🥎 Jayhawks Close Fall Ball Season Unbeaten

LAWRENCE, Kan. – Kansas softball played its final fall ball game of 2023 Friday night, defeating Butler Community College to finish undefeated this fall.

Kansas was all offense out of the gate, as the team was able to get 19 runs across for the night. KU only held Butler to a few runs, resulting in a dominant win for the Jayhawks.

“I think we made improvements along the way,” said Head Coach Jennifer McFalls. “We’ve had our focus offensively, which we have really tried to key in on. I thought that was the outcome from tonight, which was exciting. I told them tonight that we have a lot of potential on this team. We have power, speed, defense and a good pitching staff. We’re going to have to stay locked in and come out in the spring and put it together for seven innings at a time.”

The Jayhawks got on the board first in the bottom of the first without logging a hit. Presley Limbaugh opened the game with a walk, which was followed by a sacrifice bunt from Hailey Cripe and a sacrifice fly from Olivia Bruno, putting Kansas up 1-0.

After a short second inning, Kansas got all five runs available across home plate in the third thanks to three home runs. Bruno led the way with a solo shot, immediately followed by another solo home run by Addison Purvis.  After Ashlyn Anderson hit a RBI-double, Sara Roszak launched a two-run home run to left.

KU scored one run in both the fourth and the fifth. Aynslee Linduff drew a walk which led Savanna DesRochers to hit a RBI-triple to right. In the fifth, Kadence Stafford singled to short and stole second, putting herself in scoring position. Sophia Buzard did her job, hitting a slow roller to second which was enough to score Kadence from third.

Kansas exploded late in the game, scoring five runs in the eighth and six in the ninth off of five hits and three walks. Anna Soles, Anderson, Angela Price, September Flanagan and Abby Carsley all recorded a hit in the two-inning stretch.

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Kansas softball will compete in the NFCA Leadoff Classic to open its spring season from Feb. 9-11, as KU is slated to face off against Oregon, St. John’s, Indiana, Central Arkansas and Western Kentucky.