February 15, 2017

Jayhawks continue nonconference action in Florida

Osprey
Invitational

Date Feb. 17-19, 2017
Location Jacksonville, Florida
Notes Game Notes

LIVE COVERAGE
Audio Audio Stream
Stats Live Stats

LAWRENCE, Kan. — For the second weekend in a row, Kansas softball heads to the Sunshine State for the Osprey Classic, Feb. 17-19, hosted by North Florida in Jacksonville. The Jayhawks take their perfect 5-0 mark on the road to play five games in three days at their second nonconference tournament of the season.

FOLLOWING THE JAYHAWKS
Listen to every pitch, home and away, all season long as part of the Jayhawk Radio Network, in partnership with KJHK, the University of Kansas’ student radio station, KLWN and KWOD. All of KU’s contests will be carried live, for free, at KUAthletics.com/radio or by clicking the link on the online schedule. Fans can also get in-game updates via twitter by following @KUsoftball.

LEADING OFF FOR KANSAS

Kansas is off to a 5-0 start to the season, marking the second time in the last three years that KU has jumped out to a perfect 5-0 record to open the season.
The Jayhawks outscored their opponents 44-4 during the first weekend of the 2017 campaign.
KU’s pitching staff posted a pair of shutout victories last weekend. The Jayhawks surrendered just four runs in 31 innings of work.
In the batter’s box, Kansas leads the Big 12 Conference with a .362 batting average. Seven Jayhawks are hitting above .500 so far this season.
In the circle, KU has posted a 0.90 ERA with a trio of Jayhawk pitchers registering an ERA under 1.00.

ABOUT THE JAYHAWKS
Kansas swept its first week of competition to begin the 2017 campaign with a perfect 5-0 mark. KU has opened the season with a 5-0 record twice in its last three seasons. In their five victories last week, the Jayhawks outscored their opponents 44-4 and launched 11 home runs. Kansas registered 46 hits, including 21 for extra bases, a .701 slugging percentage and a .471 on-base percentage.

At the plate, KU leads the Big 12 Conference with a .362 batting average. Kansas has also recorded the most hits (46), runs scored (44), doubles (10) and home runs (11) in the league. Seven Jayhawks are hitting above .400 on the year, including four starters. Senior outfielder Lily Behrmann leads the offense with a .545 batting average. She’s registered six hits, including a pair of doubles and a home run, and six base on balls. Senior infielder Taylor Dodson made a statement to start her final season in the Crimson and Blue. The Grove, Oklahoma native came into 2017 with five home runs to her resume and launched four long balls in the first weekend. Dodson is hitting .500 on the year with seven hits, six RBIs and three walks.

Kansas’ pitching staff started 2017 in dominant fashion and has posted a 0.90 ERA through five games, the lowest in the Big 12. Three of five Jayhawk pitchers have recorded under a 1.00 ERA and collectively have struck out 20 batters. Sophomore Alexis Reid and junior Sarah Miller are each 2-0 in the circle with a shutout. Reid has tallied nine K’s, while freshman Mandy Roberts has struck out seven batters.

SCOUTING GEORGIA STATE
After the first weekend of the season, Georgia State is off to a 4-1 start this year with victories over Western Kentucky, Stephen F. Austin and Mississippi State. The Panthers outscored their opponents 21-8 last weekend, while recording 35 hits, including four doubles. Two Panthers are batting above .400, as junior catcher Ivie Drake leads the way hitting .455 on the season. Sophomore utility Arden Jobe is also hitting over .400 with a .429 batting average in four games played. Offensively, the Panthers are hitting .236 with 17 RBIs and 16 walks. In the circle, Georgia State has tossed a 1.29 ERA and given up just eight runs in 38 innings pitched. Freshman right-hander Emily Soles has registered a team-low 0.82 ERA after surrendering two earned runs in 17 innings of work. She struck out six and allowed three walks in three appearances.

