Chavez Clinches Record, Kansas Tops Cyclones, 8-2
AMES, Iowa – With her team-leading fourth grand slam of 2015, freshman designated player Daniella Chavez climbed to the top of Kansas’ single-season RBI list and sealed the win, 8-2, over Iowa State in the first game of the doubleheader on Saturday afternoon at the Cyclone Sports Complex.
For the second game in a row, Chavez posted four RBIs, her 19th multi-RBI effort and sixth contest with four or more RBIs. Chavez’s 62 RBIs surpassed Serena Settlemier’s single-season mark of 61, which was set during the 2006 season. Kansas has totaled 10 grand slams this year, four from Chavez, who leads the team with 14 long balls. The Crowley, Texas native is one homer away from tying Kansas’ freshman home run record.
After falling behind 2-0, Kansas (37-13, 7-10 Big 12) scored eight unanswered runs to claim its 11th come-from-behind victory of the year. Iowa State (26-27, 3-14 Big 12) took the lead early, but Kansas answered in the fourth with two runs to tie the game. The Jayhawk offensive explosion in the sixth inning resulted in Kansas taking the lead, 8-2, and win the series with one game left to play.
The countdown to junior infielder Chaley Brickey walking her way into Kansas softball history continued on Saturday afternoon. The Haltom City, Texas native wasted little time reaching via base on balls, Brickey record two in the first game of the doubleheader. Brickey has 32 walks on the season and 99 in her career, she needs 10 more to become the Jayhawks’ all-time walk leader.
The Cyclones threatened to take the lead in the home half of the first frame. Leadoff batter Brittany Gomez advanced as far as third base before freshman pitcher Bryn Houlton recorded the third out. Gomez reached on a bunt single and advanced to second on a throwing error. Gomez moved 60 feet from home plate with a ground out, but would stay at third as both pitchers began the game with zeros on the scoreboard.
In the second inning, Iowa State took a 1-0 lead after senior first baseman Jordan Spendlove drove in the go ahead run with a single to left field. The Cyclones increased their lead after a second run crossed home plate and headed to the third with a 2-0 advantage over Kansas.
With the help of the Jayhawk defense, Houlton put another zero on the board after sitting the Iowa State batters down 1-2-3. Houlton’s quick appearance in the circle in the third frame allowed KU’s offense to get back to work and begin mounting yet another come-from-behind win. Houlton allowed two earned runs and four hits in her 9th start of 2015.
Kansas ended its hitless streak in the fourth inning with a trio of hits, which plated two runs. Chavez ignited the offense with a walk and was pinch ran for by freshman Mikayla Warren. Warren was bunted into scoring position with a sacrifice by senior infielder Chanin Naudin. Freshman catcher Jessie Roane recorded the first hit of the afternoon with a double off the left field wall, giving KU two runners in scoring position. Junior Shannon McGinley drove in the first run with a RBI single up the middle and junior outfielder Briana Evans evened the score, 2-2, with another RBI single up the middle.
Sophomore hurler Sophia Templin took over in the circle in the bottom of the fourth and carried the momentum over to the home half of the fourth. She worked around an infield single to throw her first scoreless inning of the outing.
In the fifth inning, both programs loaded the bases and threatened to take the lead, but Templin and ISU’s Stacy Roggentien worked around the jam to end the threat untouched. The two programs combined left 17 runners on base.
With the bases loaded in the in sixth, Brickey and senior utility Maddie Stein registered back-to-back RBI single as Kansas took its first lead of the day. Chavez stepped to the plate with the bases still loaded and delivered a grand slam to center field as the Jayhawks headed down the final stretch with an 8-2 lead.
Templin improved to 5-2 on the season with the victory. She struck out one in four scoreless innings of relief. Templin scattered five hits in her 18th appearance of the year. The Jayhawks look to sweep the series against Iowa State for the third-straight season in the second game of the doubleheader.
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