Jayhawks savoring solid start

By J-W Staff Reports     Feb 6, 2001

Astonished may not be the exact word to describe how Kansas University softball coach Tracy Bunge feels today.

Surprised sure fits, though, after the Jayhawks won five of six games at the season-opening Diamond Invitational last weekend in Albuquerque, N.M.

“I don’t know if I can describe what it feels like to be 5-1 because it is really unexpected,” Bunge said.

What surprised Bunge most was the Jayhawks’ hitting. In the six games, KU batted a lusty .380. Compare that to last season’s team batting average of .228.

Rightfielder Erin Garvey, the lone senior on the roster, batted .611 with 11 hits in 18 at-bats. Garvey also threw out the potential tying run at home plate in a 2-1 win over New Mexico on Sunday.

Junior second baseman Amy Hulse hit .529 (9 of 17) while shortstop Courtney Wright and third baseman Megan Urquhart both batted .400 in the half-dozen games.

Catcher-designated player Leah Tabb clubbed three doubles, two home runs and collected nine RBI.

“We knew we were capable of beating every team here,” said Tabb, a junior from Putnam City, Okla. “We just pretty much proved it.”

Twin outfielders Shelly Musser and Christi Musser hit .333 and .313 respectively. Shelly Musser also stole four bases in five attempts.

“The best thing about the weekend is I thought we got better every day,” Bunge said. “I can’t think of anybody that had a poor weekend.”

Kirsten Milhoan, a junior college transfer, posted a 3-0 record and a 2.56 earned run average in her KU pitching debut. Freshman Kara Pierce won the other two games. Curiously, junior Kelly Campbell, the only KU hurler with varsity experience, suffered the lone defeat.

Kansas finished ninth in the 10-team Big 12 Conference softball standings in 2000 and the Jayhawks have been predicted to finish ninth again this spring in the league coaches’ preseason poll.

Next action for the Jayhawks will come at the Las Vegas Invitational on Feb. 16-18.

KU will travel the following weekend to Columbus, Ga., for a tournament.

The Jayhawks’ home opener is March 16-18 at the KU Invitational. Loyola, Tulsa, Western Michigan will join KU at the four-team tournament.

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