Offense Heats Up in Kansas' 13-1 Win
LAWRENCE, Kan. – The Kansas softball team’s offense came alive in its 13-1 win over Labette Community College on Wednesday evening. The Jayhawks tallied 21 hits as they improved to 4-0 this fall.
“We made really good adjustments offensively,” said head coach Megan Smith. “We have a lot of young players who are figuring some things out. It was good to see them make good adjustments. Overall offensively it was a good effort.”
Sophomore Chaley Brickey, who was a 2013 second-team All-Big 12 selection, led the way going 3-for-3 on the night with two doubles and three RBI. Freshman Lily Behrmann also recorded three RBI after a 3-for-3 performance at the plate.
Harli Ridling, a freshman from Sentinel, Okla., was the third Jayhawk to record three hits. She was 3-for-3 with a solo home run and two singles. A total of five Jayhawks recorded a multi-hit game on Wednesday night.
In the circle, sophomore Kelsey Kessler continued to dominate. She threw five hitless innings and struck out 10 batters. Kessler has not allowed a run through four games this fall.
“Kelsey (Kessler) looked great,” said Smith. “She’s looking good and confident. She is working really well and doing some different things. It’s nice to see her doing so well.”
Freshman Sophia Templin took over in the circle in the sixth inning making her first appearance. The De Soto, Kan. native tossed two innings allowing one run to score. Templin also recorded a single in the seventh inning.
“Sophia (Templin) got her first chance to go in and I thought she did extremely well,” Smith said. “She was very nervous, but she worked hard. Her pitches were moving well and keeping them off balance. It was a good change from what they saw from Kessler.”
The Jayhawks broke the 0-0 tie in the third inning after Brickey drove in a run with a double to left field. Behrmann singled to left center driving in another KU run. Kansas led 2-0 heading into the fourth inning.
Ridling led off the fourth inning with a solo shot over the left field fence. Brickey doubled to right center, which brought home another run and junior Maddie Stein drove in Brickey with a single as KU’s lead extended to 5-0.
Kansas’ offense continued to roll in the fifth inning scoring seven runs on six hits. The Jayhawks scored their final run in the sixth inning taking a 13-0 lead in the final inning.
The Cardinals scored their lone run in the seventh inning off a well-placed double to left field.
KU hosts Avila on Thursday, Oct. 10 at 6 p.m. in Arrocha Ballpark before hitting the road to face Iowa on Saturday, Oct. 12 at 1 p.m.
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