KANSAS, Okla. - A calamitous bottom of the first and a dominating pitching performance by Kansas freshman Talee Reding were too much for the Jay Lady Bulldogs to overcome Saturday morning at Gene Longcrier Field as the Lady Comets blanked their guests in a five-inning 8-0 victory.
Reding got the first three batters to go down in order with three consecutive infield grounders to bring about the definitive bottom of the first inning.
Katie Hyso led off for Kansas and reached base on the first of Jay’s four errors in the frame. Batting in the threehole, Reding helped her own cause with an RBI scoring double.
Using three more defensive errors and a base on balls, the Comets tacked on three more runs to take a 4-0 lead. But the coup de grace came with two down and the bases jammed again. Hyso came to the dish for the second time in the inning and promptly jacked a grand slam up and over the left center field to double the Kansas lead.
Following the opening inning’s carnage Reding, thanks in particular to some good defense by Summer Higgins at third and Kaley Stanley at shortstop, was able to take down the next 10 Bulldog batters in a row. But with one out in the top of the fifth, Jay’s Haley Dry lashed a clean screamer into left field, bringing an end to Reding’s no hit/perfect game bid.
Sports, Pages 12 on 08/21/2013