Errors Prove Costly for Kansas Softball
Feb. 19, 2010
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – –
Despite a home run from junior Brittany Hile in the bottom of the sixth inning, the Kansas softball team fell 7-3 to Marshall in its first contest of the Lipton Invitational Friday afternoon.
Kansas, which plays again later tonight at approximately 8 p.m. versus host No. 3/9 Florida, fell to 2-4 on the young season. Marshall stayed perfect at 6-0.
The Herd out-hit KU 10-6 in the contest and took advantage of three costly Jayhawk errors.
In a wild second inning, Marshall recorded two hits and took advantage of a KU error to score three. The Herd recorded its first run on a wild pitch. A walk and two strikeouts later, both teams cleared the field thinking there were three outs in the inning. During the confusion, Marshall’s base runner stole third. Once the mix-up was settled, the Herd plated its runner with a bunt single and eventually added one last run on a fielding error at shortstop. Marshall was active on the bases successfully stealing five bases during the contest.
Marshall pushed its lead to 6-0 in the top of the fifth using a bases loaded single through right side to plate two more runs followed by an RBI single to the left side of the infield.
Kansas engineered its first tally of the game in the bottom of the fifth frame when freshman Maggie Hull got the offense started with a double down the left field line for her second hit of the game. Hull then scored when freshman Alex Jones’ slap caused the third baseman to bobble the scoop and then throw the ball passed first base.
Marshall tacked on one last unearned run in the top of the sixth after a pair of errors on the infield to improve its advantage to 7-1.
In the bottom of the inning, junior Brittany Hile brought the Jayhawks within four runs with her second hit of the game, a two-run home run over the left field wall. It marked her first homer of the season and sixth for her career.
The Herd retired KU’s last four batters to thwart any comeback by the Jayhawks.
Jones started the first two innings from the pitcher’s circle for Kansas allowing three runs (two earned) as she moved to 1-2 on the season. Junior Allie Clark pitched the final five innings giving up seven hits and striking out three batters.
Two Jayhawks made their season debut in the game. Sophomore Marissa Ingle played second base in her first career start, while senior Ally Stanton made her first start of the 2009 season in right field.
