OKLAHOMA CITY – After upsetting No. 8 Oklahoma State in comeback fashion earlier in the day, Kansas fell to No. 10 Texas 9-1 in five innings in the Big 12 Championship semifinals at USA Hall of Fame Softball Complex Friday.
Kansas concludes its season at 25-27, while Texas (42-12-1) will face No. 1 Oklahoma in the Big 12 Championship title Saturday. KU’s win against Oklahoma State earlier in the day was its first win in the Big 12 Championship since 2007.Â
Kansas sophomore right hander Katie Brooks (5-6) got the start in the circle, allowing five hits and four runs in just 1.2 innings of action. Junior left hander Kasey Hamilton relieved Brooks in the bottom of the second.
Texas was playing small ball out of the gate. After the first at-bat of the contest drew a walk, Texas was able to get two bunts down to put runners on second and third. A Texas double was enough to give UT a 2-0 lead after the first.
The Longhorns would add two more runs in the second. After two singles, KU junior catcher Lyric Moore was able to get the leadoff runner out by picking her off, leaving one runner on. During the same at-bat, UT hit a two-run home run to left, extending its lead to 4-0 heading to the third.
The Texas offense added three more runs in the third. A double and a walk set up the first scoring opportunity. The second double of the frame pushed Texas’ fifth and sixth runs of the game across and a sacrifice fly was enough to get the runner from third home, extending the Longhorns’ lead to 7-0 after three innings.
KU would get a run across in the top of the fourth. Freshman second baseman Hailey Cripe drew a walk and senior Ashlyn Anderson singled to second to open the frame. Junior first baseman Savanna DesRochers came to the dish with runners on first and second and singled to left. Cripe raced home from second and got Kansas’ first run across, which cut the lead down to 7-1.
Trailing by seven in the bottom of the fifth, KU allowed UT to load the bases. A single pushed the run across, ending the game by run-rule.Â
Six different Jayhawks produced a hit in the matchup: Ashlyn Anderson, Olivia Bruno, Savanna DesRochers, Presley Limbaugh, Lyric Moore and Peyton Renzi.
PITCHERS OF RECORD
Win: Mac Morgan (16-3)
Final line: 3.0 IP, 6 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 1 SO
Loss: Katie Brooks (5-6)
Final line: 1.2 IP, 5 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 1 BB, 1 SO
NOTES
- In the Big 12 quarterfinals, Kansas’ victory over No. 8 Oklahoma State was its first Big 12 Championship victory since May 11, 2007 (vs. Iowa State).
- Olivia Bruno extended her hitting streak to five games.
