Kansas drops final two Jayhawk Invitational games
LAWRENCE, Kan. – On the final day of the Jayhawk Invitational, Kansas dropped its final two games of the invitational to SEMO and UMKC at Arrocha Ballpark at Rock Chalk Park.
Despite two complete games by KU pitchers Brynn Minor and Lexy Mills, the Jayhawks were not able to overcome the deficits produced by their opponents at the plate.
SEMO 2, Kansas 1
Minor tossed her sixth-complete game of the season, but Kansas could not defeat SEMO and dropped their second game to the Redhawks in the Jayhawk Invitational, 2-1.
The senior from Wichita, Kansas held SEMO scoreless through six innings and received her lone run of support in the bottom of the sixth inning.
After a Kansas base runner was caught stealing, Sydnee Ramsey earned the walk and was replaced by Macy Omli. Omli then advanced to second on a single by Brittany Jackson and scored on a double to right center by Madison Sykes.
In the top of the seventh, SEMO gained its first runner on a hit by pitch and tallied its second on a bunt single.
With one out and runners on second and third, the Redhawks earned their two runs on a single to left field, which plated both runners.
Minor finished with five strikeouts over seven innings, while facing 32 SEMO hitters.
UMKC 5, Kansas 4 (8)
In the second contest of the day and final contest of the Jayhawk Invitational, UMKC beat Kansas (5-17) 5-4 in eight innings at Arrocha Ballpark at Rock Chalk Park.
The Roos didn’t take long to get on the scoreboard and tallied a two-run home run in the first inning.
The Jayhawks netted their first run of the game in the third inning on a UMKC error and the Roos tallied two of their own a KU error in the fifth.
With a 4-1 lead with only two innings left, Kansas needed an answer and found it in the sixth.
With the bases loaded and no outs, Tarin Travieso laced a hard hit ground out, which allowed one run to score and put runners on second and third.
After another a RBI ground out by Sydnee Ramsey, Shelby Hughston scored on a wild pitch by the UMKC pitcher.
A scoreless seventh inning by both teams resulted in the implementation of a runner on second to start the eighth.
UMKC capitalized on the opportunity and netted the game-deciding run. Kansas was unable to advance the runner and dropped its second game of the day.
Mills earned the start and pitched a career-high eight innings with a career-high 11 strikeouts. The freshman from Calabasas, California held a one-hitter going into the eighth inning and allowed a bunt single to register her first career two-hitter.
NOTES
- Mills tallied a career-high 11 strikeouts against UMKC and is the first Kansas pitcher to throw 10-or-more strikeouts in a game since Brynn Minor accomplished the feat on March 30, 2018 against Colorado State.
- Minor pitched her sixth complete game of the season against SEMO and her second in the Jayhawk Invitational.
UP NEXT
Kansas is scheduled to play its first midweek game of the season and will host Omaha on Tuesday, March 12 with a first pitch scheduled for 4 p.m.
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