Kangaroos Close Out Tournament Action With Losses To No. 3/4 Arizona State, Idaho State

Sunday, February 17

Tempe, Ariz.

3:00 p.m. CT

Kansas City

Idaho State

Kangaroos Close Out Tournament Action With Losses To No. 3/4 Arizona State, Idaho State

2/17/2008 8:00:00 PM | Softball

By: UMKC Athletics

Tempe, Ariz. -- With nine players making their first career appearance for the Kangaroos this weekend, the UMKC softball team closed out action in the Kajikawa Classic with losses to Arizona State - currently ranked third in the USA Today/NFCA Top 10 - and Idaho State. The Kangaroos finished the weekend with a record of 0-5.

UMKC couldn't recover from a nine-run outburst over the first two innings by the nationally-ranked Sun Devils, falling 15-2 in five innings in the first contest of the day. Freshman Julie Hartung hit a home run in the bottom of the second for the Kangaroos, with senior Monica Canisales driving in a run in the bottom of the third.

The second game of the day found UMKC resuming a game that had been suspended due to inclement weather on Friday evening. Picking up in the first inning with the bases loaded, the Kangaroos scored three runs to take their first lead of the campaign. Idaho State was able to answer in the bottom of the first, adding two more in each of the next two innings. UMKC mounted a comeback in the top of the seventh as Megan Ussary drove in Amanda Kinn for one run, but weren't able to force extra innings.

Samantha Hurst led the pitching staff on the weekend, striking out eight batters in 9.0 innings of work. Alicia Baker led the team offensively, compiling a .333 batting average with two RBI. The Kangaroos head to Columbia, Mo., for a midweek tilt against the Missouri Tigers on February 20, with the first pitch of the doubleheader slated for 3 p.m.