OKLAHOMA CITY ? A great start in the morning turned into a sour ending Friday night for Kansas University’s softball squad.
After a 3-0 win over Oklahoma State, KU advanced to play Oklahoma. Tied 0-0 heading into the bottom of the seventh inning, the Sooners finally worked across a run against KU pitcher Kassie Humphreys and won, 1-0, effectively ending the Jayhawks’ season.
Humphreys came out the loser in a duel with OU pitcher Kami Keiter as each pitcher only allowed four hits. Humphreys struck out three Sooners and walked two.
Senior catcher Dani May was KU’s leading offensive producer, going 2-for-2.
“I thought we played very well for the whole tournament,” KU head coach Tracy Bunge said. “Kassie threw a tremendous game. I’m proud of my ballclub and the season they had. I thought we finished well.”
KU (33-28-1) still could earn an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament when selections are announced Sunday. However, as Bunge admitted, the Jayhawks’ chances were slim.
“There is an outside chance that we are not over and I hope we are not,” Bunge said. “We’ll find that out Sunday night.”
In Friday morning’s 3-0 win over Oklahoma State, senior third baseman Sandy Smith drove in two runs with a solo home run and a sacrifice fly.
Senior right-hander Kara Pierce went the distance, allowing just three singles and striking out seven for her 19th victory.
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