The Kansas softball team jumped on Utah early Sunday afternoon at Arrocha Ballpark and never trailed en route to a 10-5 victory, giving the Jayhawks their second straight Big 12 Conference series win.
“We talked before the game about how we wanted to land the first punch today because (Utah) had been doing that to us the past couple of games,” Kansas head coach Jennifer McFalls said. “We got on them early, and that gave Blakely (Barber) some confidence. She threw well, and Lizzy (Ludwig) came in and shut the door for us.”
Kansas (23-9, 4-2) got its offense going in the bottom of the first inning. With one out, Ella Boyer and Hailey Cripe were hit by pitches from Utah starter Raci Miranda and Anna Soles singled to load the bases. September Flanagan then singled to center field to bring home Boyer and give the Jayhawks their first run. After a fielder’s choice kept the bases loaded, with two outs, Kadence Stafford promptly unloaded them with a three-run double to give Kansas a 4-0 lead after one inning.
“It was very big to get on top,” said Stafford, who finished the game 2-for-3 with two doubles and five RBI. “Sundays are usually the hardest day of a series for us, but today we came out happy and ready to play.”
Utah (24-8, 4-2) used two hits and a walk to load the bases with one out in the top of the third, but Barber got out of the jam unscathed, getting a shallow flyout to center field and a groundout to end the inning and keep Kansas in front, 4-0.
The Jayhawks struck again in the bottom of the third, this time plating three more runs with two outs. A hit-by-pitch and an errant throw on a fielder’s choice put runners on first and second with two outs for Stafford, who came through again with a two-run double to left field, bringing home Cripe and Soles. The next batter, Bailey Amezcua, then singled to left field to plate Stafford for the third run of the inning to make it 7-0 Kansas. Amezcua’s hit chased Miranda, who gave up seven runs (all earned) on six hits with three hit batters in just 2 2/3 innings.
Utah got two runs back in the top of the fourth on a two-out, two-run single and an inning later, Danika Wilson lined a two-run homer over the right field fence, closing the Jayhawks’ lead to 7-4. The homer ended Barber’s day, as she had given up four runs (all earned) on six hits with three strikeouts and two walks in 4 1/3 innings.
Kansas scored three runs in its half of the fifth to stretch its lead back out to 10-4. Campbell Bagshaw doubled and Stafford walked before Amezcua singled to bring home Bagshaw. Aynslee Linduff then lined a double to right field, driving in Stafford and pinch-runner Madi Hays.
Utah added one more run in the top of the seventh, but Ludwig finished off the win by getting a ground-ball double play, and Kansas got its fifth win in its last six games. The Jayhawks now have more wins this season (23) and conference series wins (two) than they did in the whole 2025 season (22 wins, one conference series win).
“When someone has struggled, we’ve just been able to have the next person step up and do the job,” Stafford said. “We all trust each other, we’ve worked hard and it’s showing right now.”
Barber (5-1) got the win for Kansas and Ludwig allowed one run on four hits with two walks and a strikeout in 2 2/3 innings of relief. Limbaugh was 3-for-5, Bagshaw went 2-for-4 with two doubles, Amezcua finished up 2-for-3 with two RBIs and Linduff went 2-for-3 with a double and two RBIs in the win.
Miranda (7-3) took the loss in the circle for Utah. Wilson went 2-for-4 with two runs scored and two RBI, Shonty Passi was 2-for-3 and Payton Crank wound up 3-for-4 with an RBI for the Utes in the loss.
Kansas now hits the road, traveling to BYU for a three-game conference series against the Cougars starting on Thursday. First pitch at Miller Park in Provo, Utah, is scheduled for 7 p.m. Central time.
Kahner Sampson/Special to the Journal-World
