Friday, April 18, 2008
The University of Kansas softball team lost two tough games to Missouri on the road Wednesday. Coach Tracy Bunge said losses were always harder when you lose to a rival.
“Any sport that faces Missouri, I think the intensity is a little higher,” Bunge said. “The rivalry obviously is there and you always want to take care of business during that game.”
The Jayhawks lost 7-2 in the first game. While Missouri came up with only six hits in the game, the Tigers were efficient and scored seven runs on those six hits. The Jayhawks managed one fewer hit than the Tigers, but they produced only two runs. One of those hits was a home run by freshman right fielder Liz Kocon, accounting for half of the Jayhawks’ run support. Junior center fielder Dougie McCaulley had two hits in the game and the only other RBI. Missouri senior pitcher Jen Bruck limited the Jayhawks’ chances and presented a tough matchup for the team.
Junior outfielder Dougie McCaulley just misses a hard line drive to right during the game against Texas Sunday at Arocha Ballpark.
Bunge said Bruck was a strong second half pitcher, who came on strong near the end of the season. She said Bruck was very hittable early in the season, but the Jayhawks met her on a day when she was in late season form.
“Bruck is a big key for them and she played extremely well and pitched extremely well,” said Bunge.
The Jayhawks improved their play in the second game of the night, but the result was the same. The team lost in extra innings on a walk-off double, 6-5. Errors hit the team, as they committed three in the game, but they still managed to stay in the ball game. Sophomore first baseman Amanda Jobe did her part to help the Hawks, hitting two home runs and driving in three runs. Kocon had the other two RBI for the team.
Pitching was a problem for the Jayhawks in both games. Junior Valerie George struggled in the first game yielding six runs in two and one-third innings. In the second game, sophomore pitcher Sarah Vertelka allowed three runs and was pulled from the game before recording an out.
Bunge said she was at least pleased with freshmen pitcher Allie Clark’s performance in relief. She said George’s struggles may have been due to her battling sickness, but it was an off day for George.
Kocon said that was an off day for the entire team. “It was no one person the team that could’ve done things better,” Kocon said, “it was just the cards didn’t go our way.”
Now the Jayhawks move on to face Texas A&M, which is ranked fourth in the nation. “It will be very mental, very physical,” Kocon said.
The team will play at Texas A&M on April 19 and 20. Bunge said the team would need to shake off the Missouri losses and play up to the occasion. “We’re going to obviously be the underdog. There’s nothing to lose,” Bunge said. “Our kids just need to go out and play loose and have some fun with the event and go play hard and do what we do.”
— Edited by Jessica Sain-Baird
Kansas softball team returns 1-1 from away-game ...
The team will play its fifth and sixth straight away games in ...
Softball team tames Longhorns in split offense-heavy ...
Pitching dominates 8-1 victory but falters in second game, resulting in 2-1 ...
Softball team comes out ahead during spring ...
The KU softball team stayed busy during break with the Kansas Invitational ...
Softball team sweeps Texas Tech in series
Despite cold weather, the softball team led a successful sweep of Texas ...
Kansas take two from UMKC; 10-2, 7-0
Kansas prepares to face a Wichita State team that has scuffled on ...
Well-balanced team goes 3-1 in weekend series
Women get blanked, twirl own shutout, end weekend with run-rule victory
Jayhawks hit season-ending split
The softball team ended the regular season with the most wins since ...
Softball team bounces back against Missouri State
Victory after hard loss lifts spirits and puts Kansas in good position ...
Softball fights to avoid mercy-rule loss
Team loses 13-8 to Missouri State after trailing 12-1.
Softball sweeps Shockers
Kansas kept Wichita State scoreless in a two-game series Thursday night. The ...
Softball team bounces back on Wednesday
Kansas got off to a slow start in it’s first game on ...
Softball splits double-header
Kansas' offense continued to struggle as it managed just one run in ...
Tough pitching leads to two losses for ...
The Jayhawks lost 14-0 and 8-0 to the Aggies. They will face ...
Softball team returns 3-2 from tough weekend ...
Kansas won against Oregon, Portland State and BYU, and lost against Seton ...
Softball loses two close games
Creighton defeats Kansas twice by one point in Wednesday’s doubleheader.
Preparing for Texas heat
Looking to continue their three-game winning streak, Jayhawks face the No. 24 ...
Jayhawks win tournament
The Kansas softball team opens the season strong with a tournament victory ...
Jayhawks hope for a series sweep
The softball team will face UMKC in a doubleheader today.
Jayhawks get four victories at Invitational
The team’s record rises to 12-4, but coach Tracy Bunge says they ...
Softball team sweeps KU Triangular tourney
With a mixture of games and scrimmage providing pitchers with experience, Kansas’ ...
Softball falls to dominate Aggies
Powerhouse Aggie pitcher holds Jayhawks to one hit. Kansas pitching staff gives ...
Defeats leave Kansas shaken
Kansas earns split with Oklahoma State
The softball team lost their Saturday game against the Cowgirls 8-1, but ...
Jayhawks suffer with three losses over the ...
Despite cold weather and defeats, softball team still hangs tough.
Pitcher perfect
Kansas defeats Missouri in second game
After being run-ruled in game one, Jayhawks pull out a 4-1 victory
Softball scores victories against Wichita State
Kansas swept the doubleheader Tuesday with help from five home runs.
Kansas softball loses two, wins one over ...
The team battled cold windy conditions in Texas but pulled off a ...
Seniors bid farewell to Arrocha
Softball team beats Texas A&M 4-1 after first game of doubleheader is ...
Kansas softball opens season 2-2
The team defeated two nationally ranked teams in the Kajikawa Classic.
Softball team strives offensively
The Jayhawks won three games this weekend, with few errors, but offensively ...
Softball pitcher throws no-hitter
Humphreys faced 19 batters and struck out eight while throwing a pitching ...
Softball series swept by Bears
The series loss to Baylor dropped Kansas’ Big 12 record 2-2. They ...
Softball looks to end losing streak against ...
A three-game losing streak looms over Kansas as it takes on Missouri ...
You win some, you lose some
Kansas sees a victory over Texas Tech on Saturday and feels loss ...
Kansas softball defeats UMKC
Strong team effort leads Kansas to a shutout victory against UMKC, its ...
Frankenstein scares competition
Jayhawks drop both against Longhorns
Two losses over weekend drop Kansas to 10th place in conference
Softball team bats .750 during weekend wins
The Kansas Invitational is the next big event for the Hawks.
Softball team keeps busy over spring break
The Jayhawks softball team will be playing against teams at the Kansas ...
From left: Kimberlee Hinkle, Libby Johnson and Hannah ...
1 comment
Kansas Jayhawk fans hold aloft a reproduction of ...
2 comments
Erin Saupe, a Ph.D. student from St. Cloud, ...
1 comment
0 comments
Armed robbers continue to threaten.
3 comments
Lecture from Greg Mortenson, co-author of New York ...
0 comments
Comments
Use the comment form below to begin a discussion about this content.
Sign in to comment
Or login with:
OpenID