RCW: Sport Spotlight 4.24 (Softball)
#KUsoftball ranks top-25 nationally in four major stats categories through the 3rd week of the season:
21st Winning % (.846)
21st Fielding % (.977)
22nd HR per game (1.15)
24th Runs per game (6.54) pic.twitter.com/Bnt5oG6K1z— Kansas Softball (@KUSoftball) February 26, 2018
?? Harli Ridling is on a 9??-game hitting streak #KUsoftball
A post shared by Kansas Softball (@kusoftball) on Feb 27, 2018 at 6:50pm PST
Through three full weeks of the regular season Kansas softball (12-3) is forming its identity as a lethal team in batter’s box.
Kansas leads the Big 12 in hits (129), RBIs (87) and doubles (26), while the team’s .319 batting average and 16 home runs are, respectively, the second-highest marks in the league. In the most recent NCAA Division I statistics rankings, Kansas ranks No. 22 in home runs per game (1.15) and No. 24 in runs per game (6.54).
The Jayhawks have a penchant for extra-base hits as well. KU’s 43 extra-base hits — made up of 26 doubles, one triple and 16 home runs — lead the Big 12 and are seven more than the next closest team. Texas Tech comes in second with 36 extra-base hits.
KU arrived at its stellar offensive marks with patience at the plate. Kansas has drawn 46 walks and struck out 38 times to become one of two teams in the Big 12 (with Oklahoma) to boast a positive walks-to-strikeouts ratio.
Six Jayhawks (who have played in at least 10 games) are hitting over .300, led by senior catcher Harli Ridling’s .447 clip and senior third baseman Jessie Roane’s .444 average. Ridling enters the fourth week of the regular season on a nine-game hitting streak, while Roane has league-bests of 19 RBIs and 38 total bases.
The Jayhawks will look to add to their league-best 12 wins this weekend at the Carolina Classic, hosted by the University of North Carolina.
