8B SPORTS
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
THURSDAY APRIL 9 2009
SOFTBALL
Clutch single prevents Kansas from being swept
Jayhawks drop first game 4-0 before 2-1 comeback victory
Junior pitcher Sarah Vertelkela celebrates with sophomore shortstop Kolby Fesmire and senior third baseman Val Chapple after a strikeout during Wednesday's game at Arrocha Ballpark. Kansas split its double header with Nebraska Wednesday, losing the first, and winning the second game.
BY BEN WARD
bward@kansan.com
Jenny Terrell/KANSAN
A week removed from its walk-off victory against Missouri, Kansas was at it again.
After being kept off of the scoreboard all afternoon, Kansas mounted a furious rally to earn a split of Wednesday's doubleheader against Nebraska at Arrocha Ballpark.
Down 1-0 in the bottom of the seventh, the Jayhawks loaded the bases, bringing senior catcher Elle Pottoff to the plate. Pottoff delivered, smacking a single into center field which plated two runs, giving Kansas the 2-1 comeback victory.
"That was a huge hit for Elle and a huge hit for the team," coach Tracy Bunge said. "You love to see seniors come up in big moments, and she came up huge. We really needed this win."
The victory was indeed a must-have for the Jayhawks, who were only three outs away from being swept by the Cornhuskers.
In game one, Nebraska batters made the most of their eight hits, chipping away at junior pitcher Sarah Vertelka for four runs.
On the other side of the ball, senior pitcher Molly Hill stifled the Jayhawk bats. Hill allowed only two hits to preserve the 4-0 victory for the Cornhuskers
and earn her sixteenth win of the year.
LINE SCORE
Game 1:
Nebraska 4, Kansas 0
WP — Hill (16-7)
LP — Vertelka (5-6)
Game 1:
Game 2:
Kansas 2, Nebraska 1
WP — George (8-11)
LP — Hagemann (6-4)
"Hill has really figured out how to get kids out," Bunge said. "She doesn't make many mistakes over the plate, but she gave us some chances out there that we should have capitalized on."
Kansas certainly had its share of chances to get on the board, but left five runners on base and failed to take advantage of three Cornhusker errors.
But with a final chance in the seventh inning, Kansas got the one big hit it needed.
was the effort from senior pitcher Valerie George, George, who had lost her last five decisions, bounced back with seven strong innings, allowing only one run on five hits. Her effort drew high praise from her coach.
"That was a great outing from George," Bunge said. "She's been hurting recently, but she toughed it out and kept us in the game."
"It was about time," Pottorf said. "We had seen her for thirteen plus innings so we just made the adjustments we needed to."
Hill returned to the circle
for game two, and, predictably, Kansas' struggles seemed to carry over as they stranded eight more runners on base.
Nebraska, Kansas now sits at 13-22 overall and 3-5 in the crowded Big 12 Conference. The Jayhawks hope to get a boost from their victory with No. 11 Oklahoma coming to town for a series this weekend.
"It was a huge win," George said. "Hopefully it gives us some momentum for OU."
Another positive for Kansa
With    the    split    against
Edited by Andrew Wiebe
MLB
Associated Press
Duke defeats Cardinals for first time since 2006
Albert Pujols set a franchise record for a Cardinals first baseman with seven assists — the most
Jack Wilson matched his career best with four hits and two RBIs. Nate McLouth's two-run homer snapped his 0-for-8 start.
Even with the victory he's 19-37 the last three-plus seasons since going 8-2 with a 1.81 ERA as a rookie in 2005.
the year in the Pittsburgh Pirates' 7-4 victory against the Cardinals on Wednesday night.
Duke (1-0) allowed three runs on five hits in 6 1-3 innings for his first victory over the Cardinals since a complete game on Aug. 11, 2006, at home. He was 0-2 with a 5.25 ERA in two starts against St. Louis last year while going 5-14 overall.
ST. LOUISE — Zach Duke beat St. Louis for the first time in nearly three seasons and Freddy Sanchez went 4-for-5 for his third straight multi-hit game to open
Sanchez is batting .571 after his 11th career four-hit game. Sanchez had been 2-for-18 with no RBls against the right-hander entering the game.
in the majors by a first baseman since the Pirates' Bob Robertson had eight on June 21, 1971.
But St. Louis manager Tony La Russa got little out of his third straight radically made-over lineup in as many games, including the pitcher batting eighth. Joe Thurston hit an RBI double in the ninth, but was thrown out trying for third for the first out.
THE UNIVERSITY DABY KANSAN