🥎 Two Grand Slams Lift Kansas Over Houston, 11-4

HOUSTON – Kansas softball claimed its second-straight Big 12 series victory with an 11-4 win over Houston at Cougar Softball Stadium Saturday. The win also marked the sixth-consecutive Big 12 Conference win.

The win was highlighted by two grand slams by Savanna DesRochers and Jaeden Murphy, as well as a solo home run from Aynslee Linduff. Seven Jayhawks recorded a hit, while Lyric Moore went 2-3 at the dish.

With the win, Kansas improved to 21-8-1 and 6-2 in the Big 12, while Houston fell to 19-11 (2-6 Big 12)

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Houston got on the board first in the bottom of the first. Jayhawk Katie Brooks saw her 13th start of the season. After forcing a groundout, KU made an error to put a runner on first. Another groundout and a walk put runners on first and second, which was followed by a RBI single to give the Cougars an early 1-0 lead.
• Aynlsee Linduff answered with a solo home run in the top of the third. After her first at-bat ended with a home run being robbed, she responded with a blast that Houston could not grab to tie the game at 1-1.
• Houston retook the lead in the bottom half of the third. A single followed by a groundout put the runner on second. Another single brought the runner home to break the tie.
• The Kansas bats caught on fire in the fourth inning. Hailey Cripe opened the frame with a hit by pitch, followed by a single from Olivia Bruno. Ashlyn Anderson singled down the right field line to load the bases. With one out, Savanna DesRochers hit her first home run of the season, a grand slam, to give Kansas a 5-2 lead.
• KU loaded the bases again in the fifth inning. Moore singled before both Cripe and Bruno drew walks to bring Campbell Bagshaw to the plate. She smoked a single right back at the pitcher to bring in a run, while keeping the bases loaded. Abby Carsley got her 11th at-bat of the season as a pinch hitter and drew a walk to bring in another run to extend Kansas’ lead to 7-2.
• Brooks was relieved in the bottom of the fifth. She ended the day with two strikeouts, while allowing just two runs on four hits as Lizzy Ludwig came in for relief. Ludwig kept the Cougars scoreless through two innings before making a tough line drive catch back at her to end the sixth.
• The Jayhawks loaded the bases again in the top of the seventh. Head Coach Jennifer McFalls brought in the reserves, as Katie Gee, Emma Tatum and Angela Price all drew walks. In her second career at-bat, Jaeden Murphy blasted a grand slam over center field fence to increase KU’s lead to 11-2.
• Houston didn’t go away easy in the last inning of the game. After a single to short, the Cougars blasted a home run of their own to cur into KU’s lead, 11-4. However, Kansas was able to put Houston away as it took the 11-4 win to clinch the series. 

PITCHERS OF RECORD
Win: Katie Brooks (10-2)
Final line: 4.0 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 3 BB, 2 SO
Save: Lizzy Ludwig (1)
Final line: 3.0 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 0 BB, 3 SO
Loss: Shelby Smith (9-4)
Final line: 3.1 IP, 4 H, 5 R, 1 BB, 1 SO

PLAYER OF THE GAME
DesRochers blasted her first career grand slam in the top of the fourth to give Kansas all the momentum it needed. That was the first home run of her 2024 campaign and the 11th of her career. She also recorded two putouts on the run in left field.

QUOTABLES & NOTABLES
“I love that we got some timely hits today and that our bats came alive. It was really good to see Savanna (DesRochers) get a big hit and then later in the game Jaeden Murphy. She’s a young kid that swings it every day in practice, and I was really proud to get her the opportunity to play today. She’s got some pop in her barrel, so that doesn’t really surprise me, but I’m so happy for her. Really just proud of this team and our fight. That’s a team that swings it really well and they came out and jumped on us right away. We just kept letting out bats come through for us. We’re not done, got to come back tomorrow and take care of business.”– Head Coach Jennifer McFalls

“Going around the bases just felt good. Knowing that I could get up for my team and come through. That whole game was a whole team effort. I think everybody stayed up and everyone hyped me up as well. I was just prepared for the moment and ready.” – Savanna DesRochers

“It felt awesome. I knew that I had to do a job, even though we were up by a lot. Obviously, it was important, but I had to take advantage of my opportunity as well.” – Jaeden Murphy

• With its sixth Big 12 Conference win of the season, Kansas has its most conference wins since winning eight in 2016.
• This was the sixth-consecutive conference victory for Kansas, the longest conference winning streak since 2016 when the squad won seven in a row.
• Kansas clinched the Big 12 series for the second-straight time (vs. Baylor, March 15-17).
• The Jayhawks have now won 18 of their last 21 games.
• Linduff recorded her second home run of the season and the fourth of her career.
• DesRochers’ grand slam was her first home run of the season, the 11th home run of her career and her first grand slam as a Jayhawk.
• Murphy hit her first career home run in just the second at-bat of her career. The home run was a grand slam, KU’s second of the game.

UP NEXT
Kanas will look to sweep Houston Sunday, March 24, at Cougar Softball Stadium in the third and final game of the series. All the action will be broadcast via Big 12 NOW on ESPN+.