LAWRENCE, Kan. - Conner Cutright's pinch-hit home run was SIUE's highlight as the Cougars dropped a 4-1 decision at Kansas.
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The Cougars fell to 11-10 overall while Kansas improved to 24-10.
SIUE returns to action Friday with Ohio Valley Conference play at UT Martin. A 1 p.m. doubleheader is scheduled. The Cougars also are planning to head back to Nashville, Tennessee, for a makeup date with Belmont. A noon doubleheader is set for Saturday at E.S. Rose Park.
"They're (UT Martin) going to be a quality team that we're going to have to play well to defeat," she said. "That's no different for anybody else in the conference."
On Wednesday's nonconference contest, Kansas scored in the first inning on an RBI double by Tarin Travieso, which drove home Erin McGinley.
The Cougars tied up the score in the fifth as Cutright led off the fifth with a home run to right field. She drilled a 2-2 pitch off Kansas starter Andie Formby.
"She definitely squared it up," said Montgomery. "She was in a tough spot leading off the fifth in a 1-0 game. She did what she should do and came up big. That was a plus for her."
Cutright said she has been working on hitting early in counts.
"I got my hands out in front of the pitch, and it felt good," said Cutright.
SIUE, which stranded six baserunners, and Kansas were knotted up at 1-1 in the sixth inning at Arrocha Park when the Jayhawks broke through for three runs off home runs by McGinley and Harli Ridling.
Corrina Rivas, 3-3, took the loss in relief of Emily Ingles for the Cougars.
"We threw well in spots," said Montgomery. "We just didn't execute pitches that we needed with runners in scoring position."
Sarah Miller collected the win for Kansas in relief, improving to 7-4.
