🥎 Jayhawks Complete Walk-Off Comeback Against Coyotes
LAWRENCE, Kan. – The Kansas Jayhawks (16-8) captured a walk-off victory over South Dakota (4-20) in the bottom of the eighth inning when Morgyn Wynne hit a two-run home run out of center to beat the Coyotes, 11-9.
Kasey Hamilton improved to 3-3 on the season after coming in in the second inning to pitch the final 6.2 innings. Hamilton picked up six strikeouts against the 29 batters she faced.
South Dakota held the lead for the majority of the game after scoring two runs in the top of the first.
The Jayhawks got on the board in the bottom of the first with Brittany Jackson and Madison Hirsch each getting on base and advancing to be in scoring position. Wynne stepped up and recorded her first hit of the game with a single through the right side to score them both and make it a 2-2 game.
The Coyotes scored three additional runs in both the second and third innings to reclaim an 8-2 lead heading to the bottom of the third.
KU closed the gap in the third with Jackson, Hirsch and Wynne loading the bases. Sophomore Ashlyn Anderson singled through the left side to score Jackson but KU was only able to add the single run in the third.
The Jayhawks started to make a comeback in the bottom of the sixth inning when redshirt junior Sydnee Ramsey hit a two-out single through the left side. She was brought home off a double by Jackson into center field to cut USD’s lead in half to 8-4.
KU’s bats roared to life in the bottom of the seventh as Wynne got on base with a single up the middle. Anderson recorded her third home run of the weekend to tighten the gap on USD’s lead, 8-6.
With one out and no one on, junior Cheyenne Hornbuckle was sent in as a pinch hitter. The Bakersfield, California native delivered with a double hit down the right-field line and was able to advance around to third on an error. Sophomore Haleigh Harper stepped to the plate and tied things with a two-run homer to left field to tie the game, 8-all, and push it to extra innings.
In the top of the eighth, South Dakota scored a run to reclaim a 9-8 lead off an error.
KU didn’t stay down long as Jackson led-off the bottom half with a bunt single. Hirsch attempted a sac bunt to advance Jackson and ended up reaching on a throwing error. As the ball went past first, Jackson used it as an opportunity to advance to third and then head home on another bad throw. Jackson slid into home to score and tie things again as Hirsch advanced around to third.
Wynne stepped to the plate in the bottom of the eighth inning with one on and no one out. She took a 1-0 count and drove the next pitch out of center field to clinch to comeback victory for the Jayhawks.
Stats of the Game
Jackson and Wynne both finished the day going 5-for-5 to tie the KU record for most hits in a single game. The last time Jayhawk to accomplish this was Maddie Stein in 2015.
Jackson also scored three runs, stole two bases and recorded a RBI. Wynne finished with four RBIs and one run scored.
Quoting Jennifer McFalls
“I never felt that we were totally out of that game. I always felt that our bats were going to come alive. It wasn’t a perfect day, and we made some errors defensively, but the players stayed the course. They trusted what they were capable of doing, which is scoring a lot of runs. It was a total team effort today. Everyone we called on were ready to go when needed. They never doubted themselves and it shows with the final result.”
Up Next
Kansas will return home to Arrocha Ballpark to host Arkansas on Wednesday, March 24, the first of four home games next week. The Jayhawks will also take on Oklahoma State for a three-game series March 25-28.
