Orlando, Fla. ? Five Kansas University softball players combined for seven hits as the Jayhawks completed a perfect day with a 4-3 victory over North Carolina State on Friday at the season-opening Central Florida tournament.
Earlier in the day, Kansas plated single runs in the sixth and seventh innings to edge Central Arkansas, 2-1.
Against N.C. State, sophomore pitcher Sarah Vertelka threw the full seven innings. She allowed seven hits and struck out five.
Amanda Jobe and Sara Ramirez, both sophomores, each recorded their second RBIs of the day against the Wolfpack, while junior Dougie McCaulley also brought in a run. Jobe and newcomer Brittany Hile led KU with two hits a piece during the contest.
Trailing 2-1 after three innings, KU rallied with three runs in the bottom of the fourth to steal the lead.
With two outs, Ramirez roped a double to right center field bringing in Val Chapple. Next, Stevie Crisosto reached first on a dropped third strike and took one extra base on a throwing error by NC State’s catcher. The error also allowed Ramirez to cross home plate.
Jobe brought in the final, and ultimately the winning run. Jobe sent a single through the left side of the field. Crisosto rounded third and slid into home barely missing the tag once to give the Jayhawks a 4-2 edge over the Wolfpack.
NC State threatened Kansas’ lead in the top of the seventh. The Wolfpack cut KU’s lead to one on an RBI double, but Vertelka forced a groundout a few batters later to end the inning with NC State runners stranded on first and third.
In the first game, Jobe singled in Crisosto with the tying run in the top of the sixth after Crisosto walked and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt. In the seventh, freshman outfielder Liz Kocon doubled and scored the winning run on a single by Sara Ramirez.
Freshman right-hander Allie Clark pitched two innings of flawless relief to pick up her first collegiate victory.
KU (2-0) will face Illinois State at 8:30 this morning and UCF at 10:30 a.m.