Kansas set to host Jayhawk Invitational
LAWRENCE, Kan. – After four-consecutive weekends on the road, Kansas softball welcomes Maine, SEMO and UMKC to Lawrence for the Jayhawk Invitational March 8-10 at Arrocha Ballpark at Rock Chalk Park.
The Jayhawks are slated to open play and their 2019 home opener against SEMO at 3 p.m., and follow the contest with the first-ever meeting between KU and Maine at 5:30 p.m. Both Kansas games Friday will air on ESPN+.
Kansas starts day two against Maine at 3 p.m. and finishes the day against SEMO at 5:30 p.m.
In the tournament finale, Kansas is slated to play UMKC in its only matchup with the Kansas City school at 1 p.m., and the game will be broadcast on ESPN+
UPCOMING SCHEDULE
Kansas vs. SEMO | March 8 at 3 p.m. (CT)
ESPN+ // Jayhawk Radio Network // Tickets
Kansas vs. Maine | March 8 at 5:30 p.m. (CT)
ESPN+ // Jayhawk Radio Network // Tickets
Kansas vs. Maine | March 9 at 3 p.m. (CT)
Jayhawk Radio Network // Tickets
Kansas vs. Maine | March 9 at 5:30 p.m. (CT)
Jayhawk Radio Network // Tickets
Kansas vs. Maine | March 10 at 1 p.m. (CT)
ESPN+ // Jayhawk Radio Network // Tickets
TOURNAMENT CENTRAL
KUAthletics.com/JayhawkInvite
CLEAR BAG POLICY
To provide a safe environment for the public and significantly expedite fan entry into all of our athletics’ venues, Kansas Athletics implemented a clear-bag policy that limits the size and type of bags that may be brought into sporting events.
Kansas Athletics strongly encourages fans to not bring any type of bag to KU sporting events. To expedite entry there will be express lanes designated for fans without bags.
Read the full policy here.
QUICK HITS
• At the NC State Invitational and Duke Invitational, the Jayhawks earned their fourth win of the season in the weekend finale against Charleston Southern, beating the Buccaneers 6-0.
• The 6-0 shutout of Charleston Southern was the first shutout for Kansas since March 21, 2018 at Incarnate Word (5-0).
• Senior pitcher Brynn Minor recorded her first career shutout at Kansas, pitching a complete game two-hitter against CSU on March 3.
• The last time KU finished with a two-hitter or better was against SIUE on March 28, 2018 when KU held the Cougars to one hit over seven innings.
• Kansas holds a 38-2 overall record against the three teams at the Jayhawk Invitational – SEMO, Maine and UMKC. The Jayhawks have not any of the three teams in Lawrence, boasting a 23-0 record.
• 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 (.255) in the Big 12 and 183rd nationally.
• The Jayhawks rank second in the Big 12 and 88th in the NCAA in double plays per game (0.39).
• KU is 143rd in the NCAA in home runs per game (0.50) and sixth in the Big 12.
• Brynn Minor is ranked 49th in the NCAA for her one save on the season.
• Lexy Mills is ranked sixth in the Big 12 and 54th in the NCAA in strikeouts per game (8.5).
• Madison Sykes is ranked sixth in the Big 12 and 131st in hits (21).
SCHEDULE CHANGE
• Kansas was originally slated to play five games at the Tennessee Classic, but due to inclement weather the Jayhawks were only able to play three games.
• KU then played another altered schedule to due weather at the NC State Invitational and Duke Invitational. Originally scheduled to play Campbell on March 1, the Camels and Jayhawks met on March 3. KU was able to compete in all five games in Raleigh/Durham, North Carolina.
CONSISTANCY IS KEY
• Becki Monaghan played in her 100th career game at Kansas when the Jayhawks clashed with Missouri (2/19) at the Diamond 9 Citrus Blossom Invitational. Monaghan has the most active game starts in a Kansas uniform, tallying 103 through her three seasons at KU.
A Major Minor leader
• Since being inserted back into a hitting role for Kansas, Minor has a team-high .400 batting average (Min. 20 at bats). Minor has logged eight hits and has five RBI.
• Minor has also made 12 appearances (56.1 IP) with nine starts in the circle for Kansas, including four complete games against Missouri, Bethune-Cookman, Virginia and Charleston Southern.
BRITTANY JACKSON RETURNS
• After missing the first three tournaments of the season, Brittany Jackson – who started all 52 games at center field in 2018 – played in four games with three starts at the NC State and Duke Invitational. Jackson also led KU with 12 steals in 2018 and recorded her first steal of the season against Charleston Southern on March 3.
INJURY BUG
• Through the first month of the season, Kansas was hit by the injury bug. Jackson missed the first three tournaments with an injury, Sydnee Ramsey missed the D9 Citrus Blossom Invitational and Tarin Travieso recently has been able to pitch for the Jayhawks.
• Shelby Gayre, Kansas’s starting catcher this season, left the game against Campbell after a collision at home plate, which ended her season.
vs. SEMO
• Kansas holds a 4-0 record over SEMO and a 1-0 record in games that have been played in Lawrence, Kansas. In their last meeting between the two schools, Kansas earned the 4-1 victory over SEMO on March 19, 2017.
• The Redhawks enter the invitational with a 12-7 record and recently competed in the UCA Classic in Conway, Arkansas. SEMO finished the tournament 3-1 and notched wins over ULM, Central Arkansas and Coppin State. The Redhawks lone loss came at the hands of Missouri State in the tournament finale, 7-4.
vs. Maine
• Kansas and Maine have never played each other and are scheduled to meet for the first time on March 8 at 6:30 p.m. The Jayhawks and the Blackbears are slated to play two games against each other in the Jayhawk Invitational.
• Maine enters the contest with a 2-7 record and recently played Abilene Christian on March 2 in the Wildcat Invite in Abilene, Texas, dropping the contest 2-9. The Blackbears did secure a win in their four games in Texas, beating UMKC 5-4 on March 2.
vs. UMKC
• Kansas holds a commanding 34-2 record against UMKC, including a 22-0 record in Lawrence, Kansas. The Jayhawks have also rattled off 10-consecutive victories over the Roos.
• UMKC enters the tournament with a 13-5 record and recently completed the Wildcat Invite, finishing with a 2-1 record. The Roos lost to Maine 5-4 on Saturday, March 2 in Abilene, Texas.
UP NEXT
• After the Jayhawk Invitational, Kansas hosts its second and final tournament of 2019 – The Rock Chalk Challenge. Kansas hosts Tulsa and Nebraska March 15-17.
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