Jayhawks Beat Missouri, 2-0, Advance To Big 12 Semifinals

May 11, 2006

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OKLAHOMA CITY –

Just seven hours after knocking off third-seeded Baylor, No. 6 seed Kansas returned to the ASA Hall of Fame Stadium and defeated No. 7 seed Missouri, 2-0, to advance to the semifinal round of the 2006 Big 12 Softball Championship. The Jayhawks (32-24), winners of five straight games, will face the winner of the No. 2 Nebraska/No. 8 Oklahoma State game (11 a.m.) at 4:30 p.m. live on Fox Sports Net.<?xml:namespace prefix=”o” ns=”urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office”?>

All of KU’s Big 12 Championship games are broadcast live on KLWN 1320 AM with Jud Easterday and Aaron Clopton calling the action. Live Gametracker is also available for all games.

KU 5, Baylor 1

KU used nine hits, including home runs from Serena Settlemier and Stevie Crisosto, to upset third-seeded Baylor, 5-1, in its first game of the 2006 Big 12 Championship.

The Kansas offense caught on early against Baylor, scoring two runs off two hits and an error in the top of the first. With one out, Crisosto doubled down the left field line. Destiny Frankenstein walked and Jessica Moppin singled to left field to score Crisosto from second. Frankenstein hustled from first to score on an error by the centerfielder to give the Jayhawks the early 2-0 lead.

BU scored its only run of the game in the bottom of the fourth. Chelsi Lake singled and advanced to second on a ground out by Ashley Monceaux. Kylie Conroy singled to score Lake from second and bring the Lady Bears within one run.

With two outs and no one on base in the top of the fifth, Settlemier homered to left center to give KU an insurance run. Settlemier’s home run, her 22nd of the season, tied Nebraska’s Ali Viola (1998) for the Big 12 single-season record.

Crisosto followed suit with a solo home run of her own in the top of the seventh, her third of the season. With one out, Crisosto took her first pitch of the inning over the left field fence. Settlemier, the 2006 Big 12 Player of the Year, followed with a single to left center and the Lady Bears made a pitching change. Frankenstein walked and Moppin notched an RBI single to right center to score Settlemier from second and give KU a 5-1 lead.

Moppin went 3-for-4 at the plate with two RBI while Settlemier, Crisosto and Heather Stanley each notched two hits in the win.

In the circle, Settlemier (17-6) gave up just four hits, struck out two and walked none through the first five innings to take the win. Kassie Humphreys fanned four Lady Bears, allowed one hit and walked one in two innings to earn her fourth save of the season.

BU ace Lisa Ferguson (18-13) allowed eight hits, struck out six and walked two in six and one-third innings to take the loss. Monceaux walked one and gave up one hit in two-thirds of an inning of relief.

KU 2, Missouri 0

Kansas went on to defeat seventh-seeded Missouri, 2-0, in the nightcap. The Jayhawks, who totaled seven hits off MU’s Jen Bruck, were able to score again in their first at-bat. Val Chapple singled to lead off, moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Crisosto and scored on a base hit by Settlemier, 1-0.

The Jayhawks added to their lead in the fifth when with two outs, Humphreys singled to left, Nettie Fierros notched a pinch hit single and Chapple singled to left field. Chapple grabbed two of KU’s seven hits in the win.

Humphreys (15-16) was solid in the circle for KU, allowing just one hit, striking out seven and walking one Tiger in the complete-game shutout. Bruck (23-20) fanned two Jayhawks and walked none through six innings to take the loss.

With the win, KU picked up .5 points in the 2005-06 Border Showdown to take a 22.5 to 15 lead in the series.

-KU-