Kansas falls to Texas Tech, 11-7
LAWRENCE, Kan. — Kansas softball dropped a 11-7 decision to Texas Tech on Saturday afternoon in front of a capacity crowd at Arrocha Ballpark at Rock Chalk Park.
The Jayhawks fell behind early as Texas Tech (24-24, 4-13 Big 12) took a 6-0 lead after the top of the second inning thanks to a three-run double in the first and a three-run home run in the second. But Kansas (25-23, 0-14) did not throw in the towel and went on to score seven runs — a team season high during Big 12 play — to cut Tech’s lead down to two runs in the fifth inning.
“To get down 6-0 and have a team that continues to fight at this point in the season, I thought that showed a lot of the heart and grit from our players — we haven’t quit and we are not giving up,” Kansas head coach Megan Smith said.
Senior outfielder Annie Mehringer led Kansas at the plate, going 2-for-3 with a career-high four RBIs. Mehringer smashed a two-run home run in the second inning for KU’s first runs of the day and later hit a two-run single in the fifth.
Texas Tech outfielder Karli Hamilton went 3-for-3 at the plate with three RBIs while starting pitcher Erin Edmoundson (14-10) helped her cause in the circle with two hits and four RBIs. Edmoundson threw all but two-thirds of the fifth inning for Tech, striking out six and allowing two hits.
There were a total of eight runners who reached base by getting hit by a pitch on Saturday, including two Jayhawks in the fourth inning to setup a two-run single by senior outfielder Erin McGinley.
Kansas cut its six-run deficit to two runs with three runs in the fifth inning. Senior Jessie Roane led off the inning with a single, followed by consecutive walks to setup a pinch-running Lily Valeo to score on a wild pitch. Mehringer’s two-out, two-run single for cleared the bases for the Jayhawks and made the score 9-7.
Texas Tech pitcher Edmoundson was relieved by Kassidy Scott at the start of the fifth inning, but returned for the final out of the fifth and held off the Jayhawks down the stretch in hitless sixth and seventh innings.
Senior pitcher Sarah Miller (8-10) was KU’s pitcher of record, giving up six runs in the first two innings. Freshman utility Tarin Travieso threw four innings for the Jayhawks with three strikeouts, while junior Brynn Minor tossed the seventh frame with two strikeouts.
The announced attendance of 1,112 at Arrocha Ballpark is the second-straight crowd of 900 fans or more to watch KU play this weekend.
UP NEXT
Kansas and Texas Tech conclude a three-game series on Sunday at noon, which will be the annual Bark in the Park day. Dogs are welcome inside Arrocha Ballpark with a donation to Lawrence Humane Society.
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