🥎 Jayhawks Drop Panthers in Friday Night Action
LAWRENCE, Kan. – Kansas junior Morgyn Wynne went 2-for-3 with a solo-home run and two RBIs to help propel the Jayhawks (11-7) to a 4-1 victory over Northern Iowa (7-10) Friday night.
On a day that did not look like any game would be played due to weather saw the skies open in the early evening to allow two games to be played at Arrocha Ballpark that concluded with KU recording eight hits and Jayhawk sophomore Tatum Goff striking out seven batters.
To get the night started, UNI scored one in the top of the first, but the Jayhawks did not trail for long by striking back in the bottom half of the inning.
Scoring for KU began with Sydney Ramsey getting on off an error by UNI’s shortstop. She advanced to second following a Brittany Jackson bunt that found the dead space in front of home plate. With two on and no outs, Madison Hirsch reached on a fielder’s choice as Ramsey was out at third. Wynne extended her hitting streak to six games after ripping one through the right side to score Jackson and tie the game at 1-1.
With only one out, Tarin Travieso recorded a single of her own with a hard hit back to the pitcher to bring Hirsch home and give the Jayhawks the 2-1 lead after one.
In the bottom of the third, Wynne led off with a solo-home run out of center field to extend the Jayhawks lead, 3-1. With her homer, Wynne leads the team with six multi-RBI games.
“I’m extremely proud of Morgyn’s progress over the last two weekends,” Kansas head coach Jennifer McFalls said. “She got off to a bit of a slow start but she has come in and worked on her mental approach to the game. I can tell it that aspect has been elevated. She has the ability knock the ball anywhere in the park. When she is locked in, she is a huge difference maker for us.”
Defensively, Goff held strong in the circle for the Jayhawks. In the top of the fourth she struck out the side and extended it to four straight getting the first batter of the fifth inning swinging.
In the sixth, the Panthers got a runner on second off a double, but Goff quickly eliminated the threat striking out the final two batters of the inning.
The Jayhawks tallied one more run in the bottom half of the sixth as Ashlyn Anderson homered to left field. KU secured the win in the top of the seventh with three quick outs to take the 4-1 victory.
Goff threw her fourth complete game of the season while only allowing only three hits. She improves to 4-1 after facing 29 batters for the contest.
“Tatum’s approach in the last couple weeks has been completely different,” McFalls said. “She has taken the time to study hitters while watching film to prepare for each game. She is extremely locked in and focused on what she is doing in the circle. We can tell it’s making a difference when she steps in the circle and is ready and prepared for what she’s going to face.”
Stat of the Game
After Brittany Jackson’s bunt in the first inning, she has now bunted or had a sacrifice bunt seven times this season. On six of these bunts, she has also been ruled safe at first to put multiple runners on with no outs.
Up Next
Kansas is back in action tomorrow to conclude weekend action at the Rock Chalk Challenge against Northern Iowa with a first pitch scheduled for 1:30 p.m.
