In the awkward space between series against the No. 1 and No. 4 teams in the nation, the Kansas softball team suffered a setback against a regional foe the NCAA’s RPI system ranks a mere No. 187.
Kansas City, which entered the night fifth of seven teams in the Summit League and having lost 42 of 46 all-time matchups against KU, came into Arrocha Ballpark and gutted out a 4-1 win against the Jayhawks Wednesday night.
KU was repeatedly able to get runners on base with two outs but unable to bring them home, ultimately leaving 11 stranded in a game that for much of the night featured a one-run margin.
“I think we had too many players trying to be the hero tonight instead of trying to string some hits back-to-back together, and push runs across the board,” KU coach Jennifer McFalls said.
She noted that misfortune was also a factor: “Tonight was one of those nights where we outhit them, we hit a lot of hard balls right at them, we just couldn’t get anything to kind of fall our way.”
Indeed, the Jayhawks outhit the Roos 8-7, but they mustered just the one run when Angela Price popped a softly hit ball past Kansas City’s second baseman and scored Sara Roszak from third base in the fourth inning. But Kansas City pitcher Camryn Stickel was able to get Presley Limbaugh to ground into a fielder’s choice and Aynslee Linduff to fly out, meaning that Kansas City maintained a 2-1 lead at the end of that frame.
KU loaded the bases for the first time in the fifth inning when Rozsak drew a full-count walk on a high, inside pitch by Stickel. This time the responsibility for the clutch at-bat fell on the shoulders of super-senior Ashlyn Anderson, but she popped up to the second baseman.
Kansas City got some insurance in the form of two seventh-inning runs to hamper any potential KU rally. After Katie Noble walked, Lauren Parker made it on base with a bunt when Lizzy Ludwig hesitated on her toss to first, and then another bunt attempt by Abby Husak resulted in an errant throw to first base. Pinch runner Gianna Lickel scored on the error, and Parker eventually came home on an RBI groundout.
The seventh inning marred an otherwise effective night for the KU pitcher Ludwig, who replaced Kasey Hamilton after three innings and pitched four. That was the second-longest outing of the season and fifth-longest in the career of Ludwig, who only pitched in one game in 2024 prior to returning March 20.
“We’re just trying to continue to get her back on the horse and get her ready,” McFalls said. “We got a lot ahead of us right now, and every inning matters, and so just her continuing to gain some confidence and feel good about where she’s at is really significant for us moving forward.”
The insurance runs did not end up mattering because Stickel sat the Jayhawks down quickly in the seventh inning.
Other innings that saw KU struggle to score included the first, when the starting pitcher Noble snagged a line drive from Olivia Bruno and threw to first to complete a double play, and then the second when Price flew out with two outs and two runners on base. In the third, Lyric Moore faced a 3-0 count as KU again had two runners on with two outs, but after Noble got her to 3-2, she grounded out to shortstop Sydney Nichols.
The Roos had an easier time putting runs across in comparison, even in the low-scoring game.
As early as the first inning, Hamilton found herself in a bit of a jam after Espy Daniels clubbed a double to right-center field and Lexy Smith dropped a ball in front of Limbaugh. She struck out Briona Woods, but only after a wild pitch allowed Daniels to score.
That was the first run the Jayhawks had allowed against the Roos in three games after shutting them out twice last season.
The Roos then added another run on a sacrifice fly in the third inning.
With two conference series left in the season, the road doesn’t get any easier for KU, which will travel to Oklahoma for a three-game series with No. 4 Oklahoma State beginning Friday at 6 p.m.
“We got to be better than we were tonight, obviously, if we’re going to go to Stillwater in that environment and try to find a way to win that series,” McFalls said. “They know. They know what we got to do. I just think again, tonight we kept kind of waiting for something big to happen and we weren’t getting the result and then we just started putting too much pressure on ourselves.”
This is the third time KU will take on a top-five opponent, after it previously had to host then-No. 1 Oklahoma and now-No. 1 Texas for three-game series and was swept each time. The Jayhawks have had mixed results in their other matchups against high-level opponents, with their best performance coming in a road sweep of Baylor.
Prior to Wednesday’s result, KU sat at 38th overall in RPI, with a little over a week remaining in the regular season, then the Big 12 Conference tournament in Oklahoma City, and then the 64-team NCAA Tournament beginning May 17. The tournament is composed of half automatic qualifiers and half at-large teams.
Kansas’ Campbell Bagshaw claps in celebration after making it to second base against Kansas City on Wednesday, April 24, 2024, at Arrocha Ballpark.
Kansas’ Lizzy Ludwig pitches against Kansas City on Wednesday, April 24, 2024, at Arrocha Ballpark.
Kansas’ Angela Price rounds third base against Kansas City on Wednesday, April 24, 2024, at Arrocha Ballpark.
Kansas junior Sara Roszak celebrates her double against Kansas City on Wednesday, April 24, 2024, at Arrocha Ballpark.
Kansas sophomore infielder Hailey Cripe runs to third base against Kansas City on Wednesday, April 24, 2024, at Arrocha Ballpark.
Kansas sophomore infielder Hailey Cripe bats against Kansas City on Wednesday, April 24, 2024, at Arrocha Ballpark.
Kansas pitcher Kasey Hamilton tags out a Kansas City runner on Wednesday, April 24, 2024, at Arrocha Ballpark.
Kansas senior Angela Price runs to first base after hitting against Kansas City on Wednesday, April 24, 2024, at Arrocha Ballpark.
Kansas super-senior Ashlyn Anderson hits the ball for a single against Kansas City on Wednesday, April 24, 2024, at Arrocha Ballpark.
Sarah Buchanan/Special to the Journal-World
Sarah Buchanan/Special to the Journal-World
Sarah Buchanan/Special to the Journal-World
Sarah Buchanan/Special to the Journal-World
Sarah Buchanan/Special to the Journal-World
Sarah Buchanan/Special to the Journal-World
Sarah Buchanan/Special to the Journal-World
Sarah Buchanan/Special to the Journal-World
Sarah Buchanan/Special to the Journal-World
Sarah Buchanan/Special to the Journal-World