May 6, 2005

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. - The UMKC softball team kept its faint hopes of qualifying for the Mid-Continent Conference softball tournament alive by splitting a doubleheader with IUPUI Friday (May 6), winning the first game 2-1 in 10 innings. The Jaguars came back to shut out the Kangaroos 4-0 in the nightcap at the IUPUI Softball Complex.

UMKC, now 9-44 and 5-13 in the Mid-Con, sits in sixth place in the current league standings. The Kangaroos must win the remainder of their five games and hope for some help to qualify for the four-team league postseason tournament, which takes place May 13-14 at Adair Park.

UMKC snapped an eight-game losing streak in capturing the weekend series opener. The Kangaroos opened the scoring in the fifth inning on a double by freshman center field Katelyn Cummings, who scored on designated player Liz Stohs' two-out single.

It appeared that UMKC was destined for a 1-0 shutout win until IUPUI's Amy Speshyock doubled off Kangaroos' pitcher Jessica Heimann to open the bottom of the seventh inning. Pinch runner Amy Bowman then scored on a one-out single by Amanda Bowman to send the game into extra frames.

UMKC then kept the Jaguars at bay offensively until UMKC's half of the 10th inning when junior catcher Eryn Knecht (who finished the game 3-for-5) opened the inning by tripling to right center field. Junior Sarah Allen then scored Knecht on a sacrifice bunt with one out. Heimann then pitched her way out of trouble in the bottom of the frame to give UMKC the victory. Heimann won her seventh game of the season, going the route and allowing nine hits while striking out three batters. Devan Craig took the loss for IUPUI.

In the second game, it was all IUPUI (19-22, 9-9) as the Jaguars pounced on UMKC starter Tisha Abell for two runs in the first inning, taking advantage of an error by freshman shortstop Kim Hoiting. The big blow of the inning was a run-scoring double by Stacey Speshyock. IUPUI then plated two more runs in the sixth.

Abell lasted just two innings, allowing two runs on four hits in being tagged with her 17th loss of the season. Veronica Weaver came on in relief for the Kangaroos, tossing four innings and allowing two runs on four hits. Angelica Espinosa went the distance for the Jaguars, scattering three UMKC hits in raising her record to 11-8.

The two teams conclude the weekend series with a doubleheader on Saturday (May 7). First pitch is set for 3 p.m. CDT.