Kansas edges Lamar 1-0 behind shutout from Reid
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BEAUMONT, Texas – Sophomore pitcher Alexis Reid pitched her fourth shutout of the season as Kansas softball topped Lamar on its home field in the Cardinal Classic, 1-0. Reid allowed six hits in the contest, striking out three and the Jayhawk defense backed her performance in the circle with an error free game in the close win.
The Jayhawks (9-4) had just two hits in the ballgame, the first coming off the bat of junior Erin McGinley in the top of the first inning. McGinley’s hit marked her fifth of the weekend, and she stole second to notch her 10th of the season which leads the team.
Kansas’ only other hit came in the third inning, a leadoff single to left field from freshman Madison Sykes, but both of the Jayhawks’ hits were rendered useless as both runners were left stranded.
The difference in the game came in the second inning for the Jayhawks. Junior catcher Harli Ridling led off the inning with a walk and senior Taylor Dodson reached on an error by the Lamar (4-9) shortstop to put two on for Kansas.
Freshman Becki Monaghan laid down a textbook sacrifice bunt to move both runners and junior Annie Mehringer worked a full count walk to load the bases.
The Jayhawks’ lone run came on an RBI from senior shortstop Taylor McElhaney when she hit a fly ball to left the was dropped but was not scored as an error as the Lamar left fielder threw to third for the force out, but the damage had been done with Ridling scoring from third on the play.
Reid cruised through the Lamar offense, getting through inning after inning with low pitch counts until the home team led off the sixth inning with a double to right center. A sacrifice bunt moved the runner to third and Lamar looked to be threatening to even the ballgame.
The threat was relieved with a huge defensive play from the Jayhawks, a double play that was grounded to junior Jessie Roane at third who threw across the diamond to Monaghan at first, before the freshman first baseman fired home to get a force out at the plate to end the inning.
The Cardinals threatened again in the seventh with back-to-back singles to lead off the inning. A pop up and fielder’s choice put runners at the corners with two away before Reid induced a fly out to left field for senior Lily Behrmann to bring in to end the ballgame, giving the Jayhawks their ninth win of the season.
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