KU Softball Wins First Conference Game, Splits Doubleheader at No. 25 Texas Tech
April 13, 2011
LUBBOCK, Texas –
Four different Jayhawks collected a home run as the Kansas softball team defeated No. 25 Texas Tech 9-5 in game one of doubleheader Wednesday night but the Jayhawks’ bats fell silent in the nightcap as they fell 10-0 to split the Big 12 Conference series.
Game one’s victory marked KU’s first conference win of the season as the Jayhawks moved to 28-15 overall and 1-11 in Big 12 play. TTU is now 39-7 on the season and 4-6 in the conference.
Senior Brittany Hile, juniors Liz Kocon and Marissa Ingle and sophomore Mariah Montgomery each recorded a home run in the first game, while sophomore Alex Jones pitched the final three innings allowing one hit, two walks and no runs en route to the victory.
During game two of the doubleheader, Texas Tech’s Brittany Talley limited Kansas to just two hits as the Red Raider offense scattered 11 hits and took advantage of two KU errors to defeat the Jayhawks in five innings.
Kansas returns home to Arrocha Ballpark to host No. 15/16 Baylor this weekend, April 16-17. Saturday’s game, which begins at 2 p.m., is military day and fans are encouraged to bring toiletries and non-perishable food to be donated to military troops serving overseas. First pitch on Sunday is slated for noon and is also KU’s Pink in the Park contest. Fans who wear pink will be admitted for $3, while donations will be accepted to benefit LawrenceMemorialHospital and KU Cancer Center.
Game 1 Box Score 
Game 1: Kansas 9, Texas Tech 5
Kansas softball scored seven runs in the top of the sixth inning to overcome a three-run deficit while sophomore pitcher Alex Jones tossed three innings of one hit ball to hold of Texas Tech as the Jayhawks topped the 25th-ranked Red Raiders 9-5 in game one of Wednesday’s doubleheader.
The win is KU’s first conference victory and second win over a ranked opponent this season as KU also upset No. 25 North Carolina in the season opener on Feb. 11, 2011.
With KU trailing 5-2 after five full innings, the Jayhawks rallied back to score seven runs on five hits. Laura Vickers plated KU’s first two runs of the inning with a double over the center fielder’s head. Jones’ slap single then brought home Vickers.
Maggie Hull hit a high fly ball to center field. Although the Red Raiders made the catch for the second out of the inning, it allowed Newman to tag up at third and score to give Kansas a 6-5 lead.
Hile and Kocon then hit back-to-back home runs to drive in KU’s last three runs of the frame.
Jones entered the circle for the Jayhawks at the start of the fifth inning and held Texas Tech to a single hit, two walks and no runs over the final three innings as she improved to 5-0.
Kansas also had back-to-back homers in the second inning. After Texas Tech plated four runs on four hits in its first at-bat, KU answered back in its next trip to the plate as Mongtomery and Ingle hit consecutive solo shots over the left field fence to score the Jayhawks’ first two runs and cuts its deficit to 4-2.
An RBI double in the bottom of the fourth earned TTU its fifth and final run of the game. The Red Raiders stranded five runners over the last three and two thirds innings.
Four different Jayhawks recorded two hits as KU out-hit TTU 12-11 in the game.
Game 2 Box Score
Game 2: Kansas 0, Texas Tech 10 (5 innings)
Despite collecting 12 hits in game one, Texas Tech’s Brittany Talley shut down the Kansas offense in the nightcap limiting the Jayhawks to just two knocks as TTU defeated KU 10-0 in five innings.
Texas Tech scattered 10 runs in innings two, three and four with the help of 10 hits. The Red Raiders finished with 11 hits total for the game, including five doubles.
Kansas recorded both of its hits in the top of the fourth inning. Brittany Hile and Mariah Montgomery both singled in the fourth and Liz Kocon was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Unfortunately the Jayhawks could not plate a run as a strikeout and pop fly ended the threat.
