ST. AUGUSTINE, FLA. ? Kansas University opened its softball season with a pair of victories Friday at the Triple Crown Sports Invitational. The Jayhawks defeated Ole Miss 2-1 in 10 innings in their opener before beating Bethune-Cookman 6-1.
In the first contest, junior Kara Pierce struck out 17 Mississippi batters in a complete-game effort. Pierce and the Rebels’ Leslie Day battled through nine scoreless innings before the Jayhawks scored twice in the 10th.
Kansas, which lost eight seniors from last year’s 33-25 squad, relied on its freshmen to supply the offense. Destiny Frankenstein’s double to center field knocked in fellow freshman Jessica Moppin for the game’s first run. Another freshman, Melaney Torres, followed with a single through the right side that scored Frankenstein.
The insurance run proved vital when the Rebels (2-1) scored once in the bottom of the 10th.
Pierce’s 17 strikeouts set a career high. The Mesa, Ariz., native limited Ole Miss to two hits. The run was unearned.
Frankenstein and Torres had two hits apiece for the Jayhawks.
KU’s offense was more powerful against Bethune-Cookman in the second game with five extra-base hits.
Moppin hit two of KU’s three home runs. Her lined shot over the fence in left center gave the Jayhawks a 2-0 lead. Moppin added her second homer in the sixth, a three-run poke to left center that gave her five RBIs in the game.
Junior-college transfer Sylvia Pfeiffer also connected for her first homer as a Jayhawk.
After surrendering five hits in the first two innings, KU senior Kirsten Milhoan limited the Wildcats (2-4) to two hits the rest of the game. She allowed one run and fanned four in seven innings.
Kansas won its pool and advanced to the winner’s bracket.
The Jayhawks will play Purdue at 11:15 a.m. today and will play an undetermined opponent at 1:45 p.m.
