🥎 Jayhawks Earn Sweep Over Iowa State

AMES, Iowa – Kansas softball earned its third conference series sweep of the season as it won both games of the doubleheader on Saturday. Kansas won the first game 11-0 in five innings and followed that up with a 6-2 victory in game two.

The 11-run margin of victory was the most in a conference game this season as Kansas improved to 25-12-1 and 10-5 in Big 12 play, while Iowa State fell to 13-21 (3-9 Big 12).

GAME ONE (Kansas 11, Iowa State 0)
The Jayhawks got the bats working early, as they tacked on three in the first frame of the game. Presley Limbaugh was the first to reach a base thanks to an ISU error. Aynslee Linduff followed that up with a single to get the first run across. Another Cyclone error gave Hailey Cripe a base, and Addison Purvis delivered a double down the right field line to get two more runs and give Kansas an early 3-0 lead.

KU got back on the scoreboard in the top of the third. Lyric Moore singled and reached third after she swiped second and advanced to third thanks to a throwing error by ISU’s catcher. Purvis picked up her third RBI of the game with a groundout to second to extend KU’s lead to 4-0.

The Kansas bats caught fire in the fourth as the Jayhawks added seven runs in the frame. Limbaugh, Campbell Bagshaw, Ashlyn Anderson and Sara Roszak each recorded a single while Angela Price, Moore and Cripe each drew walks. Linduff, Purvis, Bagshaw and Anderson each earned RBI’s in the inning to put Kansas up 11-0 and in run-rule territory.

Kasey Hamilton dealt out of the gate, as she earned her sixth complete game shutout. She allowed just three hits along with two strikeouts as she improved to 10-8 on the season.

PITCHERS OF RECORD
Win: Kasey Hamilton (10-8)
Final line: 5.0 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 2 SO
Loss: Karlie Charles (1-5)
Final line: 3.1 IP, 5 H, 6 R, 0 BB, 1 SO

GAME TWO (Kansas 6, Iowa State 2)
Iowa State bounced back after the first game by getting a run across in the bottom half of the first frame. Olivia Bruno got her first start of the season in the circle, as she gave up a leadoff walk and a single to give the Cyclones the early 1-0 lead.

The Jayhawks responded by scoring six runs in the top of the second. Purvis started it off with a walk which prompted Head Coach Jennifer McFalls to bring on Bruno as a pinch–runner. In the next at-bat, Bagshaw singled through the left side to put runners on first and second. In her second start of the season, September Flanagan hit a soft dribbler to the pitcher. The pitcher could not handle it as Bruno scored from third. A passed ball, another ISU error and three singles by Linduff, Moore and Bagshaw gave KU a 6-1 lead in the second.

Iowa State would score a run in the fifth. A walk, a KU error and a hit by pitch loaded the bases for ISU. A wild pitch allowed the runner on third to score as the Cyclones cut into KU’s lead, 6-2.

Bruno finished her day with two runs on three hits in six innings of action as Lizzy Ludwig came in as relief in the bottom of the seventh. She gave up one hit before getting three outs to end the game.

PITCHERS OF RECORD
Win: Olivia Bruno (2-1)
Final line: 6.0 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 BB, 1 SO
Loss: Lauren Schurman (2-3)
Final line: 1.1 IP, 6 H, 6 R, 1 BB, 1 SO

QUOTABLES & NOTABLES
“Loved that our bats came alive this weekend, especially today. Especially in this wind, it was really tough, but we weren’t trying to hit ball out of the park. We were really consistent and patient at the plate today and did our job. I’m really proud to get the opportunity to get (Olivia) Bruno in the circle today. I thought she threw really well for us, and then having Lizzy (Ludwig) shut the door. Love the fight that we had this weekend. We needed to take care of business and we did that. We’re going to get some rest and get ready to go to Lubbock.” – Head Coach Jennifer McFalls

• With the series sweep, Kansas has now swept three conference opponents this season for the first time since 2005.
• Kansas has now earned 10 conference wins, the most since 2001 when the squad went 10-8.
• The Jayhawks have now matched their win total from a season ago with its 25th victory.
• Kansas picked up its sixth run-rule victory of the season in the first game of the day.
• The Jayhawks shutout a Big 12 opponent for the fourth time this season.
• The 11-hit performance in the second game is the 10th time this season KU has earned double-digit hits.
• The 11-run margin of victory in the first game was the biggest margin of victory for Kansas in a conference game this season.
• Hamilton threw her sixth complete game shutout of the season as she picked up her 10th win in the circle.
• With two hits in the first and second game, Bagshaw recorded her eighth multi-hit game of the season.
• Linduff now has six multi-hit games this season after getting two in the second game.

UP NEXT
Kansas will take its third-straight road trip as it travels to Lubbock, Texas, to take on Texas Tech at Rocky Johnson Field in a three-game series from April 12-14.