Jayhawks prepare for final 2019 away tournaments

LAWRENCE, Kan. – Kansas softball heads to its final away tournaments of the regular season, splitting time between the NC State Invitational and Duke Invitational. The Jayhawks open up play against NC State at 1 p.m. (CT) and conclude the first day of competition against Campbell on March 1 at 2:30 p.m. (CT). The matchup against NC State will be broadcast on ACC Network Extra. 

After completing the first day in Raleigh, North Carolina, KU travels to Durham, North Carolina to battle with Mississippi State at 10 a.m. (CT) and finish its first day of the Duke Invitational against Tournament host Duke at 4 p.m. (CT). The game between the Jayhawks and Blue Devils will be available on the ACC Network Extra. 

Kansas concludes the Duke Invitational against Charleston Southern at 8:30 a.m. (CT). 
 
QUICK HITS
• Kansas started the 2019 season at the Kajikawa Classic in Tempe, Arizona, finishing with a 0-5 record, and secured its first two wins of the season at the Diamond 9 Citrus Blossom Invitational.
• Against UMASS Feb. 15, the Jayhawks defeated the Minutewoman 4-2 for their first of the season and first win of head coach Jennifer McFalls’ career.
• The Jayhawks finished the altered Tennessee Classic schedule, 1-2, earning a 5-2 victory over Virginia. KU dropped games to No. 7 Tennessee (9-0) and Louisville (5-3).
• Kansas holds a 7-3 overall record against four of the five teams – Campbell, NC State, Mississippi State and Charleston Southern – that it is slated to play in the NC State Invitational and Duke Invitational. Kansas and Duke have never played each other.
Madison Sykes and Becki Monaghan are the only two Jayhawks to start every game in 2019, and Monaghan is the only player to start every game in the same position (first base).
 
WHERE THEY RANK
Kansas holds the sixth highest batting average (.251) in the Big 12 and 187th nationally.
• The Jayhawks rank first in the Big 12 and 58th in the NCAA in double plays per game (0.46).
KU is 131st in the NCAA in home runs per game (0.60) and fifth in the Big 12.
Brynn Minor is ranked 31st in the NCAA for her one save on the season.
Lexy Mills is ranked seventh in the Big 12 and 64th in the NCAA in strikeouts per game (8.2).
 
vs. Campbell
• Kansas enters the NC State Invitational with a 2-0 series edge over Campbell, including an 11-0 victory against the Camels in Raleigh, North Carolina on Feb. 11, 2000. In their last meeting, KU beat Campbell 2-1 in Gainesville, Florida on Feb. 20, 2010.
• Campbell enters the tournament 4-10 and earned victories over Oakland (2x) and La Salle at the Campbell Invitational.
 
at NC STate
• NC State holds a 3-2 edge over Kansas in the overall series and currently own a three-game winning streak over the Jayhawks. In their last meeting, NC State beat KU, 3-1, in Jacksonville, Florida on Feb. 12, 2016. Kansas and NC State have previously played one time in Raleigh, North Carolina with the Wolfpack walking away with the 5-2 victory on March 2, 2013.
• NC State enters the NC State Invitational 7-6 and recently finished the Fairfield Inn & Suites Crabtree Invitational 3-0. The Wolfpack hosted a midweek clash with Charlotte, defeating the 49ers 12-2 for their fourth-consecutive victory.
 
vs. Mississippi State
• Kansas holds a 2-0 advantage over Mississippi State, including two neutral site victories. In their last meeting, Kansas beat the Bulldogs 4-3 in Tallahassee, Florida on March 3, 2002.
• Mississippi State enters the Duke Invitational with a 12-4 record and played in The Snowman (Alex Wilcox Memorial). The Bulldogs finished 4-1 with victories over Georgia Tech (2x) Southeastern Louisiana and Alcorn State. The lone loss came to Georgia Tech.
• The Bulldogs also completed a midweek contest at Memphis, defeating the Tigers 10-7.
 
vs. Duke
• Duke and Kansas will meet for the first time in 2019. The Blue Devils started their inaugural season of play in 2018, finishing with a 29-27 record.
• The Blue Devils recently completed the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic and are played USC Upstate on Wednesday, Feb. 27. At the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic, Duke finished 1-4 and earned the 4-3 victory over Utah. Kansas played Utah early this season at the Kajikawa Classic and fell to the Utes, 6-4.
• In their midweek meeting with USC Upstate, the Blue Devils fell to their one-loss opponents, 3-1.
 
vs. Charleston Southern
• Kansas leads the one-game series with the Buccaneers, defeating Charleston Southern 6-3 in Charleston, South Carolina on March 2, 2012.
• Charleston Southern enters the Duke Invitational with a 5-12 record, including a 5-2 win over UNC Wilmington on Sunday, Feb. 24. The victory snapped an eight-game losing streak.
 
UP NEXT
• After four weekends on the road, Kansas finally returns to the Arrocha Ballpark at Rock Chalk Park. KU hosts the Jayhawk Invitational on March 8-10 and is slated to play SEMO, Maine and UMKC.

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