🥎 Kansas Softball Earns Rankings in Three National Polls

LAWRENCE, Kan. – After sweeping Houston on the road last weekend, Kansas softball has earned distinctions in three nationals polls this week. KU is ranked No. 18 in the Softball America Poll, No. 21 in the D1Softball Poll and No. 24 in the ESPN.com/USA Softball poll. Kansas is also receiving votes in the NFCA coaches poll.

Kansas is 22-8-1 on the season and 7-2 in Big 12 play, the best start in conference play since 1997. The Jayhawks are one of the hottest teams in the country as they have won 19 of their last 22 contests and are currently on a seven-game conference winning streak, their longest since 1997 when Kansas won nine-straight conference games.

Last week, Kansas went 3-1 with a sweep of Big 12 newcomer Houston. In its Big 12 series before that, the Jayhawks swept No. 19/13 Baylor, highlighted by two shutouts on Saturday and Sunday. The series sweep against Baylor was the first series sweep against a ranked Big 12 opponent since Kansas swept No. 5 Oklahoma in a two-game series in 2005 and the first three-game series sweep against a ranked Big 12 opponent in program history.

Katie Brooks and Kasey Hamilton each continued their strong seasons last week with dominant performances against the Cougars. Brooks has won 10 games in the circle this season with the lowest ERA on the team among qualified pitchers at 1.89. Hamilton has won nine games this season as she leads the team with 71 strikeouts. Her 101.1 innings pitched lead the Big 12 and rank 13th in the country.

Hamilton has thrown 13 complete games and has recorded a shutout in five of those contests. Brooks has thrown four complete games with two shutouts, and was named the D1Softball National Pitcher of the week on March 18. Campbell Bagshaw is leading the team with a batting average of .317 and 24 RBI. The bats caught fire last Saturday at Houston, as the Jayhawks hit three home runs, highlighted by two grand slams by Savanna DesRochers and one off the bat of Jaeden Murphy in her second career at-bat.

The No. 24 Jayhawks will look to continue their hot conference start as they take on No. 1 Oklahoma this weekend in a three-game series at Arrocha Ballpark from March 28-30. While the games are sold out, fans can still catch all the action via Big 12 NOW on ESPN+.