Kansas falls to Murray State, 9-0
LAWRENCE, Kan. — Kansas softball lost on day two of the Rock Chalk Challenge to Murray State, 9-0 in six innings, on Friday at Arrocha Ballpark.
The Jayhawks (19-6) were held to three hits as Murray State (9-14) used a five-run fourth inning to pull away with the road victory. The Racers’ Sierra Gilmore drove in five runs and Lillie Goetz went 3-for-3 at the plate with two RBIs and two runs scored.
In her fourth start of the season in the circle, junior pitcher Brynn Minor (4-2) tossed 3.1 innings with two strikeouts and five earned runs allowed to receive the loss. Murray State’s Haven Campbell (6-6) threw 6.0 shutout innings with six strikeouts to earn the victory.
Friday marks the first time Kansas has been shutout this season.
The Jayhawks entered the contest with one of the more potent offenses in the Big 12, ranking second in the league with 5.8 runs per game and averaging 1.0 home runs per game.
Murray State took a 2-0 lead in the first inning on three hits, but left two runners on base after Minor struck out Lexi Jones for the final out of the inning — the first of Minor’s pair of strikeouts.
Sophomore Sam Dellinger put Kansas in scoring position to lead off the third inning on a double down the left field line, but was left on the base as the next three KU batters were retired.
Murray State scored five runs in the fourth inning on four hits, plus a KU fielding error that made two of Murray’s runs unearned, to take a 7-0 lead. A two-run home run in the sixth inning gave the Racers a 9-0 lead to active the eight-run run rule to shorten the game.
UP NEXT
Kansas continues the Rock Chalk Challenge with a pair of games on Saturday against Northern Colorado at 2 p.m. and Saint Louis at 4:30 p.m.
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