Kansas Opens 2008 Season In Orlando

Feb. 7, 2008

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LAWRENCE, Kan. –

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Head coach Tracy Bunge and the University of Kansas softball team head south this weekend to Orlando, Fla., where they open the 2008 season in the Central Florida Invitational. The Jayhawks open tournament play Friday morning, Feb. 8, with an 8:30 a.m. (CST) contest with Central Arkansas followed by 12:30 p.m. (CST) meeting with North Carolina State later in the day. KU will play a pair of early morning games Saturday with IllinoisState and host UCF. The tournament concludes Sunday with three rounds of playoffs.

Live Stats Link

http://ucfathletics.cstv.com/sports/w-softbl/spec-rel/ucf-tourney-08.html

About Kansas

Kansas returns a seasoned squad of 13 letterwinners, including eight starters, from a team who went 33-24-1 in 2007 – its fourth consecutive year with 30-plus wins and its seventh straight winning season. Three of the Jayhawks’ top four offensive threats from a year ago are back on the roster, including junior shortstop Stevie Crisosto who led the team with a .302 batting average as well as 13 stolen bases a year ago. Crisosto is also one of four Jayhawks to start all 58 games last season. Sophomore second baseman Sara Ramirez, junior center fielder Dougie McCaulley and junior third baseman Val Chapple also started every game for the Jayhawks in 2007. Junior catcher Elle Pottorf and sophomore Amanda Jobe are equally important returners for KU. Pottorf notched a team-best 37 RBIs on a .459 slugging percentage last year along with a .992 fielding percentage. Jobe also had a .992 fielding percentage and was the team’s second leading hitter with a .295 average as a freshman.

Season Openers

Kansas holds a 17-13 all-time record in home openers dating back to 1978 (stats not available before 1978) and a 6-5 record under coach Tracy Bunge.

Up Next

Kansas softball will take the next week to prepare for its next tournament at UNLV, Feb. 15-17. KU will face Oregon and PortlandState on Friday, Feb. 15, and then BYU the following day. The tournament concludes with contests against Seton Hall and UNLV on Sunday.