St. Louis ? Kansas University lost a squeaker in the opener and won a laugher in the nightcap.
Saint Louis forced extra innings with a two-run seventh, then plated the winner in the bottom of the ninth in a 4-3 victory in Game One, but KU bounced back with a 10-0, run-rule-shortened victory in Game Two of a nonconference softball twinbill on Wednesday.
“In the first game we came out flat and lacked focus,” KU coach Megan Smith said. “In the second game, we came out intense and executed in all aspects. We got back to what has made us successful so far this season.”
Alicia Pille (7-3) took the loss in relief in Game One after allowing a run off two hits over two innings, but threw a complete-game, two-hit shutout in the second.
In the opener, Harli Ridling was 4-for-5 with a double and home run for KU, and Chaley Brickey added three of Kansas’ 11 hits.
Alex Jones, Maddie Stein and Taylor McElhaney each had two hits for Kansas in the second game, and Ridling hit another home run.
“Harli hit the ball well today,” Smith said. “She looked good offensively and had some good at-bats for us.”
KU will play Friday-Sunday in the Kentucky Tournament in Lexington, Ky. Kansas will open the tournament against Kent State at 9 a.m. Friday.
Kansas 3-10, Saint Louis 4-0
First Game
Kansas 000 003 000 — 3 11 0
Saint Louis 000 001 201 — 4 12 1
W — Brianna Lore, 8-7. L — Alicia Pille, 6-3.
2B -Harli Ridling, KU; Alex Nickel, SLU. HR — Ridling, Nikki Bruce, KU.
KU highlights — Ridling 4-for-5, R, RBI; Chaley Brickey 3-for-5.
Second Game
Kansas 300 115 — 10 13 0
Saint Louis 000 000 — 0 2 0
W -Pille, 7-3. L — Laney Kneib, 4-4.
2B -Ashley Newman, Chaley Brickey, Taylor Hatfield, Taylor Dodson, Taylor McElhaney, KU. HR — Ridling, KU.
KU highlights — Pille 6 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 7 K; Alex Jones 2-for-4, 2 R, RBI; Maddie Stein 2-for-3, R, 2 RBIs; McElhaney 2-for-2, R, RBI; Hatfield 1-for-2, 2 R, RBI.
Orlando, Fla. ? The Kansas University softball team split games against Western Carolina and South Carolina on Friday.
The Jayhawks defeated Western Carolina, 7-6, but fell to South Carolina, 3-2, in nine innings. With the split, Kansas is now 3-3.
Highlights from the Western Carolina game included a career-high seven strikeouts from pitcher Allie Clark and 3-for-3 efforts at the plate by Val Chapple and Stevie Crisosto.
Crisosto and Chapple each recorded their 29th career double to crack KU’s top 10 career list.
Pinch hitter Liz Kocon hit a sacrifice fly that scored Brittany Hile to give the Jayhawks a 7-6 edge against Western Carolina. Junior Sarah Vertelka (1-1) entered the game in the fourth and allowed two hits in the final two innings to earn her first victory of the season.
Kansas will play a doubleheader today, a 4:30 p.m. contest against Bradley, followed by a 6:30 p.m. game against Tennesee.