Even with doubling its conference run total for the season, Kansas University’s softball team lost both games of its doubleheader against Oklahoma State on Friday at Jayhawk Field, 5-1 and 4-1.
The Jayhawks had only scored two other runs in Big 12 play, a 2-1 win over Texas A&M April 1.
“In key situations we got runners on, but we’re not getting the big hit,” KU coach Tracy Bunge said. “We’re not getting the hit when we need it and it’s very frustrating because the kids are very capable. But we have not been getting those key hits when we need them.”
In contrast to KU, Oklahoma State made the most of its opportunities, scoring three runs in the fifth inning of the first game and three runs in the fourth inning of the second game.
“I give a lot of credit to Oklahoma State,” Bunge said. “I wasn’t real sure what kind of team they had this year, and I tell you, they come out and they swing the bat and they don’t get cheated. That’s what impressed me. We didn’t give them anything really defensively.”
Kirsty Jennings led the offensive attack for OSU, finishing the day 5-of-6 with three RBIs and two runs scored. She hit a two-run home run in the fifth inning of the first game and also had two doubles.
Oklahoma State also had a run-scoring double from Amanda Hayes in the fifth inning of the first game, and would have scored another run on Lezli Leathers’ single if not for Shelly Musser’s throw from centerfield that caught Hayes at home plate.
Kansas scored its only run of the first game on a double by Megan Urquhart, scoring Musser from third.
After dropping the first game, KU appeared to turn its luck around and grabbed an early lead in the second game on Shannon Stanwix’s solo homer in the second inning.
It was the 20th career home run for Stanwix to add to the KU record she already holds.
Amy Hulse followed with an infield single that dropped between the pitcher, shortstop and third basemen and KU seemed to be in business, but OSU’s Karla Rivera struck out the next three batters.
KU still looked to be in control of the game, as Sarah Clopton had stifled the first nine OSU batters, including four on strikeouts, three looking.
OSU scored three runs in the fourth inning, though, on a home run by Jenny Kipp and back-to-back doubles by Jennings and Amanda Hayes after a single by Christina Shaddox.
Kipp had just missed another home run in the first inning when the gusting winds blew it foul.
Oklahoma State scored its final run of the second game after Leathers hit a triple to lead off the fifth inning and scored on Kipp’s two-out single.
“They created opportunities,” Bunge said. “They get a triple, and we think we’re getting out of the inning because we got the first two outs, and then boom, the kid has a great at-bat with two outs. They did a great job. They hit some good pitches today and they made us pay for mistakes.”
The Jayhawks had a chance to bring the game closer when they placed runners on second and third with no outs in the fourth inning, but Rivera sandwiched two pop-ups around a strikeout to end KU’s threat.
Hulse was 3-for-3 in the second game with a double and was 4-of-6 on the day. Courtney Wright went 2-for-3 in the second game.
“Hulse was huge in the second game,” Bunge said. “She had a great day.”
Kansas continues Big 12 play at 1 p.m. today and Sunday against Texas Tech at Jayhawk Field.
“It doesn’t get any easier, that’s the thing about the Big 12,” Bunge said. “It doesn’t get any easier for us offensively.
“It’s not going to be an easy uphill climb, but it’s an uphill climb the kids can do. We just somehow need to get a few breaks, a few things to bounce our way. We need to find our confidence, a little cockiness, a little swagger. We need that back because right now we don’t have it.”
Levi Chronister’s phone message number is 832-7189. His e-mail address is lchronister@ljworld.com.