SCOUTING NORTH FLORIDA
North Florida opened its 2017 campaign in Boca Raton, Florida with a 2-3 mark after collecting wins over Florida Atlantic and Troy. Two of the Ospreys’ three losses were decided by one run. Offensively, UNF is hitting .264 at the plate with 32 hits, including three doubles, and 17 walks. Sophomore outfielder Dominica Cocuzza is batting a team-best .467 with seven hits and four RBIs in five starts. Freshman infielder Kayla McGory and sophomore utility Navia Pendrod are also hitting above .300 after the first weekend of the 2017 season. North Florida’s pitching staff has recorded a 3.03 ERA with 15 strikeouts. In three starts, senior right-hander Logan Green has registered a 0.74 ERA with a team-best seven strikeouts.

SCOUTING SOUTH CAROLINA STATE
South Carolina State opened the season at the Kennesaw Tournament and dropped to 0-4 on the year with four-straight losses to start 2017. Collectively, the Lady Bulldogs have recorded a .146 batting average in four games with 12 hits, including a pair of long balls, and five walks. Senior utility Tamaya McQueary is hitting a team-high .400 with two hits in five at-bats. Junior utility Kaneisha Pettiford has driven in a team-best three runs and hit one of SCSU’s two homers. In the circle, South Carolina State’s pitching staff has a 14.40 ERA after giving up 32 earned runs in 20 innings of work. Freshman righty Jada Lake has thrown a team-high 13 innings in 2017 with an 0-2 mark.

SCOUTING EASTERN ILLINOIS
Eastern Illinois is off to a 3-1 start to 2017 after opening the season at the Rosemont Dome Tournament. The Panthers earned wins over Detroit, IUPUI and Fort Wayne, while falling to Miami (Ohio) during opening weekend. A total of six Panthers are hitting above .400 so far in 2017. At the plate, EIU is hitting .370 with 40 hits, 13 for extra bases, 12 walks and 24 RBIs. Freshman outfielder Mia Davis leads the squad with a .538 batting average in four starts. She has tallied seven hits, a double and four RBIs. In the circle, Eastern Illinois’ pitching staff has hurled a 1.50 ERA with 15 strikeouts in 24 innings of work. Junior Michelle Rogers is 2-0 in the circle with a 1.00 ERA and four K’s. Junior Jessica Wireman is 1-1 in three appearances with a 1.93 ERA and a team-high nine strikeouts.

SCOUTING SOUTH DAKOTA STATE
South Dakota State started the season at the Northern Iowa Tournament and owns a 1-4 mark after the first weekend of the year. The Jackrabbits defeated Toledo, but dropped games to Drake, UNI and Montana during opening weekend. Offensively, SDSU is batting .268 with 33 hits, including five home runs, 10 walks and 16 RBIs. Sophomore infielder Yanney Ponce leads the team with a .462 batting average after five starts. She has recorded six hits, including a pair of doubles, and two RBIs. Junior utility Brittney Morse has hit four of the Jackrabbits’ five long balls this season. In the circle, South Dakota State’s pitching staff has posted a 5.42 ERA with 25 strikeouts. Senior lefty Ashlyn Bender has tossed a team-low 2.21 ERA with a 1-1 mark and seven K’s.

AND THE AWARD GOES TO…
Kansas softball swept the first 2017 Big 12 Conference weekly accolades as senior infielder Taylor Dodson earned her first player of the week award and sophomore Alexis Reid also won her first pitcher of the week honor. Dodson began the season hitting .500 in the first five games with four home runs, while Reid posted a 2-0 record in the circle with a complete-game shutout.

AROUND THE NATION
After a strong start to the 2017 campaign, Kansas ranks among the top of several national statistics. KU’s .362 batting average ranks No. 21 in the country, while its .993 fielding percentage is seventh in the nation. Additionally, the Jayhawks have posted a .471 on-base percentage, which is the 13th-best mark. Individually, senior infielder Taylor Dodson is second in the country in home runs hit (4) and ninth in slugging percentage (1.357). Senior outfielder Lily Behrmann is 13th in base on balls recorded with six.

UP NEXT
Kansas continues its 21-game road streak at the Cardinal Classic in Beaumont, Texas, Feb. 24-26, hosted by Lamar. The Jayhawks will play five games during the tournament against South Dakota State, Northern Illinois, Lamar, Tulsa and Alabama A&M. Every game of the weekend will be available on the Jayhawk Radio Network via KUAthletics.com/radio.

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