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Tiger softball loses Friday
4/5/2008
By RANDY GONZALES
rgonzales@dailynews.net
From the first pitch to the last out, it was a tough day Friday for the Fort Hays State University softball team.
The Tigers were swept in a Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association doubleheader, losing 8-0 and 3-2 to University of Central Missouri at Tiger Stadium.
Fort Hays was held to one hit in Game 1, and lost a two-run lead in Central Missouri's last at-bat in the second game.
"Pretty ugly," Fort Hays coach Tonja Hadley said. "What else is there to say?"
Tiger senior left-hander Emily Rockefeller hit Central Missouri's leadoff batter on the first pitch she threw in the opener, and it was all downhill from there. The Jennies scored three runs in the first, added solo runs in the second and fourth and tacked on three more in the seventh.
Junior Tracey Anderson belted a two-run homer in the first and freshman Kelli Kurka added a two-run shot in the seventh.
Meanwhile, the Tiger hitters were overmatched by Central Missouri junior left-hander Megan Leonard, who struck out 11 and walked one in pitching a complete game.
Leonard had a perfect game until the fifth, when she walked freshman Chelsea Luther with one out. The next Tiger batter, senior Anna Herl, hit a grounder back to Leonard, who threw to second to try to get Luther. But the throw was late, and Herl was safe on a fielder's choice. The rally ended when Leonard struck out the next two batters.
Junior Hallie McMillen broke up the no-hitter with a one-out single in the seventh.
"I thought she would have a lot more movement than she did," Hadley said of Leonard's pitches.
Instead, Leonard (12-4) brought the heat and challenged the Tigers to hit it.
Sophomore Jessika Anastos, one of the top hitters in the nation, hit a fly ball to center in her first bat against Leonard, then went down swinging on three pitches in each of her next two at-bats.
Rockefeller (9-6) also pitched a complete game, allowing eight runs, six earned, on eight hits, with four walks and one strikeout.
The Tigers scored two runs in their first at-bat in Game 2, getting one run on a Jennies error and another on Anna Herl's RBI single.
Freshman left-hander Kayla Rupa was protecting that 2-0 lead heading into the top of the seventh. Rupa had retired nine batters in a row before Jennies sophomore Kristal Holland hit a hot shot past McMillen at third for a double to lead off the inning.
One out later, Leonard hit a pinch-hit double into the gap in right-center to score Holland and make it a one-run game.
Junior pinch-hitter Kelly Martin was hit by a pitch to put the go-ahead run on base for the Jennies' leadoff batter, senior Melissa Palmer. Central Missouri took the lead when Palmer drilled a single to score Leonard, and the go-ahead run also scored when the ball got past center fielder Anna Herl for an error.
Fort Hays (23-19 overall, 2-6 MIAA) tried to rally in its last at-bat. Senior Emily Herl led off the bottom of the seventh by getting aboard on an error, and after senior Alyson Garmatz made the first out on a fly ball to left, Anastos, who had 12 homers on the season, stepped to the plate to face Holland.
Anastos hit a hard grounder over the bag at third, but Jennies senior third baseman Katie Bauer made a diving stop and threw out Anastos at first.
"If you want anyone up to the plate for us, she would be it," Hadley said.
McMillen was then hit by a pitch to put the winning run on base, but Luther grounded out to short to end the game.
Holland (8-5) scattered seven hits and didn't allow an earned run in pitching a complete game for Central Missouri (23-13, 5-1).
Rupa (8-7) gave up six hits, with two walks and four strikeouts.
"Overall, she did a good job today," Hadley said of Rupa. "She's got to find a way to put the nail in the coffin to win."
After the doubleheader, Hadley held a team meeting which lasted about a half hour.
"After 19 losses, it's all pretty much you've got to take personal responsibility," Hadley said.
"Ultimately, they've got to swing the bat, make pitches, make plays."
| Scoreboard | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Sport | Date | Opponent | Score |
| BB | 5/11 | Central Missouri | L 4-2 |
| BB | 5/10 | Missouri Western | W 4-3 |
| BB | 5/09 | Emporia State | L 6-5 |
| BB | 5/04 | Pittsburg State | W 17-5 |
| BB | 5/04 | Pittsburg State | L 4-3 |
| BB | 5/03 | Pittsburg State | L 15-7 |
| BB | 5/03 | Pittsburg State | L 5-4 |
| SB | 5/02 | Central Missouri | L 3-1 |
| SB | 5/02 | Missouri Western | W 3-2 |
| SB | 5/01 | Pittsburg State | W 6-0 |
