KU Drops Games to BYU, #4 Tennessee
Feb. 18, 2006
LAS VEGAS, NEV. –
Despite a 2-0 showing in Day One of the Louisville Slugger Desert Classic, Kansas softball dropped games to BYU (2-1) and #4 Tennessee (13-1) Saturday night in the second day of play at the Stephanie Lynn Craig Softball Complex. With the losses, the Jayhawks moved to 4-4 on the season.
<?xml:namespace prefix=”o” ns=”urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office”?>
In the first game of the day, KU hung its first run on the board in the top of the sixth against BYU. With two outs and senior Jessica Moppin on second base (fielder’s choice, steal), senior Destiny Frankenstein doubled to right center for her fifth RBI of the tournament.
Despite having two runners in scoring position in the top of the seventh, KU could not increase its advantage and took a 1-0 lead into the bottom of the inning. BYU’s lead-off hitter reached on a throwing error by Moppin and moved to second on a base hit. With no outs, the runners advanced on a sacrifice bunt and one run scored after a fielder’s choice (ground out to third base).
With two outs and the game tied, BYU scored on a fielding error by Frankenstein to win the contest, 2-1.
Senior Serena Settlemier (2-1) was solid in the circle for KU, striking out six and allowing four hits, no walks and no earned runs. Five different Jayhawks notched base hits but KU stranded seven on base in the loss.
In the nightcap, Tennessee (7-0) rattled off three hits in its first at-bat to take a 1-0 lead. The Lady Vols added to their lead in the top of the second, scoring a run off two singles.
Frankenstein notched KU’s first hit of the game in the bottom of the second, marking the first base hit against UT’s Monica Abbott in 14 2/3 innings. The Jayhawk offense picked up in the bottom of the third when freshman Val Chapple doubled to right center and Moppin drove her in with a single up the middle, 2-1. The Jayhawks’ run was the first given up by Abbott in more than 22 innings.
UT scored 11 runs in the top of the fifth to seal the game. The Vols totaled 10 hits (four in the infield) and two walks off junior Kassie Humphreys (2-3) and freshman Valerie George. Humphreys finished with four strikeouts and one walk and gave up 10 hits (eight runs) in 4.1 innings of work. George fanned one batter, walked one and gave up five hits in 0.2 innings of relief.
Abbott (4-0), a two-time All-American, struck out 10 Jayhawks and gave up three hits in the win.
KU wraps up tournament play Sunday against host UNLV at 1 p.m. Central in Eller Media Stadium.
-KU-
