Weber State University Athletics
Weber State University
Kansas
Wildcats earn second-day split in New Mexico
2/15/2015 12:55:00 AM | Softball
LAS CRUCES, N.M. – The Wildcats earned a hard-fought split during the second day of action at the Troy Cox Classic.
Against a very strong and undefeated Kansas, the Wildcats no-hit the Jayhawks through six innings and allowed just two hits overall in a tough 5-1 decision. In the second game, a rematch with Bradley, the Wildcats bats erupted for 17 hits – tying Weber State's school record for most hits in a game, which was set against Northern Colorado on Mar. 31, 2012 – en route to an 11-5 victory.
“Today we came out and played really tough against an undefeated Kansas,” Weber State coach Mary Kay Amicone said. “(Senior right-hander) MaCauley (Flint) pitched well and both teams only had two hits. We had an opportunity in the sixth to score a couple of runs when (junior) Aubrey (Whitmer) hit a shot down the third-base line, but their third baseman made a great play. We fought hard and played much better today.”
Flint (1-1, 3.00 ERA) no-hit the Jayhawks (7-0) for six innings, and allowed just one hit through 6 2/3 innings before Kansas hit a grand slam to take their only lead of the contest.
Weber State had taken a 1-0 lead in the sixth after senior Stephanie Mathias drew her bases-loaded hit-by-pitch in two days, walking in senior center fielder Malia Campos.
In the second game, the Wildcat bats came alive early and often as Campos led off with a single, followed by a single by freshman second baseman McKinley Brinkerhoff, with junior third baseman Alyson Kulp blasting a double to bring in Campos and make it 1-0 before the first out was recorded.
An Aubrey Whitmer infield single brought in Brinkerhoff to give Weber State a 2-0 lead in the first, with freshman catcher Molly Horne making it 3-0 with an RBI single in the third.
Junior Sierra Whitmer scored Brinkerhoff on an RBI fielder's choice in the fourth, with sophomore right fielder Sara Hingsberger hitting a two-run double to center field that scored Whitmer and Kulp to make it 6-1 after four, and Kulp hit a two-RBI single up the middle to score Campos and junior left fielder Rudi Barrios in the fifth.
After Bradley played three runs in the bottom of the fifth, the Purple and White answer back with three more, the first an RBI by senior first baseman Kylee Hogue, the second another RBI single from Horne, and Mathias brought in the final run with another bases-loaded hit-by-pitch.
“After a tough loss, our team responded great by scoring early to set a gritty tone against Bradley,” Amicone said. “(Freshman right-hander) Bailey Seek threw well against Bradley and we really came up with some timely hits to keep adding on to our lead. We are learning a lot about our team and are excited to play another good game tomorrow against Kansas.”
Weber State will wrap up the three-day, five-game tournament at 9 a.m. with a rematch against the Jayhawks.
