field.