Saturday, April 09, 2005

Valparaiso won the opening game of Saturday's doubleheader from UMKC 4-2 but was unable to complete the sweep as the Kangaroos bounced back for a 1-0 victory in the nightcap in Kansas City, Mo.

Valpo jumped on top in the third inning of game one as Stacy Adamski (Saint John, Ind./Lake Central H.S.) drove home Kelly Silvey (Indianapolis, Ind./Bishop Chatard H.S.) with an RBI single up the middle.

The Kangaroos answered with two in the bottom of the inning with two runs on five hits of their own. Taylor Callahan (Grayson, Ga./Greater Atlanta Christian H.S.) tied the game in the fourth with a single to bring home Shannon Robinson (Toronto, Ont./John Redmond H.S.).

The Crusaders took the lead in the fifth as Emily Tkaczyk (Hawthron Woods, Ill./Mundelein H.S.) walked to open the inning and advanced to second on an error. A wild pitch moved her to third and she scored as the Kangaroos threw out a runner trying to steal second.

Valpo added an insurance run in the sixth as Callahan doubled to open the inning and Ann Sievert (Davenport, Iowa/Assumption H.S.) singled her home.

Chris Halstead (Indianapolis, Ind./Cathedral H.S.) got the win for Valpo in relief, allowing just one hit in the final 3 1/3 innings while striking out three. Callahan and Silvey both had two-hit games for the Brown and Gold.

Game two saw Halstead and Brittany Atteberry (Schererville, Ind./Lake Central H.S.) combine on a one-hitter, but an unearned run for UMKC (6-30, 2-6 Mid-Con) in the third proved to be the difference. With two outs in the inning, a Valpo error followed by a hit by pitch and two walks plated the lone Kangaroos run of the game.

Veronica Weaver held Valpo's bats at bay as well though, scattering just three hits in the shutout victory.

Valparaiso (3-27, 3-9 Mid-Con) will return home on Tuesday afternoon for a single game against Illinois-Chicago at the Valparaiso University Softball Field. First pitch is slated for 5 p.m.