Jayhawks Open Season With Two Wins in Houston
Feb. 10, 2006
HOUSTON –
Kansas softball started the 2006 season by shutting out #19 Florida, 6-0, and run-ruling Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, 15-1, Friday in day one of the Wilson/Demarini Invitational. Despite a two-hour rain delay at Cougar Softball Stadium, the Jayhawks totaled 17 hits on the day while holding their opponents to just one run.
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Senior Destiny Frankenstein led the Jayhawks with five RBI (.600 batting average), four runs and three hits (two home runs) on the day.
Against Florida, Kansas put its first run of the season on the board in the second inning. Frankenstein walked to lead off and moved to second on a slap bunt by freshman Val Chapple. Sophomore Betsy Wilson nailed a single off second base to bring in Frankenstein and give KU the lead.
The Jayhawks scored two runs off two Gator errors in the third inning. Junior Nicole Washburn led off the inning with a base hit and was pushed all the way home after a throwing error by the Florida catcher. Senior Heather Stanley, who reached on the error, scored from third when the shortstop couldn’t hold onto a pop-up from freshman Stevie Crisosto.
After loading the bases with two hits and a walk in the bottom of the fifth, junior Kassie Humphreys (1-0) fanned three Gators to get out of the jam. KU added to its lead in the sixth when Frankenstein and senior Serena Settlemier notched solo home runs. Crisosto singled in the seventh inning and was brought in by two Jayhawk hits to cap the KU victory, 6-0.
Humphreys totaled 10 strikeouts, walked one and allowed just five hits in the win. The Jayhawks had eight hits off three different Gator pitchers.
In the contest against the Islanders, KU held a 3-0 advantage when the game was suspended due to rain in the bottom of the third. The Jayhawks came back from the delay and scored eight runs in the inning off five hits, including Frankenstein’s second home run of the day.
The Jayhawks closed the game with four runs in the fourth inning. Settlemier (1-0) struck out 12 and gave up three hits in five innings of work. The Islanders committed five errors in the loss.
KU (2-0) will continue tournament play Saturday against host Houston at 5 p.m. and Texas A&M-Corpus Christi immediately after.
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