LAWRENCE, Kan. – The Kansas Jayhawks (27-17-1, 11-10 Big 12) hosts its fourth-straight game at Arrocha Ballpark as it faces off against local foe Kansas City (16-26, 4-8 The Summit) on Wednesday, April 24, with first pitch set for 5 p.m. CT.
Kansas got off to a hot start last week at it traveled to Springfield, Missouri, where the Jayhawks defeated Missouri State 9-0 in six innings for KU’s 10th shutout victory and seventh run-rule victory of the season. Kansas then fell to No. 1 Texas in three games.
The Jayhawks currently have the 37th ranked strength of schedule. This season, Kansas has faced off against six ranked opponents in 12 games with its seventh matchup against a ranked opponent coming this weekend against No. 4 Oklahoma State. Kansas has earned four ranked wins this season as it has defeated No. 18 Texas A&M and No. 19 Baylor.
Sophomores Presley Limbaugh, Campbell Bagshaw and Hailey Cripe hold three of the top-four batting averages on the team. Limbaugh leads the team with an average of .375, which sits just outside the top-10 on the all-time single season list. Cripe leads the squad with 10 doubles, 40 hits and 34 RBI, including her first career multi-home run game at Houston on March 22. She has hit two grand slams this season, most recently at Iowa State, and with her most recent home run against No. 1 Texas, Cripe tied Lyric Moore for the most home runs on the team with six. Defensively, Cripe holds down the left side of the infield as the shortstop as she leads the team with 93 defensive assists. Bagshaw has come into her own this season after only seeing a few innings last season. She has solidified herself in the starting lineup and has amassed a batting average of .317. She hit her first home run, a grand slam, against Wichita State on March 12 and hit her second career home run in the very next game against Baylor. She scored Kansas’ lone run against Oklahoma on March 28 with a solo blast to right center to put her total at three home runs.
Lyric Moore has also had a stellar season, as she has already topped her home run total from a year ago with six and ranks tied for first in the Big 12 with 10 runners caught stealing. She has led the way in conference play this season, as she has amassed a .333 batting average in 57 at-bats, along with three home runs and nine RBI.
This season, Kansas has been led by its stellar pitching, specifically left-handed pitcher Kasey Hamilton and right-hander Katie Brooks. Hamilton has earned six shutouts and has thrown 17 complete games, the ninth-most in the NCAA and most in the Big 12, in 22 starts this season. Hamilton leads the team with 84 strikeouts in 141.2 innings pitched, the most in the Big 12. Her six shutouts lead the Big 12 and rank 12th in the nation. This season, she has allowed 66 earned runs and an opponent batting average of .234.
In her junior season, Brooks has earned a 12-4 record in 99.0 innings pitched. One of her best performances came against UTSA on Feb. 23, when she struck out 10 batters in just five innings of action. She has the best ERA (2.76) among qualified pitchers and has struck out 64 batters while allowing just four home runs this season, fourth-least in the Big 12. After picking up three wins against Wichita State and Baylor, Brooks was selected as the D1Softball National Pitcher of the Week (3/19).
Kansas and Kansas City have met 46 times as KU holds a comfortable 42-4 all-time advantage. Last season, the Jayhawks defeated the Roos in both matchups with a combined score of 14-0. In the first matchup, KU defeated KC 8-0 in five innings at Arrocha Ballpark, before defeating the Roos 6-0 in Kansas City. KU last lost to KC on April 9, 2021, when KU fell 8-6.
HOW TO FOLLOW ALONG
Fans can catch every pitch via Big 12 Now on ESPN+, or follow along play-by-play action with live statistics. Fans are also encouraged to follow the official Kansas Softball X Account for live updates throughout the contest.
UP NEXT
Kansas will head south to Stillwater, Oklahoma, to take on No. 4 Oklahoma State in a three-game series from April 26-28. This is the second-straight, top-five three-game series against a Big 12 opponent for the Jayhawks as all three games will be streamed via Big 12 Now on ESPN+.
