Softball Hosts Home-Opening Holiday Inn/Jayhawk Classic

March 10, 2005

LAWRENCE, Kan. –

Kansas softball (10-8) plays its first home games of the 2005 season Friday through Sunday as it hosts Louisville and SMS in the Holiday Inn/Jayhawk Classic. The Jayhawks face the Cardinals (10-7) each day and the Bears (5-5) Friday and Saturday. The tournament marks the second season of play in Arrocha Ballpark, which was dedicated on May 1, 2004.

All games can be followed via Gametracker by logging on to the KU Softball Schedule/Results page.

Friday, March 11
11 a.m. SMS vs. Louisville
1 p.m. KU vs. Louisville
3 p.m. KU vs. SMS

Saturday, March 12
11 a.m. KU vs. Louisville
1 p.m. KU vs. SMS

3 p.m. Louisville vs. SMS

Sunday, March 13
9 a.m. SMS vs. Louisville
11 a.m. KU vs. Louisville

About Kansas
The Jayhawks are 10-8 overall after a 3-1 showing at the Kay Brechtelsbauer Classic in Carbondale, Ill., last weekend. The Jayhawks defeated Ball State (8-1), Southern Illinois (5-4) and Valparaiso (4-3) before falling to SIU (4-2) in the final game of the tournament on Sunday.

The KU defense remains solid behind junior infielders Destiny Frankenstein, Nettie Fierros and Jessica Moppin, and ranks fifth in the Big 12 with a .969 fielding percentage.

Frankenstein leads the KU offense with 19 hits for a .380 batting average. Junior Ashley Goodrich has been a leader as of late and is hitting at a .313 clip after starting her first two games of the season. Fierros is close behind at a .302 average with four doubles and Moppin is batting .283 with a team-best 13 RBI and four home runs. The Jayhawks are hitting .252 on the season while their opponents are posting a .215 average at the plate.

KU uses three starters in its pitching rotation. Junior right-hander Serena Settlemier (5-3) has emerged as the Jayhawks’ No. 1 and has a team-high 37 strikeouts on the season. Freshman lefty Christina Ross (3-3) has been impressive, pitching 40.1 innings and posting a team-best 1.56 ERA. Sophomore righty Kassie Humphreys (2-2) is also back healthy on the mound after missing a few games due to illness.

The Jayhawks finished 33-28-1 overall and 7-11 in the Big 12 last season. KU lost eight letterwinners, including six seniors, but welcomed four talented freshman to the squad in 2005.

About Louisville
The Cardinals (10-7) have won six of their last eight and are coming off a 3-2 victory over Minnesota on Feb. 27. Courtney Moore leads the UL offense with an impressive .442 batting average, 23 hits (five triples, four home runs) and a .904 slugging percentage.

Four other Cardinals — Lisa Estes (.356), Audrey Rendon (.333), Amy Summers (.333) and Lacy Wood (.316) — are hitting better than .300 on the season. Catherine Bishop (6-2), who has struck out 52 and has a 1.11 ERA, and Aja Sherman (4-5), with a 1.98 ERA and 50 Ks, make up the Cardinal pitching staff.

About SMS

The Bears (5-5) are coming off a split with Ball State in their home-opener Tuesday. Jessica Leathers leads all SMS hitters with a .433 batting average (13 hits) to go with her six stolen bases and .485 on-base percentage.

SMS has a three-pitcher rotation and is led by Samantha Fleeman (1-1), who has a 1.42 ERA in 19.2 innings. Shannon Buslepp (2-2) and Melissa Porsche (2-2) have combined for 40 strikeouts in the Bears’ 10 games.

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