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THURSDAY, MARCH 14, 2013
SOFTBALL
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
Jayhawks hit hard as they prepare for the Capital Classic
Senior infielder Mariah Montgomery makes contact with the ball when she was up to bat in the first inning of Wednesday afternoon's game at Arrocha Ballpark. Kansas dominated the game against Independence Community College, winning the five-inning no-hitter 12-0.
TARA BRYANT/KANSAN
JOE DAUGHERTY
jdaugherty@kansan.com
Coming off its first undefeated weekend of the season, the Jayhawk softball team is heading to Sacramento, Calif., for the Capital Classic.
The Jayhawks will face Fresno State, Saint Mary's College, Texas State and the host school Sacramento State. This is the last road tournament before the Jayhawks get to play their home opener against Missouri State. Coach Megan Smith said last weekend the team played its toughest field and will continue to play tougher teams, but hopes the team doesn't play its best softball for a couple weeks.
"When you play in the Big 12, you are playing the best teams in the country week in and week out." Smith said. "So we want to play teams that are highly competitive and have a history of winning, and the teams we're playing this weekend—specifically Fresno State and Texas State—are two of those teams."
The first NCAA stats came out on Tuesday morning and the Jayhawks are leading the nation in batting average, hitting .401. The next closest team is USC. Upstate hitting .374. Smith said she takes pride in offense and that every team she has coached has broken conference records. She said it's good to be here now, but what you really want is to be hitting like this at the end of the season.
"I knew we were a great hitting team but to lead the nation in batting average is pretty impressive," said Maddie Stein, sophomore utility player. "I never want to say we expected it, but I knew we were one of the best batting i-ams, but to see it on paper and have everyone else see it is a pretty big deal."
"I knew we were a great hitting team but to lead the nation in batting average is pretty impressive."
MADDIE STEIN
Sophomore utility player
Kansas will face Fresno State in its first game of the tournament. The Bulldogs are 15-11 on the season. Fresno State is hitting .267 as team and allowing opponents to hit .267 on the season. The bulldogs are coming off of an 8-0 shutout victory against the Gales of Saint Mary's, a team that the Jayhawks will play later in the tournament.
Later on Friday, the Jayhawks will face Saint Mary's College in its second game of the tournament. The Gales are 4-16 on the season and are on a seven-game losing streak. They are struggling on offense as *a team*, only hitting .181 while giving up .286 to opponents on the season. The Gales only have one player hitting over .300 in contrast to the Jayhawks who have 10 players who are hitting over .300 on the season.
Texas State will be the Jayhawks'
first game on Saturday. The Bobcats are 3-19 this season, but have faced some tough competition. Texas State has a history of success but is having a tough season so far, hitting just .230 while allowing their opponents to hit .310 on the season.
The Jayhawks will face the Sacramento State Hornets in the finale of the tournament. The Hornets are 12-6 on the season and are coming off a 2-1 loss to Cal Poly, but before that loss, the hornets were on a seven-game winning streak. Sacramento State is hitting .282 and allowing its opponents to hit only .228 on the season. The Hornets have three pitchers that have an ERA under 3.00 on the season that might be able to give the Jayhawks potent lineup a challenge.
Coach and players alike are excited to finally come home after this weekend and for a home stand. Sophomore pitcher Alicia Pille said that she is excited to play in front, of the crowd because that's the best thing about being home.
Stein said she is pumped about getting closer to playing at home because she is ready to show the fans how well they have been playing and hitting this season. Coach Smith said it's kind of bittersweet because the team plays great on the road, but it will be good to sleep in their own beds and play at home.
Edited by Tyler Conover.
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