KANSAN.COM / THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN / THURSDAY, APRIL 21, 2011 / SPORTS
9A
SOFTBALL REWIND
Sophomore outfielder Alex Jones fires the ball in after a double by a Tulsa player Wednesday. The Jayhawks lost both games of the double header.
Mike Gunnoe/KANSAN
BY HANNAH WISE
hwise@kansan.com
The game seemed to be in slow motion. Every aspect - hitting, defense, pitching, everything - lacked intensity Wednesday against Tulsa. The Hurricanes defeated the Jayhawks 3-0 and 4-2.
"I have no idea where our team was," coach Megan Smith said. "They weren't focused. They weren't locked in and we are not the type of team that can win games if we play that way."
Tulsa started sophomore pitcher Lacey Middlebrooks. She holds a 2.41 ERA this season and is a slower speed pitcher. The Kansas offense had wanted to take advantage of the slower speed. That did not happen.
The jayhawk batters had five hits in the first game, three against Middlebrooks. The offense was unable to generate runs because of the nine batters stranded during the first game.
"We weren't really fighting from the beginning and we kind of got complacent," sophomore infielder Mariah Montgomery said.
The batters were able to create
base hits and benefit from walks.
Then baserunning skills helped them advance. Even when runners reached scoring position, however, the offense was unable to score.
They caught pop flies and easy-tofield ground balls to end innings before runs could be scored.
The Hurricanes scored two unearned runs off Jayhawk defensive errors in the sixth inning. Senior pitcher Allie Clark began the inning with a strikeout, however the next batter hit a ground ball past the circle resulting in a base hit. The next two pitches also resulted in ground balls. The first was fumbled at second by freshman Ashley Newman, allowing the batter to reach first and the runner to reach second.
Montgomery made a diving play from the short stop position on the second ground ball, but it was not in time to catch any runners, leaving the bases loaded. Clark's next pitch was hit above her head. She attempted to catch the hit for the out, but instead it tipped off her glove and allowed the runners from second and third to score, putting Tula up 3-0.
During the break between games
the team huddle was long and somber.
Hull hit numerous foul balls and then suddenly hit a powerful single off her slap to left field. The team erupted in the dugout with cheers, "Yea baby! I like it like that!"
The fight did come back in the second game, but it was not enough. Sophomore Alex Jones pitched the majority of the game. Her pitching style is completely different from Clark's. It is a more energetic style. At first the speed and intensity from Jones was a spark for the defense, but the defense ultimately committed three errors that allowed the Hurricanes to pull ahead for their second victory.
"I challenged them to come out and fight," Smith said. "That's what we have been doing all year. We don't pretend to be the most talented team in the country. We work hard and we fight."
The lajhawk offense saw their first spark of the night in sophomore outfielder Rosie Hull. In the bottom of the second inning, Hull was the second batter up after Montgomery struck out swinging.
what was important.
Hull continued to hit and run bases well, but to her it was not
"At the end of the day it's not about what you did. The thing that hurts is the fact that we lost," Hull said.
The offense had two runs from six hits in the second game. The two runs came off a home run in the bottom of the fifth inning. Senior catcher Brittany Hile hit a single down the left-field line. Junior Liz Kocon was next at bat, and after fighting the count hit a home run over the right-center field wall.
The team was simply not playing at its level. It did not start the night off with intensity. It played slow and without any drive or passion. But after being shocked back into reality by the coaching staff during the break, play improved in the second game. It was just too little , too late, though.
"We need all-around improvement. I think that is going to come when the girls really make a decision to fight from pitch one to the last pitch," Smith said.
Edited by Jacque Weber
Sophomore shortstop Mariat Montgomery fields a ground ball Wednesday against Tuska in the second game of a double header. Kansas lost the game 4-2.
Mike Gunnoe/KANSAN
Sophomore outfieldier Alex Jones misses a diving catch Wednesday at Arrocha Ballpark. Kansas was defeated 3-0 and 4-2 by Tulca
Mike Gunnoe/KANSAN
Mike Gunnoe/KANSAN
Mike Guinovar KANS
Freshman second baseman Ashley Newman field a ground ball Wednesday at Arrocha Ballpark. The Jayhawks lost both games of the double header and are now 28-19 for the season.
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