🥎 Kansas Splits Doubleheader in Ames

AMES, Iowa – Kansas Softball split its last regular season doubleheader as the Jayhawks closed out the series against Iowa State. They won game one 3-2 but fell in game two of the day 5-3 on Saturday afternoon at Cyclone Sports Complex. 

Kansas will close out the regular season with a 16-33 overall record and a 3-15 mark in the Big 12. Iowa State moves to 27-26 overall and 6-12 in the conference. 

Game One – Kansas: 3, Iowa State: 2

Freshman Katie Brooks got the start in the circle for Kansas in the first game of the day. She held the Cyclones to just three hits through seven innings and also threw her career high six strikeouts. 

The Jayhawks had hits in both the second and fourth innings, but were not able to put anything on the board until the top of the fifth. Haleigh Harper started the inning and got on base after she was hit by a pitch. Cheyenne Hornbuckle followed up with a single up the middle. 

Sara Roszak then came in to pinch hit for the Jayhawks and hit a three-run home run to right field, which put Kansas up 3-0. The home run was the fourth of hers this year. 

The Cyclones did not have an answer until the bottom of the sixth when they added one after a hit by pitch with the bases loaded. They added one more in the bottom of the seventh, but the Jayhawks shut them down and held the 3-2 lead for the victory. 

The Jayhawks had six hits in the game, all of which came from different players. Roszak led with a home run and three RBI. Olivia Bruno and Harper both had doubles to their credit. 

Brooks threw all seven innings for the Jayhawks, her second complete game of the year. 

Game Two – Iowa State: 5, Kansas: 3

In game two, the Jayhawks gave up two runs early in the bottom of the first, which gave the Cyclones a 2-0 lead early. There was no score change after the second.

In the top of the third, Kansas had an answer and took the lead. Macy Omli led off with a walk and Shayna Espy reached on a fielder’s choice after she placed down a successful bunt. A throwing error by Iowa State’s catcher allowed Espy to advance to second and Omli to come all the way home. 

Bruno then stepped up to the plate and hit a two run homer and brought Espy home with her to take the lead 3-2. 

Iowa State was able to add two in the bottom of the third and take the lead back at 4-3. 

There was no score change in the game until the bottom of the sixth when the Cyclones added one more to their lead at 5-3. 

Kansas was shut down 1-2-3 in the top of the seventh and the game ended with a 5-3 final score in favor of Iowa State. 

The Jayhawks were held to just three hits; A home run by Bruno with two RBI and singles by both Shelby Gayre and Espy. 

Up Next

Kansas will head to Oklahoma City to compete in the Big 12 Championship. The tournament is single-elimination and starts on Thursday, May 12 and goes through Saturday, May 14.