KU Softball Drops Weekend Finale 4-2 to No. 14/16 Ohio State
Feb. 14, 2010
Box Score in PDF Format 
HOUSTON, Texas –
Freshman Mariah Montgomery batted in her first career RBIs to bring the Kansas softball team to within one run of No. 14/16 Ohio State but the Buckeyes’ pitching staff shutdown KU’s hitters as the Jayhawks were defeated 4-2 in their final day at the Marriott Hobby Invite.
Kansas wrapped up the weekend with a 2-3 record, while OSU improved to 4-1 on the season.
Just 12 hours after finishing its win at Houston on Saturday evening, the Jayhawks were back on the field to face Ohio State Sunday morning, its second top 25 opponent of the weekend.
Ohio State took advantage of a tired Jayhawk team as the Buckeyes quickly scored two runs in the top of the first inning on a solo home run and an RBI double. OSU added one more tally to the scoreboard in the next inning to push its advantage to 3-0 over the Jayhawks.
Kansas answered back in the bottom of the second frame. Junior Allie Clark led off the inning with a base on balls and Junior Brittany Hile followed with a single into left field. Both runners scored on Montgomery’s double through the right side. It marked Montgomery’s first career RBIs as the KU third baseman cut KU’s deficit to 3-2.
After Montgomery’s hit, Ohio State brought in pitcher Melanie Nicholls and she held the Jayhawks hitless through the rest of the contest. Only one batter reached base; freshman Maggie Hull made it to first on a fielding error in the second inning.
OSU tacked on an insurance run in the top of the sixth with its second RBI double of the contest.
The Buckeyes scattered seven hits versus Kansas starting pitcher Alex Jones. The freshman hurler tossed five and one third innings, walked three batters and struck out four. Senior Sarah Vertelka entered the game during the sixth frame and threw the final one and two thirds innings in relief holding OSU without a hit and striking out one hitter.
Jones finished the weekend with a team-best 2.76 ERA and also led the Jayhawks with a .375 batting average going 6-for-16 in five games. Senior Sara Ramirez hit .357 (5-for-14) over the three-day tournament and batted in a team-high four runs along with juniors Liz Kocon and Clark.
Senior Amanda Jobe drew six walks during the tournament, including one during the first inning versus Ohio State to move into the No. 5 spot on KU’s career base on balls list with 76 career walks.
Kansas is back in action next weekend, Feb. 19-21, in the Lipton Invitational in Gainesville, Fla. KU will face Marshall, Campbell, East Carolina and host Florida during the tournament.
