🥎 Jayhawks Rally but Fall to No. 10 Oklahoma State
LAWRENCE, Kan. – Kansas softball (17-10, 1-1) scored two runs in the bottom of the seventh but weren’t able to catch No. 10 Oklahoma State (25-5, 1-1) to drop Saturday’s game, 4-2, at Arrocha Ballpark.
It was a pitcher’s duel for a majority of the game with KU’s Kasey Hamilton and OSU’s Kelly Maxwell trading outs back-and-forth. Both pitchers and defenses battled through five innings without a run being scored by either side.
The Jayhawk defense held strong behind Hamilton’s pitching performance. Through the first five innings, KU forced Oklahoma State to leave seven batters stranded including two in both the second and third innings. In total, OSU was forced to leave nine runners on base in game two.
The Cowgirls struck first in the top of the sixth scoring one run before adding an additional three in the top of the seventh.
The Jayhawks stepped up to the challenge in the bottom of the seventh inning looking to rally. Redshirt junior Sydnee Ramsey led-off with a single up the middle. She was replaced with Peyton Renzi as a pinch runner. With one out and one on, junior Morgyn Wynne sent a bomb out of right center to cut OSU’s lead in half.
Ashlyn Anderson and Madison Hirsch drew back-to-back walks with two outs and the Cowgirls looked to change pitchers. Despite battling to a full count, Tarin Travieso popped up to end the game and give OSU the 4-2 win.
Hamilton pitched her second complete game as a Jayhawk while picking up six strikeouts, including striking out three in the top of the second. She falls to 3-5 on the year.
Stat of the Game
Wynne hit a two-run home run out of right center in the bottom of the seventh to cut OSU’s lead in half. This was Wynne’s 13th home run of the season to tie her for sixth on KU’s single season list.
Quoting Jennifer McFalls
“I’m proud of us for never letting anything snowball. It wasn’t a perfectly played defensive game by us but the fact that we kept fighting and getting out and that Kasey (Hamilton) continued to trust her defense to stay with her was huge down the line. We were never in a position that we weren’t able to fight back and that’s because Kasey threw a great game. It’s a battle. That’s what conference is about. There is a reason they are a top-10 team but I’m proud of our team’s fight and comeback.
The players had a great talk amongst themselves heading into that seventh inning. We knew we needed to have quality at bats and put the ball in play. We got that at the end of the game. We did the right things that needed to be done down the stretch. Unfortunately, we ran out of outs today. Moving forward, we have to stay positive and confident. We know that it’s going to be a battle because that’s what Sunday games are about in conference play. Both teams have exposed what they have so we have to remember to focus on Kansas softball. Start strong, finish strong.”
Up Next
Kansas and Oklahoma State will meet tomorrow, March 28, for the rubber match at Arrocha Ballpark. First pitch is scheduled for 12 p.m. (CT) on Big 12 Now on ESPN+.
