Completed Event: Softball at #24/#22 UCF on April 17, 2026 , Loss , 3, to, 6 , (8 Inn.)
Final
Softball
3
at #24/#22 UCF
(8 Inn.)
6
Sunday, February 16
Long Beach. Calif.
4 p.m. CT
University of Kansas
3-5
8
vs
1
Southern Utah
2-7
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | Runs R | Hits H | Errors E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Southern Utah | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 1 |
| Kansas | 4 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | X | 8 | 10 | 1 |
Jayhawks Dominate Southern Utah, Rally Late to Take Down Long Beach State in Doubleheader Sweep
2/17/2025 12:34:00 AM | Softball
Long Beach, Calif – The Kansas Jayhawks put on a display of offensive firepower and late-game resilience at the LBSU Softball Complex, securing two wins in their Sunday doubleheader. Kansas started the day with an 8-1 win over Southern Utah, jumping out to an early lead and never looking back. In game two, the Jayhawks found themselves in a battle against Long Beach State but responded with clutch home runs and lockdown relief pitching to secure a thrilling 3-2 victory and complete the sweep.Â
"Timely hits were critical for us this weekend," head coach Jennifer McFalls said. "We answered back every time we had an opportunity. Lizzy (Ludwig) had a heck of a weekend in the circle, giving us a lot of innings, getting ground ball outs, and keeping us in games. I was really proud of our fight, our competitive factor, and how our team came together with great chemistry and attitude."
Game One
In the first game of the Jayhawks' two-game tournament day, Kansas started strong, opening on defense for the first time over the weekend. Kennedy Diggs got the start in the circle, and she, along with her defense, quickly handled Southern Utah before the Jayhawks got their turn at the plate.
On offense, Kansas wasted no time making an impact, staying hot at the plate. The Jayhawks put up four runs while batting through their entire lineup. Hailey Cripe and Ava Wallace each drove in an RBI, while Bailey Amezcua followed with a two-run RBI. Kansas jumped ahead 4-0 before heading into the second inning of play.
In the top of the second, SUU managed to put a run on the board, but the Jayhawks remained unfazed. Kansas responded in the bottom of the third with another offensive surge, adding four more runs to their total.
A single to the left side by Presley Limbaugh sparked the momentum, bringing in two runs. Shortly after, Aynslee Linduff followed with another clutch hit, driving in two more runs. With that explosive inning, the Jayhawks took a commanding 8-1 lead over the Thunderbirds.
Kansas maintained its 8-1 lead over three consecutive innings, keeping Southern Utah off the board. The Jayhawks remained in control heading into the seventh, retiring three straight batters with a groundout to short followed by back-to-back plays handled by third baseman Karsen Griggs to cap off the 8-1 win.
Pitchers of RecordÂ
Win: Kennedy Diggs
Line: 5 IP, 6 H, 1 R, 2 BB, 4 SO
Loss: Keimon WinstonÂ
Line: 2.2 IP, 8 H, 8 R, 2 BB
Game TwoÂ
The Kansas Jayhawks battled through early adversity to earn a hard-fought 3-2 win over Long Beach State in their second game of the day. Despite trailing early, Kansas showcased resilience, clutch hitting, and dominant pitching to come away with the victory.
Kansas wasted no time putting pressure on Long Beach State, as junior Aynslee Linduff ripped a double in the first inning. However, the Jayhawks were unable to capitalize, leaving an early opportunity on base. Freshman Kalee Washington got the start in the circle and limited the damage in the first, surrendering just one run to keep the Jayhawks within striking distance.
After a quiet stretch offensively, Kansas found its spark in the fourth inning, junior Hailey Cripe came up clutch, launching a two-run home run to tie the game at 2-2. The momentum continued as freshman Bailey Amezcua delivered a solo shot of her own, sending one over the fence to give Kansas its first lead of the game at 3-2.
From there, junior Lizzy Ludwig took over in the circle and was dominant in relief. She entered in the fourth inning and immediately shut down Long Beach State's offense, retiring all three batters she faced. Ludwig continued to command the game, holding the opposition scoreless and recording two crucial strikeouts in the sixth to preserve the Kansas lead.
Long Beach State made things interesting in the bottom of the seventh, loading the bases with no outs. However, the Jayhawks' defense came up big under pressure. Kansas turned a clutch double play before forcing a game-ending groundout, sealing the 3-2 win in dramatic fashion.
Pitchers of Record
Win: Lizzy LudwigÂ
Line: 4.0 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 3 SO
Loss: Shannon Haddad
Line: 4.0 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 1 BB, 3 SO
Â
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Diggs, Kennedy (1-1)
L: Keimon Winston (1-2)
Batting:
RBI: Tawnie Mozeris 1
SH: Taralyn Ollison 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Kassidy Munoz 1
CS: M. Salvatierra 1
Batting:
RBI: Limbaugh, Presley 2 ; Linduff, Aynslee 2 ; Cripe, Hailey 1 ; Wallace, Ava 1 ; Amezcua, Bailey 2
Base Running:
RUNS: Griggs, Karsen 1 ; Linduff, Aynslee 1 ; Bagshaw, Campbell 1 ; Cripe, Hailey 1 ; Wallace, Ava 1 ; Tatum, Emma 1 ; Amezcua, Bailey 1 ; Stafford, Kadence 1
HBP: Cripe, Hailey 1
Game Leaders
AB
3
R
1
H
2
RBI
2
AB
2
R
1
H
2
RBI
2
AB
3
R
0
H
1
RBI
2
AB
1
R
1
H
1
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
C
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball
RHP/UTL
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
RHP/UTL
/ Softball
OF
/ SoftballSoftball Highlights vs. Wichita State
Tuesday, April 28
Softball Highlights vs. Iowa State
Saturday, April 25
Softball Media Availability
Wednesday, April 22
Softball Highlights vs. #22 UCF
Sunday, April 19