Jayhawks Chalk Up Two More Wins in Fall Campaign
Oct. 2, 2011
LAWRENCE, Kan. – A balanced attack from the circle and the plate controlled the day as the University of Kansas softball team earned shutout victories against Washburn and Butler County Community College, Sunday afternoon at Arrocha Ballpark.
Freshman pitcher Alicia Pille and junior transfer pitcher Morgan Druhan struck out six apiece in their respective game one and game two starts. Five pitchers would see time on Sunday, combining for 19 strikeouts and just three hits. At the plate, junior shortstop Mariah Montgomery had a monster day, going 6-for-8 with three RBI and three doubles as one of many of the offensive highlights for the Jayhawks, who moved to 3-0 on the fall season.
“Our pitchers complement each other really well,” head coach Megan Smith said. “We’ve put some of them out in starting positions, some in relieving positions and they’ve rose to the occasion. They’ve all looked really good. They’re hitting their spots well and mixing speeds. I couldn’t be happier with our newcomer pitchers.”
In a 7-0 victory against Washburn, the Kansas offense stayed quiet as Pille racked up six strikeouts in the first three innings. After Pille’s departure from the game following the top of the third, her offense thanked her for the effort in the bottom half of the inning. KU sent all nine batters to the plate, kicked off by a double from junior outfielder Rosie Hull. Redshirt senior Liz Kocon, freshman catcher Lexi Bryant and sophomore slap hitter Elsa Moyer all drove runners in during the four-run inning.
“I think one of the things that gets lost in our games, because we are power hitters, are our slappers,” Smith said. “They have both stepped up big time. Elsa Moyer and Cassen Salamone have stepped up and put on amazing performances in the last three games, especially today.”
With sophomore pitcher Kristin Martinez in the circle at the top of the fourth, the Jayhawk defense got in on the highlight reel when senior second baseman Marissa Ingle made a diving grab over her shoulder.
Despite three hits and a pair of walks in the fourth and fifth innings, the Jayhawks didn’t score again until the bottom of the sixth. They unleashed three more runs in the final inning, highlighted by a two-run double from Ingle.
In an 8-0 win against Butler CCC, the Jayhawks jumped on the board the first chance they got. Salamone took one for the team to lead off the game and booked it to third when junior outfielder Maggie Hull crushed a double off the left field wall. Both of them would come home in the very next at bat when Montgomery roasted her first of three doubles in the game.
Armed with a 2-0 lead, Druhan did work in the circle, notching two strikeouts in each of her three innings. Senior pitcher Ashley Spencer tossed 2.1 scoreless innings behind her, while freshman Emily Stokes picked up the final two outs of the game.
A slight scoring lull kept both teams off the board until KU’s bats caught fire in the bottom of the sixth. Senior catcher Leah Daiber beat out an errant play before Moyer flew to first base to hit safely behind her. With two runners on, Maggie Hull drilled a ball up the middle to bring them both home. Montgomery then cranked another RBI double. Ingle drove in two more before freshman first baseman Maddie Stein ripped an RBI single through the right side.
The game was called due to time limit before the third out of the inning could be recorded.
UP NEXT
On Oct. 6, KU is scheduled to meet Baker University for a Thursday night game before wrapping up the fall with the Jayhawk Invitational on Oct. 16. Labette Community College and Seminole State will round out the fall slate.
