LAWRENCE, Kan. – The Kansas Jayhawks (22-15-1, 10-5 Big 12) travel to Lubbock, Texas, to take on the Texas Tech Red Raiders (24-12, 4-8 Big 12) from April 12-14 at Rocky Johnson Field in KU’s sixth Big 12 conference series of the season and second-straight on the road.
Last week, Kansas earned its third conference series sweep of the season with its sweep over Iowa State, including an 11-0 run-rule victory. Kansas swept Baylor and Houston earlier this season as the three conference sweeps are the most in a single season since 2005. The sweep also gave KU 25 wins on the season, matching its total from a season ago, and 10 conference wins, the most since 2001.
After sweeping Iowa State, Kansas earned distinctions in three nationals polls this week. KU is ranked No. 23 in the Softball America poll and is receiving votes in the NFCA coaches poll and the ESPN.com/USA Softball poll. Kansas currently has an RPI ranking of 30, with its most notable wins this season at No. 18/17 Texas A&M, when KU handed the Aggies their first loss of the season, and No. 19/13 Baylor (three times). Kansas has won 22 of its last 29 games, with its only losses in that stretch coming at UCF, in KU’s first Big 12 Conference series of the weekend, No. 16 Missouri, No. 1 Oklahoma and Nebraska.
Sophomores Presley Limbaugh, Campbell Bagshaw and Hailey Cripe hold three of the top-four batting averages on the team. Limbaugh leads the team with an average of .386, which ranks tied for seventh on the all-time single season list. Cripe leads the squad with nine doubles, 34 hits and 29 RBI, including her first career multi-home run game at Houston on March 22. She has hit two grand slams this season, most recently at Iowa State. Defensively, Cripe holds down the left side of the infield as the shortstop as she leads the team with 76 defensive assists. Bagshaw has come into her own this season after only seeing a few innings last season. She has solidified herself in the starting lineup and has amassed a batting average of .317. She hit her first home run, a grand slam, against Wichita State on March 12 and hit her second career home run in the very next game against Baylor. She scored Kansas’ lone run against Oklahoma on March 28 with a solo blast to right center.
Lyric Moore has also had a stellar season, as she has already matched her home run total from a year ago with five and is tied for second in the Big 12 with nine runners caught stealing. She has led the way in conference play this season, as she has amassed a .359 batting average in 39 at-bats.
This season, Kansas has been led by its stellar pitching staff, specifically left-handed pitcher Kasey Hamilton and right-hander Katie Brooks. After getting tough matchups to start the season, Hamilton has bounced back with six shutouts and has thrown 16 complete games, the most in the NCAA, in 19 starts this season. Hamilton leads the team with 80 strikeouts in 124.0 innings pitched, the most in the Big 12. Her six shutouts lead the Big 12 and rank seventh in the nation. This season, she has allowed 48 earned runs and an opponent batting average of .227.
In her junior season, Brooks has earned a 11-3 record in 84.1 innings pitched. One of her best performances came against UTSA on Feb. 23, when she struck out 10 batters in just five innings of action. She has the best ERA (2.24) among qualified pitchers and has struck out 58 batters while allowing just two home runs this season. After picking up three wins against Wichita State and Baylor, Brooks was selected as the D1Softball National Pitcher of the Week (3/19).
Kansas and Texas Tech have met 74 times all time as the Jayhawks maintain a 41-33 advantage. Last season, Kansas defeated TTU two games to one to earn its first conference series win since 2019. KU won its last game in Lubbock 10-4 on April 3, 2022.
HOW TO FOLLOW ALONG
All three games of the series will be streamed via Big 12 Now on ESPN+. Fans can also watch play-by-by with live statistics and are encouraged to follow the official Kansas softball X Account for live updates throughout each contest.
UP NEXT
The Jayhawks will play their eighth-straight game on the road as they travel to Springfield, Missouri, to take on Missouri State in a midweek game on Wednesday, April 17, at 4 p.m. CT.
