April 27, 2011

Jayhawks Break Home Run Record in Doubleheader Sweep at Wichita State

WICHITA, Kan. –

Five home runs in game one broke the school’s single-season home run record en route to an 11-3 win while a big fifth inning in the nightcap allowed for a 6-3 come-from-behind victory as Kansas softball swept WichitaState in a doubleheader Wednesday evening.

With the wins, KU improved to 29-4 in non-conference play and 31-20 overall. WichitaState fell to 16-33 on the season.

Junior Liz Kocon and sophomore Mariah Montgomery each homered twice in game one and junior Marissa Ingle added a fifth round-tripper as the Jayhawks passed the KU single-season home run record, previously 54 in 2005, now at 59 so far this year.

Senior Allie Clark pitched all six innings of the shortened run-rule contest to improve to 13-7 from the circle.

The Jayhawks trailed 3-1 after four innings of the nightcap but a big fifth frame saw Kansas score four runs on three hits, along with the help of two walks, to give KU a one-run edge. A WichitaState error in the sixth inning pushed the Jayhawks’ lead to 6-3.

Sophomore Alex Jones entered the game in the third and proceeded to pitch five strong innings. Jones allowed just three hits while striking out four to stave off a Shocker comeback as she improved to 6-2.

Kansas returns to the diamond this weekend, April 30-May 1, to host Texas A&M in the Jayhawks’ final Big 12 Conference contests. Seniors Allie Clark and Brittany Hile will be honored after Saturday’s contest, which starts at 4 p.m. First pitch Sunday is slated for noon.

Game 1 Box Score in PDF Format

Game 1 – KU 11, WSU 3 (6 innings)

Junior Liz Kocon smacked a leadoff home run in the bottom of the second inning to break the University of Kansas single-season home run record but the Jayhawks weren’t satisfied as they went on to record four more homers en route to their 11-3 win at Wichita State in the first game of a doubleheader Wednesday evening.

With 54 home runs heading into the contest, a feat which the 2005 Jayhawks accomplished, Kocon helped the 2011 team surpass that record with a solo shot over the left field wall to lead off the second inning. She then switched fields and launched a three-run homer to right field in her next at-bat during the third frame to give KU a 6-1 lead.

Kocon, who went 3-for-4 with four RBIs, bumped her season home run total up to 14 to tie the second-most home runs ever in a Jayhawk season.

Sophomore Mariah Montgomery also tallied a pair of home runs and two RBIs for the Jayhawks, while junior Marissa Ingle wrapped up KU’s scoring efforts with a round-tripper in the top of the sixth frame to give KU an eight-run lead and end the game by way of run-rule. She also added an RBI double to finish the game with three runs driven in during the game. Freshman Ashley Newman also batted in a run with the first of two singles in the second inning.

Twins Maggie and Rosie Hull each added singles to round out KU’s 11-hit performance.

Kansas senior pitcher Allie Clark went the distance tossing all six innings and improving to 13-7 from the circle.

Game 2 Box Score in PDF Format

Game 2 – KU 6, WSU 3

Junior Marissa Ingle and sophomore Maggie Hull each went 2-for-4 in game two as seven difference Jayhawks combined for nine hits.

After sophomore Alex Jones scored on a bases loaded walk to junior Liz Kocon in the fifth, Ingle produced a two-run single to give Kansas a 4-3 lead. Senior Brittany Hile stepped up to the plate next and smacked a single to left field to plate Kocon.

Jones added one last run for the Jayhawks in the top of the sixth inning. She led off the frame with a walk and eventually worked her way around the bases to score after a throw to first went past the Shockers’ second baseman to the fence.