Numbers don’t lie. Just ask Kansas University softball coach Tracy Bunge.
With the Big 12 Tournament starting today in Oklahoma City, it’s no secret why the Jayhawks have struggled this spring.
KU’s team batting average of .231 is the lowest since 1988, and the team earned run average of 2.70 is the second highest in the 21 years records have been kept.
Still, Bunge is optimistic about the Jayhawks’ chances in the league tourney. Kansas, the No. 9 seed, will meet No. 8 Missouri at 5 p.m. today at Hall of Fame Stadium.
“Honestly, I don’t think there’s that much difference between the four and 10 seeds,” Bunge said. “But somebody is going to have to get hot. If our offense comes alive and Sarah (Clopton) and Mel (DeWinter) pitch well, we’ll be OK.”
Clopton, a fifth-year senior who made the All-Big 12 team last season, came into this spring with a 1.62 career ERA. But her ERA has ballooned to 2.37 this year, primarily because of nagging injuries.
“Honestly, I think it started the first weekend when her back tightened up on the plane trip to Arizona,” Bunge said. “It bothered her for three weeks. Then she got the flu, then her left hip started bothering her. Now she’s had forearm tightness for the last three weeks.”
At times, Clopton has been effective. Other times, she’s been roughed up. Her won-lost record is 15-13.
“Sarah is most effective when she throws every day,” Bunge said. “She hasn’t been able to do that because she hasn’t felt well. It’s frustrating because, like every senior, she wants to go out with a bang.”
DeWinter, also a senior, is 8-17 with a 3.16 ERA, but was effective in a 2-1 win over Missouri on April 11 so she may hurl against the Tigers again today. Bunge says she’s undecided whether to use Clopton or DeWinter.
On offense, leadoff hitter Shelly Musser is batting .318. That’s 22 points higher that the sophomore centerfielder hit last year when she made the All-Big 12 team.
No other KU regular is hitting over .257, however.
Senior first baseman Shannon Stanwix has, however, added 25 points to her batting average in the last few weeks to climb to .265.
“Shannon has been playing well in a sneaky way,” Bunge said. “She’s cut down on her strikeouts and driven in some runs.”
Stanwix, the school’s career home run leader, leads the Jayhawks with six homers and is second in RBI with 23.
Tonight’s KU-MU winner will earn the dubious right to meet top-seeded Oklahoma at 10 a.m. on Thursday. OU received a first-round bye.
The Sooners rocked the Jayhawks, 11-3 and 6-2, less than two weeks ago in Norman.
“Oklahoma is as good as advertised,” Bunge said. “They have no holes in their lineup.”
Kansas finished 5-13 in the Big 12 and is 30-31 overall. Missouri ended 6-12 in the league and is 31-25 overall. Big 12 Pairings in Scoreboard.