CLEARWATER, Fla. – The Kansas softball team finished its fifth game of the season with a 2-2 tie against Western Kentcuky in 6.5 innings due to WKU’s travel curfew.
Kansas moved to 2-2-1 on the season, as Western Kentucky posted a record of 3-1-1. Pitcher Katie Brooks was named to the NFCA Leadoff Classic All-Tournament team after posting a 0.82 ERA and 11 strikeouts. In 11.0 innings pitched, Brooks allowed just one run on seven hits as she earned a 2-0 record to start the season.
“Some days everyone is tired, but you have to show up with a championship mindset,” said Head Coach Jennifer McFalls after the game. “The grittier teams are the teams that find ways to win. I thought we competed really well and jumped on them early. We left too many runners on and had opportunities to get the go-ahead runs. I’m really proud of Olivia Bruno today. She came into the circle and gave us some quality innings. We’re just going to have to continue to depend on our pitching staff to get us through some of these long weekends early in the season.”
Kansas got to scoring early, adding two runs in the top of the first. In the first at-bat of the game, Presley Limbaugh smoked the ball to the right field fence and raced to third for a triple. Aynslee Linduff picked up where she left off and earned her second RBI of the season with a single out to left.
Lyric Moore followed suit with a single of her own to put runners on first and second, before Hailey Cripe responded with a single of her own to load the bases. Olivia Bruno then drew a walk, which prompted Kansas to get their second and last run of the contest.
The Hilltoppers tied the game at two in the bottom of the third. WKU opened the frame with three-straight singles, which led to their first run of the day. WKU hit its fourth single in a row, which knotted the game at two apiece and was the last run scored of the game.
After serving as the designated player throughout the first four games, Addison Purvis got the start in the circle. Purvis threw two complete innings before giving up the game-tying runs. Bruno took over, before she recorded four strikeouts in four innings as she did not allow WKU to break the tie.
The game ended after the sixth as Western Kentucky had a travel curfew that it had to make, ending the game in a 2-2 tie at 2:30 p.m. CT.
UP NEXT
Kanas travels to USF Softball Stadium in Tampa, Florida, to take on the USF Bulls Monday, February 12, at 5 p.m. Fans can catch the action live on ESPN+.
