Texas Tech Athletics
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Kansas
Tech Left Dismayed in 2-1 loss to Kansas
May 02, 2002 | Softball
May 2, 2002
OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. - When the 2002 softball team looks back on the season that was it will remember the final inning of its play-in game with the Kansas Jayhawks.
In the third and final meeting of the season between the two teams junior Maggie Ayres gave KU a dose of their own medicine, tossing a two-hitter at the Don Porter ASA Softball Complex in Oklahoma City, Okla. But like the two previous meetings in Lawrence, Kan., the Jayhawks emerged victorious, 2-1.
Pain struck the hearts of Red Raider fans with one out in the sixth. With two strikes on Shelly Musser, Ayres was called for an illegal pitch for not wiping her hand before grasping the ball in the pitching circle.
The call allowed Courtney Wright, who had reached on a throwing error by Ayres, to advance to third where a single by Musser drove in the winning run and advanced Kansas into the Big 12 Championship bracket to face Oklahoma.
Tech's (13-40) bid to score first was nixed after a two-out triple from shortstop Kristi Robles proved fruitless in the first when Jana Baker struck out looking.
Kansas (32-23) got a leadoff walk in the first from Musser who then promptly stole second. A sacrifice bunt moved the Jayhawk centerfielder to third and she would give KU the early 1-0 lead, without the benefit of a hit, on a passed ball.
In the top of the fourth, second baseman Rebecca Eimen got down 0-2 before managing battling the count back to 2-2. The senior fought off a pair of Kara Pierce offerings before launching a fastball down the line in left for her fifth homerun of the season to tie the game at 1-1.
The Red Raiders would rally again in the fifth.
Junior Amanda Douglas got a one-out single and senior Eva Harshman followed suit with a single up the middle. But Esmerelda Perez fouled out to the catcher and Eimen struck out swinging to end the threat.
"I can't say enough about Maggie," commented Tech softball coach Bobby Reeves. "She gave up a walk and two hits what more can I say? She really stayed in there and battled and made the pitches she needed to make to win, but that didn't happen."
Tech starter Maggie Ayres carried a no-hitter into the fourth before Katie Musser singled to right with one out. The southpaw tossed her third complete game in her last four starts in the loss and drops to 3-9 for the season.
