Weber State University Athletics
Sunday, February 13
Phoenix, AZ
11:30 AM
Weber State University
3-2, 0
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Kansas
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Weber State
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Kansas
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Photo by: Robert Casey
Wildcats Beat Kansas, Improve to 3-2
2/13/2022 9:14:00 PM | Softball
Weber State's First Win Over a Power Five Team since 2019
Weber State finished up their opening weekend tournament with a resounding 7-4 victory over the Big 12's Kansas Jayhawks.
The Wildcats, the designated visiting team in the neutral site matchup, struck first in the game's opening inning. McKell McCuistion, after reaching first base on a fielder's choice, was moved around the bases by a pair of Jayhawk errors and eventually scored the game's initial run. The Jayhawks answered with a run of their own in the bottom half of the inning after a bases loaded walk, and the inning finished with a 1-1 score.
That score would remain until the bottom of the third inning when Kansas' Ashlyn Anderson sent a pitch over the left-center field wall for a solo home run to give Kansas a 2-1 lead. Shortly thereafter, Head Coach Mary Kay Amicone was prompted to make a pitching change to send Amanda Sink into the circle for her season debut.
Sink didn't disappoint.
The righty from Las Vegas went near four innings without surrendering a run to the Jayhawks which gave the Wildcat offense more than enough time it needed to retake and build on their lead.
Katelyn Whiting walked to start the top of the fourth inning and was moved to third on back-to-back groundouts from Emily Ruhl and Makayla Donahoo, which brought up the top of the order. Mia Rushton doubled down the left field line to easily score Whiting from third and tie the game at two. Rushton finished the day going 3-4 with the double and an RBI.
The next major offensive action happened in the top of the sixth when the Wildcat bats started to roll. Whiting led the inning off with a single to center field and was brought home when the following batter, Ruhl, doubled to left field to give the Cats a 3-2 lead. Donahoo reached base on an error which ended up scoring pinch runner Aliya Harmon from second base. Rushton walked and WSU pulled a double steal to advance Donahoo and Rushton to third and second, respectively with just one out.
Enter Chloe Camarero.
With two home runs on the weekend, it just felt like Camarero was due for some more magic and the superstar senior delivered.
On a 1-1 count, Camarero pulled a pitch up and over the left-center field wall for a three-run home run that proved to be the difference in the game.
The bottom of the sixth and top of the seventh went quietly as Sink took the circle to close things out for Weber State. Although the Jayhawks scored two runs to close the deficit to three, it proved to be too little too late. Weber State prevailed 7-4, improved to 3-2 on the year, and finished the season opening tournament with a winning record.
"We were really pleased with the progress of the team," Amicone said following the tournament. "Incredible team win today with everything going on. With the tough loss against GCU we loved the way we responded."
Sunday's win is the program's first victory over a power five conference opponent since 2019 when Weber State beat Stanford, Ohio State, and Utah. Regarding the importance of the win, Amicone remarked, "It was a really big win. It takes you into 3-2 in the tournament. (…) We've known this all along that we can play with anybody. (Kansas is in) a power conference and we went toe-to-toe with them and we're not intimidated by anyone."
Amicone continued and highlighted Sink's excellent relief pitching on the game and Camarero's wonderful weekend. Sink's final line was 4.2 innings pitched, two hits, two earned runs, one walk and three strikeouts. Camarero finished the weekend going 4-15 with three home runs and seven RBI.
The Wildcats will return home for a few days prior to taking off for Las Vegas for a tournament held at UNLV. WSU will face Utah Valley, UNLV, and Kansas City in their next tournament that runs between February 18-20.
Follow Weber State softball on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter to stay up to date with everything happening with the Wildcats.
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The Wildcats, the designated visiting team in the neutral site matchup, struck first in the game's opening inning. McKell McCuistion, after reaching first base on a fielder's choice, was moved around the bases by a pair of Jayhawk errors and eventually scored the game's initial run. The Jayhawks answered with a run of their own in the bottom half of the inning after a bases loaded walk, and the inning finished with a 1-1 score.
That score would remain until the bottom of the third inning when Kansas' Ashlyn Anderson sent a pitch over the left-center field wall for a solo home run to give Kansas a 2-1 lead. Shortly thereafter, Head Coach Mary Kay Amicone was prompted to make a pitching change to send Amanda Sink into the circle for her season debut.
