Five innings max. That was the plan anyway.
But when Kansas University softball coach Tracy Bunge handed the ball to pitcher Kara Pierce on Saturday afternoon, Bunge had no idea Pierce would flirt with a no-hitter.
Kansas 6, Baylor 0
EHundley, Polk. DPBaylor. LOBBaylor 3, Kansas 8. 2BStukel, Urquhart, Smith. SBGarvey, Hulse. SHMay.
HBPWright (by Miller). T1:45. A435. |
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“Being an old pitcher myself, I wouldn’t pull anyone with a no-hitter,” Bunge said.
Pierce’s no-hitter lasted 61/3 innings. She settled for a two-hitter as the Jayhawks blanked Baylor, 6-0, at Jayhawk Field.
A freshman from Mesa, Ariz., Pierce surrendered seven hits and four walks to the Bears on Friday evening, but she was in command Saturday with only about 18 hours rest.
“Her curve ball was working well,” KU catcher Dani May said, “and they couldn’t catch up to it.”
However, it was a curve that Baylor catcher Ryan Stukel drilled into the right-centerfield gap with one out in the seventh to spoil the no-no.
“I was upset with myself for that pitch,” Pierce said. “It was a curve and I think she (Stukel) was looking outside.”
Nevertheless, May noted Pierce had no reason to feel bad.
“It was a great hit,” said May, a freshman from Lawrence High who started only her sixth college game behind the plate. “It didn’t break as much as the other curves, but every pitch can’t be perfect.”
In retrospect, it’s probably a good thing Stukel laced that double because the next batter pinch-hitter Katherine Chamblee blooped a flare over second baseman Sandy Smith’s outstretched glove, and it would have been tough to lose a no-hitter that way.
“That was a little dinker,” Pierce said. “There’s nothing you can do about that.”
Pierce ended the threat minutes later by striking out the last two Baylor batters with runners on first and third.
“Kara had better ball movement today and she was more consistent with her location than she was on Friday,” Bunge said.
It never occurred to Bunge to lift Pierce after Stukel’s hit ended the no-hit bid.
“Her pitch count was real low,” Bunge noted. “She threw only 29 pitches in the first four innings.”
Kansas wasted little time attacking Baylor pitcher Joni Miller. In the first inning, an Erin Garvey single, a Megan Urquhart double and a walk to Leah Tabb loaded the bases.
Moments later, Miller hit Courtney Wright with a pitch to force in a run. Then Urquhart scored on a Katie Campbell groundout. Finally, Amy Hulse singled in two more runs as the Jayhawks bolted to a 4-0 lead.
“Joni Miller has been a very strong pitcher in the Big 12 this year, and for our kids to do that kind of damage” Bunge said. “Our hitters are doing a good job right now.”
Kansas finished with 11 hits two each by Garvey, Wright and Christi Musser. Wright singled in a run in the second and Musser had an RBI groundout in the third.
Kansas climbed to 24-20 overall and 6-4 in the Big 12. Baylor dipped to 31-17 and 3-6.
The Jayhawks are scheduled to play host to Oklahoma City U. in a 3 p.m. Tuesday twinbill, then entertain Missouri at 4 p.m. on Thursday.
