Kansas softball swept in doubleheader

Photo courtesy of Kansas Athletics

Kansas softball closed out its final games of the USF-Rawlings Invitational in Tampa, Florida, with a doubleheader, which resulted in back-to-back losses on Sunday morning.

The Jayhawks lost their first game to Michigan 4–2 and their second to Florida 11–2.

Kansas was once up 2–1 against Michigan but lost its lead after the Wolverines managed to score three runs in the bottom of the sixth inning.

For their second matchup of the day, the Jayhawks trailed the Gators by a score of 1–0 after the third inning, but things got out of hand as Florida scored six runs in the top of the fifth inning, adding four more runs in the top of the seventh inning.

Kansas was the first team to bat at the plate in its matchup with Michigan, while freshman Ella Boyer hit a single to left field, getting an RBI and helping senior Aynslee Linduff score the Jayhawks first run.

In the bottom of the first inning, Michigan junior Jenissa Conway hit a home run to right field off of Kansas junior pitcher Chloe Barber to tie the game.

The final run scored by Kansas came in the top of the fifth inning after freshman Brinley Ramirez scored a run as a result of a fielding error by Michigan junior pitcher Gabby Ellis.

Michigan sophomore Lauren Putz hit a home run off Barber to right-center field to start the bottom of the sixth inning.

The Wolverines continued their run as junior Erin Hoehn singled to right field, helping junior Ella Stephenson score a run.

The final run of the game came after Michigan senior Avery Fantucci hit a single to center field, helping junior Lexi Dellamonica score.

Barber pitched for the majority of the game while her pitching record dropped to 1–1 with the loss. She pitched 5.2 innings, allowing four runs, four earned runs, five hits, and threw eight strikeouts.

Kansas sophomore pitcher Kaelee Washington came in to relieve Barber, pitching 0.1 innings and throwing one strikeout.

In its final game of the day, Kansas was the home team while Washington was the starting pitcher on the mound against Florida.

The Gators scored their first run after senior Jocelyn Erickson grounded out to first base, helping sophomore Gabi Comia reach home plate.

Florida didn’t score again until sophomore Taylor Shumaker hit a homer to center field off of Washington, helping Comia score her second run of the day.

Kansas senior pitcher Lizzy Ludwig replaced Washington. Florida junior Cassidy McLellan hit a double to right-center field, helping senior Kendall Grover and Erickson advance to home plate.

Florida senior Kenleigh Cahalan hit another double to right-center field, leading junior Ava Brown and McLellan to score runs.

The Jayhawks still had some fight left in the bottom of the sixth inning as junior Anna Soles hit a triple off of Florida junior pitcher Keagan Rothrock, leading Kansas senior Presley Limbaugh to score.

Shortly after Boyer hit a flyout to center field, helping Soles score the Jayhawks’ final run.

In the final inning, the Gators hit two home runs off of Kansas freshman pitcher Lila Partridge.

Brown hit the first home run to left field, helping McLellan score, while Cahalan hit the second to right field.

Shumaker hit a groundout, helping Florida junior Ella Wesolowski score the last run.

Washington pitched five innings, allowing five runs, five earned runs, eight hits, and threw one strikeout.

Ludwig was on the mound the shortest amount of time, pitching for 0.1 innings, allowing two runs, two earned runs, and two hits while throwing no strikeouts.

Partridge was the last pitcher for Kansas and pitched 1.2 innings, allowing four runs (four earned), five hits, and recording two strikeouts.

The Jayhawks’ record drops to 2–3, and they will look to get back on track as they will stay in the state of Florida to travel to Fort Myers to play Florida Gulf Coast on Tuesday, Feb. 10. First pitch is at 4 p.m. CT.