🥎 Kansas Splits Doubleheader Sunday Against South Dakota State

LAWRENCE, Kan. – The Kansas softball team split two games in a doubleheader against South Dakota State on Sunday at Arrocha Ballpark.

The Jayhawks moved to 13-11 on the season, while South Dakota State went to 14-10.

GAME ONE: South Dakota State 2, Kansas 1

The Jayhawks got another quality start from junior Kasey Hamilton. She threw six innings, while allowing two runs, both unearned, on four hits to go along with four walks and four strikeouts. Hamilton fell to 4-4 on the year.

Both teams were held scoreless until the fourth. The Jackrabbits would open the scoring, with two runs via two walks, one hit and one throwing error. Kansas would keep South Dakota State scoreless for the rest of the game.

The Jayhawks would get one run on the board in the sixth. Freshman Presley Limbaugh drew a walk to open the inning, followed by junior Lyric Moore getting on base from a fielder’s choice. Sophomore Olivia Bruno was walked in the next at-bat before freshman Aynslee Linduff hit a single to right, scoring Moore from second and cutting the Jackrabbits’ lead to 2-1.

Linduff finished the first game with a hit and an RBI. Senior Ashlyn Anderson and junior Savanna DesRochers also recorded a hit in the contest.

GAME TWO: Kansas 5, South Dakota State 3

The Jayhawks would strike first in the second inning, after freshman Emma Tatum hit a single down the right field line to score Bruno from third base. Kansas held a 1-0 lead through the first two innings.

Kansas would add three more runs in the third. DesRochers got the bats going in the bottom half of the inning, hitting a single through the left side, followed by another single from Bruno to the same spot. With runners on first and second, Anderson would hit a single to right. She was able to advance to third after a fielding error by the right fielder, which also scored DeRochers from second and Bruno from first. Linduff would add more, hitting a line drive single through the right side to give the Jayhawks a 4-0 lead.

South Dakota State would respond in the fifth, scoring one run off of one walk, one dropped third strike and one error. The Jayhawks still held a 4-1 lead.

Moore added an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth, hitting a double down the left field line and scoring senior Peyton Renzi.

The Jackrabbits would try to mount a rally in the top of the seventh, scoring two runs on three hits and one error. They would leave the tying runs on base.

Junior Addison Purvis got the start in the circle, throwing four innings and allowing three hits, three walks and no runs. She also struck out three batters. She improves to 5-2.

Freshman Lizzy Ludwig came in for relief in the fifth, allowing five hits, one walk and three runs.

Six different Jayhawks all notched a hit. Anderson, Linduff, Moore and Tatum all collected an RBI.

UP NEXT

The Kansas Jayhawks will play host for the second-straight weekend, welcoming Fairfield, Nebraska, Tulsa and UMKC to Arrocha Ballpark. The Jayhawks will play a doubleheader Thursday (March 16) against Fairfield, followed by matchups against Tulsa (March 17), Nebraska (March 18) and UMKC (March 19).