Sink didn't disappoint.
The righty from Las Vegas went near four innings without surrendering a run to the Jayhawks which gave the Wildcat offense more than enough time it needed to retake and build on their lead.
Katelyn Whiting walked to start the top of the fourth inning and was moved to third on back-to-back groundouts from Emily Ruhl and Makayla Donahoo, which brought up the top of the order. Mia Rushton doubled down the left field line to easily score Whiting from third and tie the game at two. Rushton finished the day going 3-4 with the double and an RBI.
The next major offensive action happened in the top of the sixth when the Wildcat bats started to roll. Whiting led the inning off with a single to center field and was brought home when the following batter, Ruhl, doubled to left field to give the Cats a 3-2 lead. Donahoo reached base on an error which ended up scoring pinch runner Aliya Harmon from second base. Rushton walked and WSU pulled a double steal to advance Donahoo and Rushton to third and second, respectively with just one out.
Enter Chloe Camarero.
With two home runs on the weekend, it just felt like Camarero was due for some more magic and the superstar senior delivered.
On a 1-1 count, Camarero pulled a pitch up and over the left-center field wall for a three-run home run that proved to be the difference in the game.
The bottom of the sixth and top of the seventh went quietly as Sink took the circle to close things out for Weber State. Although the Jayhawks scored two runs to close the deficit to three, it proved to be too little too late. Weber State prevailed 7-4, improved to 3-2 on the year, and finished the season opening tournament with a winning record.
"We were really pleased with the progress of the team," Amicone said following the tournament. "Incredible team win today with everything going on. With the tough loss against GCU we loved the way we responded."
Sunday's win is the program's first victory over a power five conference opponent since 2019 when Weber State beat Stanford, Ohio State, and Utah. Regarding the importance of the win, Amicone remarked, "It was a really big win. It takes you into 3-2 in the tournament. (…) We've known this all along that we can play with anybody. (Kansas is in) a power conference and we went toe-to-toe with them and we're not intimidated by anyone."
Amicone continued and highlighted Sink's excellent relief pitching on the game and Camarero's wonderful weekend. Sink's final line was 4.2 innings pitched, two hits, two earned runs, one walk and three strikeouts. Camarero finished the weekend going 4-15 with three home runs and seven RBI.
The Wildcats will return home for a few days prior to taking off for Las Vegas for a tournament held at UNLV. WSU will face Utah Valley, UNLV, and Kansas City in their next tournament that runs between February 18-20.
Follow Weber State softball on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter to stay up to date with everything happening with the Wildcats.
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Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Johnson, Amanda (1-0)
L: Brooks, Katie (2-1)
Batting:
2B: Rushton, Mia 1 ; Ruhl, Emily 1
HR: Camarero, Chloe 1
RBI: Rushton, Mia 1 ; Camarero, Chloe 3 ; Ruhl, Emily 1
SH: Ruhl, Emily 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Rushton, Mia 1 ; McCuistion, McKell 1 ; Camarero, Chloe 1 ; Whiting, Katelyn 2 ; Harmon, Aliya 1 ; Donahoo, Makayla 1
SB: Donahoo, Makayla 1
HBP: Hoe, Faith 1
Batting:
HR: Anderson, Ashlyn 1
RBI: Espy, Shayna 1 ; Omli, Macy 1 ; Anderson, Ashlyn 1 ; Moore, Lyric 1
SH: Price, Angela 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Espy, Shayna 1 ; Anderson, Ashlyn 1 ; Price, Angela 1 ; Harper, Haleigh 1
CS: Espy, Shayna 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
4
R
1
H
3
RBI
1
AB
3
R
2
H
2
RBI
0
AB
4
R
1
H
1
RBI
3
Players Mentioned
IF
/ Softball
MI
/ Softball
IF
/ Softball
P
/ Softball
IF
/ Softball
IF
/ SoftballOF
/ SoftballOF
/ SoftballBeyond the Bases: Episode 1
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NCAA Regionals Highlights
Tuesday, May 20
NCAA Tournament post-game press conference
Monday, May 19
Softball Big Sky Tournament Highlights
Wednesday, May 14