/ SPORTS / MONDAY, APRIL 4, 2011 / THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN / KANSAN.COM
SOFTBALL REWIND
Freshman first baseman Kendra Cullum lays down a bunt in Sunday's game against Nebraska. The bunt was fielded by Nebraska junior pitcher Ashley Haqemann to get the out at first base. The Jayhawks fell 7-1 to the Huskers and are now 0-6 in conference play.
Aaron Harris/KANSAN
SOFTBALL (CONTINUED FROM 12A)
quick outs in the first inning, but struggled in the following innings. She allowed five runs off nine hits and committed five errors, including three hit-by-pitches. The third hit-by-pitch loaded the bases for the Cornhuskers in the sixth inning. It helped Nebraska pull away from the Jayhawks for the victory.
The Jayhawk offense has fallen relatively stagnant compared to the season start. This is due in part to the calibur of pitchers that play in the Big 12.
"We are having a tough time making adjustments," coach Megan Smith said. "We had been really good at that. We had been solid at that throughout the preconference season, but we have had a hard time getting our footing offensive this weekend."
A big part of competing against some of the top Big 12 pitchers in the country is making offensive adjustments at the plate. To improve, the batters need to be able to recognize a rise ball and realize when a ball is going to move above the strike zone.
"I think our eyes are getting a little too big," junior outfielder Liz Kocon said. "We just need to go back to the basics of hitting and stay tight and not swing for the fence all the time. We just have to stay tight to the ball, stay quick and we will get better."
As the first batter in the second inning, Kocon hit the sole Jayhawk run on Sunday when she hit an out-of-the park home run over the right-field fence. Kocon attacked the ball early rather than letting pitches go.
"Coach says you always have three types of pitches: the hitter's pitch, the pitcher's pitch and the umpire's pitch," Kocon said. "You have to jump on your pitch and
that is what you have to do at every at bat. If you are looking outside, jump on that pitch. If you are looking inside, jump on that pitch. I think we are struggling a little with that but we will definitely come back."
Saturday, Nebraska scored all its points off a pair of home runs in the third inning. Back-to-back singles put two runners on base at the start of the inning. Then freshman pitcher Tatum Edwards stepped up and cleared the bases with a straight shot over the left-field fence. In the fifth inning,
sophomore outfielder Brooke Tomason hit a solo home run to right field.
"Yesterday as soon as they hit that three-run homerun you could see our heads were kind of down, but today we stayed positive," Kocon said. "Our goal was that we wanted to fight the whole game no matter what the score was and that was a win for us, so in our book that is a win for us."
is looking to boost confidence and work on the little details of the game. The Jayhawks are hoping to return to the mentality and confidence of their pre-conference season, as well as the continued will to fight against opponents.
The team will continue in conference play when they host No. 14 Oklahoma Wednesday. Coming out of the weekend the team
"We are concerned about ourselves," Smith said. "We want to be fighters. I am more concerned if they are not fighting. Yesterday, we didn't fight, we gave up. Today we fought at least and we can build on that for Wednesday."
— Edited by Helen Mubarak
Saturday Kansas Nebraska 0 4
Sunday Kansas 1 Nebraska 7
Game to Forget
Kansas' offense
The offense could not get going against Nebraska junior pitcher Ashley Hagemann in either game of the weekend. The Jayhawks made six hits on the weekend for one run. Saturday's sole hit was from sophomore Rosie Hull. Sunday the Jayhawks fought more, but the only run was a homerun hit by Liz Kocon. Hagemann struck out 18 Jayhawks over the
weekend and is now 22-3 from the circle. The team plans to focus on offensive adjustments before Wednesday's game against Oklahoma. They are looking to regain the confidence that they held early in the season.
Hagemann
Quote of the weekend
"The good thing about softball is we can erase these games from our minds and come out and get some more wins. Today, even though the score didn't show it we could all feel that we were out there fighting and made progress even from yesterday and we just have to take that and build on it and just keep fighting and fighting."
Rosie Hull
Hull
Game to Remember
Liz Kocon, Junior outfielder
Sunday: Kansas 1, Nebraska 7
Kocon hit her 10th home run of the season. The homer tied the school record for most home runs in a single season. She shares the record with senior catcher Brittany Hile. Kocon was the only Jayhawk to score during the weekend's doubleheader.
Kocon
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