Bunge’s beef: Where’s the offense?

Pierce pitches well, but subpar KU hitting helps Mizzou prevail, 3-0

One of the amenities of Arrocha Ballpark — Kansas University’s new softball home — is a bat warmer.

Unfortunately for the Jayhawks, they need a bat furnace.

Erin Kalka tossed a three-hitter as Missouri blanked KU, 3-0, Wednesday at Arrocha. It was the Jayhawks’ seventh league defeat, and six have been whitewashes.

“The way we’re struggling to score runs, we’ve got to shut people out until we find a way to score,” KU coach Tracy Bunge said.

KU’s Kara Pierce surrendered three hits, but MU broke through in the sixth to snap a scoreless deadlock, then tacked on two insurance runs in the seventh thanks to a couple of KU errors.

“Kara threw a great game,” Bunge said. “She had great ball movement. Her drop ball was falling off the table, and she was effective hitting spots.”

Pierce had been roughed up last week in Columbia, Mo., when the Tigers rolled to a 7-0 victory behind a Kalka one-hitter.

“I was much more focused this time,” Pierce said. “We had great intensity today.”

Kansas University's Jessica Moppin, left, catches the ball to retire Missouri's Morgan LeCluyse. The Tigers beat the Jayhawks, 3-0, Wednesday at Arrocha Ballpark.

Intensity, however, didn’t translate into runs, and the Jayhawks’ team batting average in nine Big 12 Conference games dipped to .142. And as the bats stay cold, the pressure heats up on the pitchers.

“It’s pressure, but it’s reality,” Bunge said. “That’s the challenge our pitchers have.”

Needless to say, it’s a big challenge.

“Of course, it is,” Pierce said. “We’re told to shut out people, but that’s unrealistic in the Big 12 with so many good hitters.”

Senior Leah Mountain, given a rare start at first base as Bunge benched slumping Serena Settlemier and used regular first baseman Nicole Washburn as the designated player, had two of the three hits, including a double off the center fielder’s glove in deep right-center.

“We came out today and we came out together,” Mountain said, “and we’re going to get it together one way or another.”

Washburn had the Jayhawks’ only other hit. The freshman first baseman had collected KU’s only two hits in a 2-1 loss Tuesday to Wichita State.

Kansas (24-21-1 overall, 2-7 Big 12) is idle until this weekend when Oklahoma State will arrive for games at 2 p.m. Saturday and 1 p.m. Sunday.

Missouri still has a losing overall record at 19-21, but the Tigers boast a glossy 6-2 conference record.

Kansas University softball coach Tracy Bunge, right, argues a call with an umpire during the Jayhawks' 3-0 loss to Missouri. KU couldn't get its offense going in the loss to the Tigers on Wednesday at Arrocha Ballpark.