Raleigh, N.C. ? Kansas University’s softball team lived and died by the home run in splitting a doubleheader on Saturday at the Wolfpack Challenge.
The Jayhawks started the day by blasting four home runs on their way to a school-record 20 runs in a five-inning shutout of Lafayette College. But in Game 2, tourney host North Carolina State hit four homers of its own as KU’s offense sputtered to a 5-2 loss.
In Game 1, Kansas (13-5) was led by a home run apiece from Alex Hugo and Maddie Stein and two from Rosie Hull, who finished with four RBIs. Three Jayhawks — Hull, Hugo and Mariah Montgomery — scored four runs each, and Hugo and Chanin Naudin each tallied three RBIs against Lafayette (1-2). KU scored five runs in the first inning, 12 in the second and three runs in the third to put the game out of reach early.
After 14 hits against Lafayette, Kansas put up another 12 against N.C. State (9-5-1), but scoring wasn’t as easy in the late game. The Jayhawks left 14 runners on base in their third meeting and second loss of the season against the Wolfpack. Alicia Pille (4-3) took the loss for KU after giving up three home runs — four runs total — on four hits in three innings.
Alex Jones (4-0) picked up the win in Game 1.
Kansas will finish the tournament at 9 a.m. today against Stony Brook.
Kansas 20, Lafayette 0, 5 innings
Lafayette 000 00 — 0 4 2
Kansas 5(12)3 0X — 20 14 0
W — Alex Jones, 4-0. L — Bryn Gornick, 0-1. SV — none.
HR — Maddie Stein, Kansas; Alex Hugo, Kansas; Rosie Hull (2), Kansas.
Kansas highlights — Rosie Hull 2-for-2, 2 HR, 4 RBI, 4 R, 2 BB; Hugo 3-for-3, HR, 3 RBI, 4 R; Chanin Naudin 1-for-1, 3 RBI, 2 BB, R; Maggie Hull 1-for-5, 2 RBI; Stein 2-for-2, HR, 2 RBI.
N.C. State 5, Kansas 2
Kansas 000 010 1 — 2 12 1
N.C. State 002 300 X — 5 8 1
W — Emily Weiman, 9-4. L — Alicia Pille, 4-3. SV — none.
2B — Chaley Brickey, Kansas. HR — Renada Davis, NCSU; Caitlin Dent, NCSU; Scout Albertson (2), NCSU.
Kansas highlights — Mariah Montgomery 2-for-4, RBI; Rosie Hull 2-for-3, R, BB; Ashley Newman 0-for-3, RBI.