Kansas Remains Unbeaten on Opening Day of the San Marcos Classic

Sunday, February 23

San Marcos, Texas

11 a.m. CT

University of Kansas

5-5

Southern Illinois University

1-9

SIU

Kansas

Kansas Remains Unbeaten on Opening Day of the San Marcos Classic

2/23/2025 7:18:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2 Season Stats

San Marcos, Texas – The Kansas Jayhawks opened the San Marcos Classic with a dominant performance, securing back-to-back wins over Southern Illinois and Texas State. Kansas racked up 17 hits and eight runs across both games while committing just one error in 14 innings. Pitchers Kaelee Washington and Lizzy Ludwig combined to allow only three runs and issued just two walks, leading the Jayhawks to a strong start in tournament play. Kansas improved to 6-5 on the season.

"Our pitchers threw extremely well today. Kaelee Washington continues to grow in confidence with every outing, and Lizzy Ludwig was rock solid against a tough Texas State lineup," said Head Coach Jennifer McFalls. "Our defense has been strong, making key plays to keep us in games, and offensively, we set the tone early by scoring in the first inning of both games and maintaining the lead. While we left a few too many runners on base, our execution in key moments made the difference. Overall, it was a great team effort."

Game One

Freshman Kaelee Washington set the tone early in the circle, striking out back-to-back Southern Illinois batters to open the game. The Jayhawks carried that momentum to the plate, wasting no time putting pressure on the Salukis' defense. Aynslee Linduff delivered a two-run double to put Kansas on the board, and Olivia Bruno followed with a sharp RBI single to extend the lead, giving Kansas an early 3-0 advantage.

In the second inning, Southern Illinois responded with a run, but the damage was minimal as Kansas quickly answered back. Presley Limbaugh drove in a run with a sacrifice fly to left field, allowing Emma Tatum to score and restore the Jayhawks' two-run lead at 3-1.

In a bases-loaded situation in the bottom of the third, Kansas capitalized on a sacrifice bunt from Tatum, bringing Campbell Bagshaw home. The run extended the Jayhawks' lead to 4-1 over Southern Illinois, maintaining their offensive momentum.

The Jayhawks held the Salukis scoreless for five consecutive innings, allowing just one run in the game. Kansas played strong, nearly flawless defense across all seven innings, committing just one error.

Kansas secured the 4-1 win, with Washington earning her second victory of the season in the circle.

Pitchers of Record

Win: Kaelee Washington

Line: 7 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 BB, 7 SO

Loss: Kiana McDowell

Line: 2 IP, 6 H, 4 R, 1 BB, 0 SO

Game Two

Kansas struck first, getting the bats going early. Presley Limbaugh led off with a well-placed slap hit, followed by Aynslee Linduff reaching on a hit-by-pitch. A perfectly executed bunt set the table for the Jayhawks to capitalize. Senior Olivia Bruno then delivered a sacrifice fly to deep left-center, bringing in another run and giving Kansas an early 2-0 lead heading into the bottom half of the inning.

Lizzy Ludwig started for the Jayhawks and quickly recorded her first strikeout of the game. The defense followed suit, setting the tone with a 1-2-3 inning to get Kansas back to the plate in no time.

Both teams moved quickly through the second inning with efficient at-bats and solid defense. Kansas returned to the plate in the top of the third, where smart base running allowed Linduff to score on a passed ball, extending the Jayhawks' lead to 3-0.

Texas State got on the board in the bottom of the fourth, cutting into Kansas' lead. However, the Jayhawks' defense held strong, executing back-to-back outs—first by nabbing the lead runner, followed by an infield pop-up secured by Sara Roszak to end the inning and maintain the advantage.

In the fifth, Kansas continued to apply pressure on Texas State, consistently putting runners in scoring position. Hailey Cripe stepped up and delivered a hard-hit ball to left field, driving in a run and extending the Jayhawks' lead to 4-1. The Bobcats added another run, cutting Kansas' lead to two. With no outs and a runner on third, the Jayhawks needed a strong defensive stand. The infield stepped up, keeping the ball under control and securing three key outs to escape the inning without allowing another run.

The sixth inning passed quickly, with neither team adding to the scoreboard. Kansas looked to extend its lead in its final at-bat but couldn't bring any runners home. With the Bobcats' top of the order due up, the game rested on the Jayhawks' defense. Shortstop Hailey Cripe played a key role in securing the final three outs, sealing Kansas' 4-2 victory over Texas State.

Pitchers of Record

Win: Lizzy Ludwig

Line: 7 IP, 9 H, 2 R, 1 BB, 2 SO

Loss: Madison Azua

Line: 3.1 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 0 BB, 3 SO

Up Next:
Kansas will wrap up tournament play tomorrow with another matchup against Southern Illinois. First pitch is set for 9:30 a.m. CT.