Kansas Falls to USF After Late Rally, 12–4

Saturday, February 7

Tampa, Fla.

1 p.m. CT

University of Kansas

2-1

USF

1-2

Kansas

South Florida

Kansas Falls to USF After Late Rally, 12–4

2/7/2026 4:21:00 PM | Softball

Box Score Box Score (PDF)Season Stats 2.7

TAMPA, Fla. – Kansas jumped out to an early lead, but South Florida used a late surge capped by a three-run home run in the sixth inning to defeat the Jayhawks 12-4 Saturday at the USF tournament.

Kansas struck first with a two-run home run from Anna Soles in the opening inning and carried a 4-1 lead into the late innings behind a strong start from Kaelee Washington, who worked 4.1 innings with five strikeouts. South Florida began to chip away in the fifth before breaking the game open with a nine-run sixth inning to secure the win.

How It Happened

Presley Limbaugh led off with a single and stole second before Soles blasted a two-run home run to right field to give Kansas an early 2-0 lead.
In the circle, Washington worked a scoreless bottom of the first, highlighted by a strikeout and a caught stealing to erase a leadoff walk.
Both teams remained scoreless through the second and third innings, and the score stayed 2-0 in Kansas' favor heading into the fourth.
The Jayhawks' offense came back alive in the top of the fourth as the USF pitcher walked Bailey Amezcua and Kandace Stafford. Audri Youngblood entered to pinch run, setting up a triple from Tehya Pitts that brought both runners home to give Kansas a 4-1 lead.
USF threatened in the bottom of the fifth after a one-out double down the left-field line and back-to-back singles brought in the first run. After a pitching change, another RBI single and a bases-loaded hit-by-pitch allowed the Bulls to score three runs and trim the Kansas lead to 4-3.
USF took its first lead of the game in the bottom of the sixth, using a walk and a single to set up a three-run home run to left field. The Bulls later added another run on a sacrifice bunt and a Kansas error to move in front 7-4. The inning continued to unravel as USF added runs on a sacrifice bunt, a walk, multiple RBI singles and a two-run triple, plating nine runs in the frame to hand USF the 12-4 final.

PITCHERS OF RECORD
Win: Belle Sardja (1-0)
Final line: 2.2 IP, 5 H, 4 R, 2 BB, 0 SO
Loss: Blakely Barber (0-1)
Final line: 1.0 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 1 BB, 1 SO

Up Next
Kansas will wrap up tournament play Sunday with matchups against Michigan and Florida. Fans can follow the action on Kansas Softball's X (Twitter) account and via live stats.

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Next Event

Michigan

Feb 8 (Sun)

8:30 a.m. CT

Preview Live stats History

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Full Schedule

Team Stats

Pitching:

W: BELLE SARDJA (1-0)

L: Barber , Blakely (0-1)

Kansas

Batting:

3B: Pitts, Tehya 1

HR: Soles, Anna 1

RBI: Soles, Anna 2 ; Pitts, Tehya 2

Base Running:

RUNS: Limbaugh, Presley 1 ; Soles, Anna 1 ; Youngblood, Audri 1 ; Stafford, Kadence 1

SB: Limbaugh, Presley 1

CS: Hays, Madi 1

South Florida

Batting:

2B: DANIA BROOKS 1

3B: KILEY STROTT 1

HR: TORYN FULTON 1

RBI: OLIVIA ELLIOTT 1 ; ALEXA GALLIGANI 1 ; ALEX WILKES 1 ; KARHYS PIERCE 1 ; DANIA BROOKS 2 ; KILEY STROTT 2 ; TORYN FULTON 3 ; JOCELYN WILKES 1

SH: ALEXA GALLIGANI 1

Base Running:

RUNS: OLIVIA ELLIOTT 1 ; KATHY GARCIA-SOTO 1 ; ALEXA GALLIGANI 1 ; ALEX WILKES 1 ; SAM WALZ 1 ; DANIA BROOKS 3 ; KILEY STROTT 1 ; GRACE CHIN 1 ; TORYN FULTON 2