Kansas drops two games on day two of the Kajikawa Classic

TEMPE, Ariz. – Despite a hard-fought effort against Utah (3-1), Kansas (0-4) softball dropped the final game of the day 6-4. Earlier in the day the Jayhawks battled with tournament host and No. 12 Arizona State (2-1), falling to the Sun Devils, 14-6.
 
No. 12 Arizona State 14, Kansas 6
In the opening game against No. 12 ASU, the Jayhawks burst into the lead off a Morgyn Wynne home run, the first for the true freshman this season.
 
Kirsten Pruett made her first career start against the Sun Devils and was unable to stop the ASU attack, allowing five runs in the first inning. Freshman Lexy Mills came in relief and tallied three strike outs in the first to get the Jayhawks out of the inning.
 
Arizona State netted seven more runs in the next two innings, while Kansas added only one.
 
In the fourth inning, KU chipped into the ASU lead, forcing the Sun Devils to commit untimely errors. Following a double by Shelby Gayre, the ASU starter hit Sam Dellinger with a pitch to give KU runners with no outs. A fielder’s choice and errant through allowed KU to net two additional runs.
 
ASU did have an answer for the Jayhawks, matching the two runs in the bottom of the fourth, pushing their back to 10.
 
In its final attempt to stop the shortened affair, Dellinger and Hornbuckle netted RBI and the Jayhawks had the bases loaded. A quick hit to the ASU third base provided an unassisted end to the Jayhawks rally and hopes to continue play against the Sun Devils.  
 
Utah 6, Kansas 4
In the second contest of the day, the Jayhawks surged late but Utah was able to hold strong, defeating KU, 6-4.
 
Brynn Minor earned her second start of the season and netted the first two scoreless innings for the Jayhawks all season in the first and second innings. Utah was able to sneak one run across in the third to break up the scoreless streak.
 
The Jayhawks responded with a Wynne double and Monaghan single, which tied the game at 1-1. Gayre broke through at the plate and notched her first RBI of the season, scoring Becki Monaghan and giving KU the 2-1 lead.
 
Minor worked into the fifth inning after a scoreless fourth by both squads and allowed four runs to the Utes, but was able to work out of the jam.
 
In the sixth inning, Minor again found herself in trouble and gave up one run before Pruett silenced the Ute bats to hold them scoreless the remainder of the game.
 
Kansas mounted a comeback in the seventh and Gayre again played the hero. The catcher in her third game of the season tallied her second and third RBI against Utah reliever Sydney Sandez. Sandez was able to stop the KU attack shortly after, ending the Jayhawks hopes for their first win of 2019.
 
 
NOTES

  • Morgyn Wynne hit her first career home run as a Jayhawk in the first inning against No. 12 Arizona State and finished the game with three hits.
  • Kirsten Pruett made her first career start against No. 12 Arizona State and reentered to record the last out of the fourth inning.
  • Lexy Mills made her second appearance for Kansas and tallied three strike outs in her first inning of work against ASU.
  • Sydnee Ramsey tallied her second home run in as many days, hitting a solo blast over the left field wall in the third inning. Ramsey hit her first home run of the season against No. 25 Oregon on Friday.
  • Mandy Roberts made her season debut in the third inning against No. 12 Arizona State.
  • Shelby Gayre finished day two of the Kajikawa Classic with a .833 batting average and three RBI.
  • Cheyenne Hornbuckle logged her first career hit and RBI against Arizona State.
  • Sam Dellinger recorded six at bats in the two games and now has 302 career at bats between her time at Creighton and Kansas.
  • Lexy Mills tallied three strike outs in the first inning against Arizona State.

 
QUOTES
On Brynn Minor’s performance …
Brynn did exactly what we needed her to do and that was compete. She came in a through strikes and attached the zone and did a great job letting her defense help her. I am very proud of her compete factor.
 
On finally adjusting to the elements and being outside and get comfortable competing …
No doubt, we are not the same team we were yesterday. We had first day jitters and nerves, and they needed to trust in their own ability. If we would have competed like we did today, and the same team showed up we would have been in a different situation. Overall I am incredible proud of them today, and I thought they fought well and competed well at the plate and on defense. I was disappointed in the amount of balls we gave to good teams in the first game, but we responded in game two. Brynn did exactly what we wanted to do, which was go out and through strikes and attack the zone.

UP NEXT
Kansas concludes play in the Kajikawa Classic against local foe Missouri at 11 a.m. (CT). The game will be steamed by FloSoftball and can be heard on the Jayhawk IMG Radio Network. 

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