TAMPA, Fla. – The Kansas softball team fell to host South Florida 4-2 at USF Softball Stadium Thursday night in the opener of the Bulls Invitational.
The Jayhawks now hold a 10-6 record, while USF improved to 7-9.
The Bulls got going early, scoring two runs in the bottom of the first. With runners on first and second, USF singled through the right side, scoring a pair. They finished the inning with four hits.
Both teams would be held scoreless until the fourth. Senior third baseman Ashlyn Anderson led off the fourth for Kansas, hitting a solo home run to left, putting the Jayhawks on the board. However, USF responded in the bottom half, scoring two runs thanks to a sac-fly and a double, increasing its lead to 4-1.
In the fifth, catcher Lyric Moore hit a line drive that got away from the right fielder, and she was waved around third and scored an inside the park home run, making the score 4-2 in favor of USF.
Despite a stand up double off the wall from sophomore first baseman Olivia Bruno, the Jayhawks were unable to rally in the seventh.
Both Moore and Anderson finished with two hits apiece, each hitting their fourth home run of the season.
Junior starting pitcher Kasey Hamilton ended the night with four strikeouts, allowing nine hits and walking one batter. She fell to 3-2 on the year.
UP NEXT
The Jayhawks will play a doubleheader Saturday, as they face off against Army (10:30 a.m. CT) and USC-Upstate (1 p.m. CT) on day two of the Bulls Invitational.
