Palm Springs, Calif. ? A pair of unearned runs proved the difference Saturday as the Kansas University softball team suffered a 4-3 defeat to No. 3 UCLA at the Palm Springs Classic.
Leadoff batter Val Chapple provided a spark for the Jayhawks (5-7), finishing 2-for-4 with a home run, a double and two RBIs.
Heather Stanley and Destiny Frankenstein also collected two hits apiece for KU, which knocked out UCLA starter Lisa Dodd.
Anjelica Selden (6-1) earned the victory for the Bruins with 22â3 innings of shutout relief.
Kassie Humphreys (3-4) took the complete-game loss for the Jayhawks.
KU played UC Santa Barbara in the late game Saturday.
LINCOLN, NEB. ? Kansas University’s baseball team had the potential tying run 90 feet away, but couldn’t push it across in a 3-2 loss Friday afternoon at Nebraska.
The Jayhawks (21-10-1 overall, 0-1 Big 12 Conference) threatened in the ninth when sophomore designated hitter Jared Schweitzer led off with a walk, moved to second on a single by junior pinch-hitter Mike Dudley and advanced to third on a fielder’s choice.
But, with runners at first and third and two outs, sophomore shortstop Ritchie Price ended the threat, and the game, by fouling out to the third baseman.
The 20th-ranked Cornhuskers (15-4, 1-0) scored first when Alex Gordon ripped a two-run single to center.
The Jayhawks struggled through the first three innings, stranding four runners, including runners at second and third with one out in the second.
Nebraska pushed its lead to 3-0 in the fourth on a groundout after back-to-back singles and a sacrifice bunt.
After six scoreless innings and only two hits, the Jayhawks came alive with three straight hits in the seventh.
Junior third baseman Travis Metcalf opened the inning with a single to left and later scored on a double by Schweitzer. Junior left fielder Andy Scholl plated a run with a single to right, extending his hit streak to 13 games and pulling KU to within one.
The two teams play again at 2:05 p.m. today at Haymarket Park in Lincoln, Neb.
No. 20 Nebraska 3, Kansas 2
Kansas 000 000 200 — 2 7 1
Nebraska 200 100 00x — 3 10 0
W-Zach Kroenke (4-0). L-Ryan Knippschild (5-3).
2B-KU: Matt Tribble, Jared Schweitzer.
