Jayhawks Drop Pair in Doubleheader Loss to Creighton
March 25, 2009
LAWRENCE, Kan. –
The Kansas Softball team dropped a pair of one-run games to the Creighton Bluejays Wednesday afternoon at a chilly, overcast Arrocha Ballpark.
The Bluejays claimed the opener, 2-1, and then followed that up with a 10-inning victory in the nightcap by a score of 4-3. Creighton improved to 17-8 with the wins, while KU fell to 10-19 on the season.
Creighton was able to muster a run in the 10th inning off a sacrifice fly by Renae Sinkler that scored Liz McKewon. McKewon led off the inning with a double and was advanced to third base on a single by Michelle Koch.
The Jayhawks were able to grab an early 2-0 lead off of two runs and three hits in the first inning. Senior Val Chapple and sophomore Liz Kocon were able to score after they slapped back-to-back hits with one out in the inning.
The Bluejays then scored three runs in the next two frames to take a 3-2 lead. The Jayhawks were able to answer back in the fifth inning to tie the game when Kocon doubled to right-center field, plating senior Dougie McCaulley.
Both teams were held scoreless for the next four innings by first game starters Tara Oltman of Creighton and Val George of Kansas until the Bluejays were able to tally the winning run in the 10th inning.
In the first game the Jayhawks fell 2-1, despite a career-high strikeout total for pitcher Val George. The Tucson, Ariz. native notched 14 strikeouts against the Bluejays.
Renae Sinkler of Creighton opened the scoring in the first inning with a home run clearing the left field fence. George kept the Bluejays in check until they tacked on an insurance run on a suicide squeeze bunt by lead-off hitter Bailey Dawson in the fifth inning that scored Jessica Wakasugi.
The Jayhawks were held to three singles in the first six frames, but pulled within a run on a lead-off home run in the seventh inning by sophomore Allie Clark. Bluejay pitcher Tara Oltman was then able to stymie the Jayhawks’ next three hitters to hold onto the one-run victory, 2-1.
George allowed just five hits and two earned runs to go along with her 14 strikeouts in seven innings of work in game one. George added three strikeouts in game two in five innings of work.
The Jayhawks will look to rebound March 28 as they return to Big 12 play to take on Texas A&M at 2 p.m. at Arrocha Ballpark. Check back to kuathletics.com for complete coverage of the 2009 Kansas Softball season.
