May 08, 2005

KU Completes Series Sweep of ISU, 4-2

May 8, 2005

AMES, Iowa –

The University of Kansas softball team ended its regular season with a series sweep of Iowa State, 4-2, Sunday at the Southwest Athletic Complex. With the victory, the Jayhawks improved to 30-20 overall and 9-8 in Big 12 Conference play and finish sixth in the league standings.<?xml:namespace prefix=”o” ns=”urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office”?>

The victory also marked KU’s 21^st 30-win season in program history and seventh under head coach Tracy Bunge since her arrival in 1997.

For the second time in the series, ISU put two runs on the board in their first at-bat. Katie Reichling doubled to score Kim Rodgers (hit by pitch) and Ashley Killeen singled to score Jessica Quade (base hit) to put the Cyclones on top early.

Destiny Frankenstein, the KU single-season home runs leader, led off the second inning with her 14^th blast of the season. The `Hawks then tied the game when Nettie Fierros walked, advanced to third on a Cyclone error and came around to score on a steal attempt by Nicole Washburn at second.

KU took a 3-2 lead in the top of the fourth on a squeeze bunt. Elle Pottorf led off with a base hit up the middle and was replaced by pinch runner Ashley Goodrich. Goodrich moved all the way to third on a sacrifice bunt by Serena Settlemier and scored on a squeeze by Fierros.

The Jayhawks added a run in the fifth with two singles and two sacrifice hits. Ashley Frazer led off with a single, moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Heather Stanley, to third on a bunt single by Vasquez and scored on a sacrifice fly by Jessica Moppin.

KU starter Christina Ross (12-6) allowed five hits, struck out two, walked two and hit two batters in 4.1 innings for the win. Settlemier struck out three, walked one and kept the Cyclones hitless in the final 2.2 innings for the save.

The Jayhawks managed seven hits off Alyssa Ransom (11-19), who struck out four and walked just one in the loss.

ISU stranded six runners in the loss while the Jayhawk defense turned two double plays.

KU will participate in postseason play May 11-14 at the 2005 Big 12 Tournament in Oklahoma City. The Jayhawks will face No. 3 seed Texas at 11 a.m. Thursday at the ASA Hall of Fame Stadium.

A complete tournament bracket and seeding will be available on big12sports.com, the official website of the Big 12 Conference.

-KU-