LAWRENCE, Kan. – The Kansas softball team is set to travel to Norman, Oklahoma, for the Oklahoma Tournament, running from February 28 through March 1. The Jayhawks will face Marshall and No. 1 Oklahoma twice, along with a matchup against East Texas A&M.
Kansas enters the tournament with momentum, coming off a perfect 3-0 performance at the San Marcos Classic. The Jayhawks defeated Southern Illinois twice and Texas State once, extending their win streak to five games heading into Norman.
"I'm excited to keep building on the momentum we've gained. We know we'll be facing tough competition, and that's exactly what we need to prepare for conference play next weekend," said head coach Jennifer McFalls. "Our focus remains on continuous improvement, taking it one day at a time to get better and stronger as a team."
Kansas opened the weekend with a dominant 4-1 victory over Southern Illinois, led by freshman pitcher Kaelee Washington. Washington threw a complete game, allowing just one run on one hit while striking out seven. In the second game, junior Aynslee Linduff powered the offense with multiple hits and runs as the Jayhawks secured a 4-2 win over Texas State. Kansas capped off the tournament with a dramatic 2-1 extra-inning win over Southern Illinois, with freshman Bailey Weber scoring the game-winning run.
At the plate, Linduff and freshman Ava Wallace lead the team with standout batting averages. Linduff is hitting .474, while Wallace follows closely at .400.
In the circle, Washington and junior Lizzy Ludwig have been key contributors, each logging over 19 innings pitched this season. Washington boasts a stellar 1.78 ERA, while Ludwig holds a strong 2.01 ERA.
Kansas will open the tournament with games against Marshall (5-7) and undefeated Oklahoma (14-0) on Friday, followed by matchups against East Texas A&M (3-12) and Oklahoma again on Saturday. The Jayhawks will wrap up the weekend with a second game against Marshall on Sunday.
HOW TO FOLLOW
Fans can stay up to date by following the team's official X (Twitter) account or tracking live stats.