Softball sweeps Shockers
Kansas kept Wichita State scoreless in a two-game series Thursday night. The Jayhawks will play again on Saturday against Oklahoma State.
By Kelly Breckunitch (Contact)
Friday, April 25th, 2008
The Jayhawks swept their second straight series and kept Wichita State scoreless in both games Thursday night.
The team opened up with an 8-0 run-rule victory. Junior pitcher Valerie George and freshman pitcher Allie Clark combined to throw a one-hitter for the second game in a row. George got the start for the Jayhawks and held a perfect game going into the fifth inning, when she allowed a hit to Wichita State senior shortstop Britnee Barnett.
Photo by Weston White
Junior Dougie McCaulley tries to get away from the Wichita State first baseman during a pickle Thursday evening. McCaulley finished with three hits and two RBI in an 8-0 victory over the Shockers.
The Jayhawk offense gave George and Clark more than enough run support. Four batters, junior shortstop Stevie Crisosto and center fielder Dougie McCaulley, and senior left fielder Betsy Wilson and first baseman Addy Lucero, had multiple hits in the game. Wilson and Lucero had back-to-back RBI singles in the second inning. Crisosto crushed a home run in the fourth inning, her fifth of the season. Freshman Liz Kocon also had her fifth homerun of the season in the contest. McCaulley sealed the victory with a walk-off triple in the sixth season, only the Jayhawks third triple of the season.
McCaulley could have stopped at second but she said she approached that game-winning hit like any other at-bat.
“We’ve been stressing base running has been our game all year,” McCaulley said. She said her legs were feeling good and she hadn’t hit triple all year, so that was extra incentive to extend the hit.
The second game was a lot tighter, for a few innings. Sophomore pitcher Sarah Vertelka started the game, but came out in the third inning and was replaced by Clark. Crisosto led off the first inning with a walk and advanced to second base on a wild pitch. McCaulley then drove in Crisosto with a single. That was the lone run for the Jayhawks until the fourth inning. Sophomore second baseman Sara Ramirez led off the bottom of the fourth inning with a walk and advance to second on a stolen base. Wichita State then misplayed a couple bunts, which lead to two runs for the Jayhawks, and Kocon drove in the last run with a sacrifice fly.
Coach Tracy Bunge said she was pleased with the way the team moved base runners, especially in the second game. She said the team did well moving runners by the hit-and-run and squeeze bunt.
“I think we were really a hundred percent for execution today,” Bunge said.
Bunge said she was surprised by the lack of offense from the Shockers.
“Offensively, I expected a lot more out of them,” Bunge said. She credited the Wichita State struggles to top performances from George and especially Clark.
“Today, I thought she did a great job of throwing aggressively and attacking hitters,” Bunge said.
The team improved its record to 34-15 on the season and prepare for a two-game series with Oklahoma State at Arrocha ballpark over the weekend.
Bunge said even though the Jayhawks got two big wins last night, they would still have to remain aggressive offensively over the weekend.
“We’re going back into the Big 12, which means a little tougher opponent, a little tougher pitching,” Bunge said.
Saturday’s game will be the “Bark in the Park” promotional day where fans can bring their dogs into the ballpark if they make a donation to the Humane Society. McCaulley was doubtful it the added noise from the extra fans could help the team.
“Not if there were as quiet as they were today. We need some more rowdiness in the stands,” McCaulley said.
Kansas will face-off against Oklahoma State at 2 p.m. on Saturday and 1 p.m. on Sunday.
— Edited Jared Duncan
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