Sweep Complete: Jayhawks Wreck Tech, 5-3
April 22, 2007
LUBBOCK, Texas – Kansas (29-18-1, 5-8 Big 12) earned their second conference sweep of the season with a 5-3 victory over Texas Tech (18-23, 1-9 Big 12) Sunday afternoon at Rocky Johnson Field. The Kansas offense exploded for five runs behind two home runs from freshman Sara Ramirez and two RBI’s from sophomore Elle Pottorf. KU now owns a nine-game winning streak over the Red Raiders.
Kansas jumped out of the gate, scoring two runs in the top of the first. Pottorf’s single to deep right center scored both senior Nicole Washburn and sophomore Stevie Crisosto. Washburn reached on a walk, while Crisosto was hit by a pitch. The base hit gives Pottorf 35 RBI’s on the season–best on the team. Crisosto’s score gives her 30 runs on the season, also the team’s best. KU, now 25-3 when scoring before its opponent, scored more than one run in the first inning for the first time since scoring three runs against Missouri State on March 28.
Ramirez continued the `Hawk scoring in the second inning, by blasting a home run down the left-field line to give KU a 3-0 lead.
Texas Tech’s Jennifer Corkin hit a home run in the bottom of the second to give the Red Raiders their first earned run of the weekend series and make the score 3-1. The score was the only earned run against pitcher Kassie Humphreys in the past week, which includes 18 innings pitched.
Kansas’s third inning score came off a wild pitch from Tech freshman Ashley Jacobs as Jobe scampered home. Jobe walked to get on base and was nearly brought home by an Elle Pottorf lined shot into left field that hit the top of the wall. Instead, Jobe settled for third base, but scored a few pitches later. Pottorf’s second hit of the afternoon gives her four multi-hit games on the year.
Ramirez hit her second home run of the game in the fourth inning to make the score 5-1. Ramirez’s sixth homer of the season ensured her first ever multi-home run game–the first by a Jayhawk this season. Ramirez is now in a tie for third place with Nettie Fierros for the most home runs in a season by a Jayhawk freshman. Current Kansas student-assistant coach, Jessica Moppin, holds the record with 11 home runs.
Humphreys (15-10) pitched four innings, allowing one run on four hits, while striking out seven. Humphreys earned both victories over Texas Tech and has now thrown three straight complete games. Freshman Sarah Vertelka pitched two innings giving up two runs and on four hits. Sophomore Valerie George closed the game’s final inning, earning her third save of the season. Jacobs (13-13) pitched three innings, giving up five earned runs on four hits while walking two batters.
Up next for Kansas is a mid-week road trip to Nebraska to face the Nebraska Cornhuskers on Wednesday, April 25 at 6:30 p.m. On the following day, KU will play a double-header with Missouri Valley Conference foe, Creighton. The first game is scheduled to begin at 2 p.m.
Check back later in the week for more information on the Kansas softball team at kuathletics.com.
