Kansas Concludes Road Swing at Texas

LAWRENCE, Kan. – Kansas softball returns to the Lone Star State for the second weekend in a row to close out its six-game road swing at Texas April 29- May 1. The three-game series begins on Friday, April 29 at 4:30 p.m., on the Jayhawk Radio Network and the Longhorn Television Network.
 
Following the Jayhawks
Listen to every pitch 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. Fans can also get in-game updates via twitter by following @KUsoftball. Additionally, all three games in Austin will be televised on the Longhorn Network.
 
Leading Off for Kansas

• Kansas’ three-game series at Texas marks the final road trip of the 2016 regular season for the Jayhawks before closing out the year with a six-homestand.
• The Jayhawks are 2-14 when facing the Longhorns in Austin. KU’s last win at McCombs Field came during the 2014 campaign.
• Senior shortstop Chaley Brickey claimed her third KU career record last weekend at Baylor after registering her 151st run batted in. Earlier this season, she became Kansas’ all-time walks and runs scored leader. 
• Brickey became the fifth Jayhawk to break Kansas’ all-time RBI record under head coach Megan Smith. Prior to Brickey holding the record, Liz Kocon, Mariah Montgomery, Maggie Hull and Maddie Stein all set a new RBI record under Smith’s guidance.
• The Jayhawks outhit their opponent in seven of the last 10 games. KU owns a 23-5 record when outhitting its opposition on the diamond.
• In eight of the last 10 games, Kansas’ pitching staff has limited the opposing team to two runs or less. The Jayhawks have a 23-1 mark when giving up no more than two runs in a game.

 
About the Jayhawks
Kansas’ longest win streak of the season came to an end after the Jayhawks lost three close games at Baylor last weekend. All three ballgames were decided by three runs or less. With the trio of losses, the Jayhawks fell to 27-16 on the season and 4-5 in Big 12 action. During Saturday’s matchup with the No. 21 Lady Bears, Kansas scored first and didn’t relinquish the lead until the seventh inning when Baylor drove in the game-winning run with a sacrifice fly. Kansas owns a 21-6 mark when plating a run before the opposition.
 
Senior outfielder Briana Evans recorded her fourth multi-hit game of 2016 on Saturday after a 2-for-3 performance at the plate. She also scored one of two KU runs during the second game of the series. In the last 10 games, Evans has posted a .455 batting average with 10 hits. On the season, she is hitting .268 with 22 hits and 14 runs scored. Senior shortstop Chaley Brickey leads the Jayhawks in eight offensive categories and the Big 12 in walks (33). The Haltom City, Texas native hit batting .375 with 15 doubles, nine home runs and 30 RBIs. Four Jayhawks are hitting above .300 on the season. Kansas’ offense has .283 average at the plate with 100 hits for extra bases and 146 walks. KU has recorded a .455 slugging percentage and a .385 on-base percentage in 43 games.
 
With a 16-6 record and a 1.97 ERA, sophomore hurler Andie Formby leads KU’s pitching staff. She has struck out 107 batters in 22 starts and 28 appearances, good for the fourth-best mark in the Big 12. Formby has limited her opponents to just 38 earned runs, 31 walks and a .230 batting average. Senior right-hander Monique Wesley is 4-2 in the circle with 39 strikeouts and a 2.30 ERA. Kansas’ pitching staff has the fourth-best ERA in the conference (2.55) and has recorded 197 strikeouts, which is also good for fourth in the league.
 
Scouting the Longhorns
The Texas Longhorns enter the weekend with a 30-13 record in 2016, which includes a 5-6 mark in the Big 12 Conference. UT has proven tough to beat at Red and Charlene McCombs Field, boasting a 20-4 home record this season, winning nine of its last 10 contests in Austin.
 
Senior outfielder Lindsey Stephens leads the Longhorns in 11 offensive categories including batting average (.402), hits (53), doubles (18), home runs (7) and RBIs (32). Stephens and junior infielder Celina Felix are the only Longhorns batting above .300 on the season. Texas’ offense has a .290 average at the plate with 325 hits, including 94 for extra bases, 142 base on balls and 202 RBIs. The Longhorns have registered a .435 slugging percentage and .376 on-base percentage. 
 
In the circle, junior left-hander Tiarra Davis leads UT’s pitching staff with a 1.96 ERA in 168 innings of work. Davis is 17-9 on the season with 139 strikeouts while allowing 47 earned runs and 92 walks. Texas’ opposition is batting .215 against the Longhorns’ ace. Texas’ pitching staff has a 2.32 ERA after giving up 96 earned runs in 289 and one-thirds innings pitched. Collectively, the Longhorn pitchers have struck out 220 batters and allowed 160 walks.
 
The Series Breakdown
Kansas trails Texas in the overall series, 12-31, which began in 1997 with a 3-0 victory for the Jayhawks. KU won four of the first seven meetings of the series. However, the Longhorns have come out on top in 18 of the last 19 outings on the diamond, including the last four in a row. The Jayhawks are 2-14 when facing Texas in Austin.
 
Around the League
The Jayhawks are putting up impressive numbers during the 2016 season. Kansas is second in the Big 12 Conference in drawing walks with 146, has the second-best fielding percentage (.980), is fourth in home runs with 43, fourth in batters struck out with 197 and third in shutouts thrown with 11. Individually, senior infielder Chaley Brickey leads the Big 12 in walks (33), is fourth in slugging percentage (.725) and second in on-base percentage (.516). Brickey is also second in runs scored (39), is tied for fourth in doubles hit (15) and tied for fifrth in home runs (9). Sophomore infielder Daniella Chavez is second in RBIs (44) and tied for fifth in home runs hit (9). In the circle, sophomore Andie Formby has posted the fifth-lowest ERA in the league (1.97). She is tied for first in shutouts (nine), is fourth in wins (16) and is fourth in strikeouts (107).
 
Pint-Sized Powerhouse
Senior shortstop Chaley Brickey might be the shortest Jayhawk on the roster, but she might be the most powerful. The 5-1 infielder leads Kansas in eight different offensive categories including batting average (.375), hits (45) and home runs (9). Along with her impressive stat line in 2016, Brickey has claimed three all-time KU records during her fourth year as a starter for head coach Megan Smith. The Haltom City, Texas product sit on top of Kansas’ all-time lists for runs batted in, walks and runs scored. Additionally, Brickey is among the top 10 in four other Jayhawk career records. 
 
Up Next
Kansas returns to Arrocha Ballpark at Rock Chalk Park for a six-game homestand to close out the 2016 regular season. The Jayhawks begin the homestand with a three-game series against Oklahoma State May 6-8. KU kicks off the Big 12 Conference series on Friday, May 6 at 5 p.m., on the Jayhawk Radio Network.
 
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