Vertelka’s 1-hitter lifts KU softball, 9-0

? Senior pitcher Sarah Vertelka limited Austin Peay to one hit, and Kansas University collected 10 as the Jayhawk softball team wrapped up the UTC Frost Classic with a 9-0, five-inning victory on Sunday.

KU finished the weekend 2-3 and improved to 7-8 overall. The Govs fell to 3-9.

Vertelka held Austin Peay hitless through 32/3 innings before Tiffany Smith hit a two-out double in the bottom of the fourth. Smith also drew a walk in the second frame, the only other time a Peay batter reached base. Vertelka (3-4) notched a season-high five strikeouts.

Four Jayhawks collected multiple hits, including a 3-for-4 performance from Lawrence freshman Maggie Hull.

Kansas scored all of its runs in the first three innings. Senior Sara Ramirez hit her third home run in the last five games to plate two runs in KU’s first at-bat. It marked Ramirez’s 16th career home run, and she claimed sole possession of the No. 9 spot on KU’s career home runs list.

The Jayhawks sent 10 batters to the plate in the top of the second inning and scored four runs. Hull produced a two-run double, and Ramirez added an RBI single.

Junior Allie Clark tacked on Kansas’ final runs of the game in the third inning with home run No. 3 on the season to plate three runs.

Kansas will wrap up a 19-game road trip next weekend, when it travels to Carbondale, Ill., for the Coach B Classic hosted by Southern Illinois- Carbondale.