Jayhawks Sweep Bears In Home Opener
March 8, 2006
LAWRENCE, Kan. –
Kansas softball totaled 19 hits in a home-opening doubleheader sweep of Missouri State, 11-3 (5) and 3-0, Wednesday afternoon at Arrocha Ballpark. With the pair of victories, the Jayhawks improved to 11-10 on the season while the Bears moved to 11-7.
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Seniors Jessica Moppin and Serena Settlemier and freshman Stevie Crisosto led the Jayhawks with three hits apiece on the day. Crisosto also batted in four runs against the Bears in the opening game.
Missouri State struck early in the first game, scoring two runs off three hits and a Jayhawk error in the top of the first. KU responded with two runs in the bottom half of the inning. Freshman Val Chapple led off with a walk, senior Heather Stanley was hit by a pitch and Settlemier walked to load the bases. Moppin singled to score Chapple and Crisosto grounded out to second base for another RBI, 2-2.
KU took a 7-2 lead with five runs off four hits and an error in the second. With bases loaded, Crisosto doubled to right center to bring in three Jayhawks while Frankenstein and Settlemier singled to drive in runs earlier in the lineup.
Stanley notched a two-run homer in the third inning, her first of the season, and the Jayhawks used four hits to score two more in the fourth to secure the run-rule victory (eight-run lead after five innings).
Settlemier (6-3) struck out four, gave up four hits and walked none in five innings of work for her fourth straight victory. The Jayhawk offense totaled 10 hits off Missouri State’s Sam Fleeman (3-4) and Shannon Buslepp.
Junior Kassie Humphreys grabbed KU’s first RBI of the later contest, driving in Moppin (single) in the bottom of the second inning. With one out in the third, Chapple and Stanley reeled off back-to-back doubles to add another run and give KU the 2-0 lead.
Moppin’s solo home run, her third of the season, added to the Jayhawks’ lead in the bottom of the fourth.
Humphreys (5-6) was solid in the circle for KU, striking out eight, giving up just four hits and walking one in the complete-game victory. The Bears’ Melissa Porche (5-1), suffered her first loss of the season, allowing nine hits, striking out six and walking one in six innings.
The Jayhawks continue their home stand Friday through Sunday when they host Minnesota, Portland State and Eastern Michigan in the 2006 Jayhawk Classic.
-KU-
