🥎 Kansas Sweeps Wichita State in Midweek Doubleheader

LAWRENCE, Kan. – Kansas Softball took both games of a midweek doubleheader against Wichita State on Tuesday afternoon at Arrocha Ballpark. The Jayhawks won game one 6-3 and followed it up with a 6-5 walkoff win in extra innings to close out the sweep.  

With the wins, Kansas moved to 16-7-1, while Wichita State fell to 10-10 on the season. 

Game One: Kansas 6, Wichita State 3

Kansas scored five runs in the sixth inning to seal a 6-3 first game win over the Wichita State Shockers. Katie Brooks started in the circle for the ninth time this season and tossed a complete game, finishing with four strikeouts and allowing three runs to improve to 7-1 on the season. 

Wichita State was close to scoring in the opening inning, as they loaded the bases with two outs before Savanna DesRochers caught a deep flyout in left field to leave all three runners stranded.

Kansas got its offense quickly going as Hailey Cripe brought Aynslee Linduff home on a double that hit off the left field wall for a 1-0 KU lead in the bottom of the first.

The top of the third gave Wichita State its first run of the game. Following a leadoff triple, WSU scored on a KU fielder’s choice, which evened the score at 1-1.

Kansas carried its momentum onto the offense side as they scored five runs off four hits in the bottom of the fifth inning. Angela Price led off the hit parade with a triple down the right field line then made her way home when Linduff hit a sharp ground ball to short, which was misplayed for a Wichita State error. 

Moore singled to right before Cripe hit a two-run single up the middle to score both Linduff and Moore. Addison Purvis was hit by a pitch and Bagshaw nailed a line drive single to center, bringing in Cripe and Purvis for the last runs of the inning, which extended the lead to 6-1.

The Shockers tried to fight their way back into the game by scoring two runs in the top of the seventh, but WSU stranded three in the frame as Kansas held on to take game one, 6-3. 

Three Jayhawks posted two hits as Moore, Cripe and Price went 2-3 at the dish. Cripe added three RBI, while Bagshaw had two.

PITCHERS OF RECORD
Win: Katie Brooks (7-1)
Final line: 7.0 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 7 BB, 4 SO
Loss: Alex Aguilar (3-2)
Final line: 4.0 IP, 6 H, 5 R, 0 BB, 3 SO

Game Two Kansas 6, Wichita State 5 (8)

Bagshaw opened the second game with a grand slam, her first career home run as a Jayhawk, which got the Jayhawks on the board in the bottom of the first.  Katie Gee singled to left, scoring Anderson to extend the Kansas lead to 5-0 in the first. 

WSU opened up the top of the third with a single to center and reached third on a KU fielding error. WSU then followed that up with another single to left to cut into KU’s lead, 5-1. 

WSU led off the top of the fourth with a single to left and then reached second on a KU fielding error. WSU then singled to left to put runners on first and third with one out, but could not manage to get anyone across as Kansas denied the scoring threat to take the game to the bottom of the fourth.

WSU homered to center to leadoff the fifth inning to cut KU’s lead, 5-2. Sara Roszak caught a line drive, which froze the runner in the 3-4 gap before she threw it to first for the double play to end the inning. 

Down three with its last chance, Wichita State answered the bell. With one out, the Shockers drew a walk and singled to get two runners on. In the next at-bat, WSU hit a three-run home run to tie the game at five apiece.

With one out in the bottom of the eighth, Anderson singled up the middle which was followed up by Buzard putting it in play to force a WSU fielding error to place runners at second and third. Price came up in the clutch as she hit a ball to second, which scored  Anderson from third to end the game.

Bagshaw went 1-4 at the dish in game two with a grand slam in the first inning. Price (1-2) had the all important hit of the game with the walkoff in-field hit. Kasey Hamilton went all 8.0 innings to record her 10th complete game of the season, improving her to a 6-5 record on the year. 

PITCHERS OF RECORD
Win: Kasey Hamilton (6-5)
Final line: 8.0 IP, 9 H, 5 R, 3 BB, 5 SO
Loss: Alison Cooper (2-4)
Final line: 6.2 IP, 7 H, 1 R, 3 BB, 2 SO

QUOTABLES & NOTABLES
“I said this in the huddle. It’s about their grit and their fight, and I love that we found a way to win. They’re a great team and have a great program and I have a lot of respect for what they do. That’s a team that never goes away. When you have Addison Barnard at the plate in that kind of situation, we’ve seen it happen many times. She’s a heck of a hitter and has been an All-American for a reason. But, I’m really proud of our team, just continuing to fight. I think we had a lot of fight to finish that game tonight and a lot of determination to find a way to win.” – Head Coach Jennifer McFalls

• Kansas improved to 2-1 in extra inning games this season.
• Kansas rose to 3-0 at home this season.
• Hamilton threw her 10th complete game of the season and earned her sixth win.
• Brooks tossed a complete game which is her 5th of the season and earned her 7th win. 
• Bagshaw hit her first career home run with a timely grand slam in the second contest.

UP NEXT

Kansas will continue its homestand this weekend, hosting its first Big 12 Conference series at Arrocha Ballpark against No. 19/13 Baylor from March 15-17. Fans can catch every play from live stats. Fans that wish to attend the contests can purchase tickets here.