Tampa, Fla. ? Sophomore shortstop Chaley Brickey’s first-inning home run started a string of nine straight runs for Kansas University in its eventual 9-3 victory over host South Florida on Friday at the Under Armour Showcase.
Earlier in the day, Kansas (12-7) lost to Northwestern, 4-3, after the Jayhawks’ seventh-inning rally fell short.
Brickey got KU’s offense off to a good start against USF when she hit a three-run homer in her first at-bat. She picked up two more hits for a perfect 3-for-3 day from the plate.
Freshman catcher Harli Ridling (2-for-3, 3 RBI) extended the lead with a two-run homer in the third inning. After an RBI single by Chanin Naudin in the sixth, the Jayhawks tacked on three runs in the seventh when two batters were hit by pitches and another was walked … all with the bases loaded.
USF made a late rally against KU starter Alicia Pille (4-2), scoring three runs on four hits to close out the game.
Kansas’ Kelsey Kessler (7-5) picked up the loss against Northwestern.
The Jayhawks continue tournament play today with games against St. John’s and Utah.
Northwestern 4, Kansas 3
Northwestern 000 301 0 — 4 7 0
Kansas 200 000 1 — 3 5 0
W — Kristen Wood, 7-2. L — Kelsey Kessler, 7-5. SV — None.
2B — Mari Majam, Northwestern; Anna Edwards, Northwestern; Chaley Brickey, Kansas; Maddie Stein, Kansas; Chanin Naudin, Kansas. HR — Edwards, Northwestern; Brianna LeBeau, Northwestern.
Kansas highlights — Stein 2-for-4, 3 RBI; Brickey 1-for-2, 1 R, 2 BB; Lily Behrmann 1-for-2, 1 R, 1 BB.
Kansas 9, USF 3
Kansas 302 001 3 — 9 9 1
South Florida 000 000 3 — 3 7 1
W — Alicia Pille, 4-2. L — Sara Nevins, 9-4. SV — None.
2B — Erica Nunn, USF. HR — Chaley Brickey, Kansas; Harli Ridling, Kansas.
Kansas highlights — Brickey 3-for-3, 3 R, 3 RBI; Ridling 2-for-3, 1 R, 3 RBI.
