KU SB: Jayhawks Headed to 2022 Big 12 Softball Championship
LAWRENCE, KS - April 30, 2022 - the Kansas Jayhawks softball team during the game between the Oklahoma Sooners and the Kansas Jayhawks at Arrocha Ballpark in Lawrence, KS. Photo by Aiden Droge/Kansas Athletics
LAWRENCE, Kan. – Kansas Softball is making its first appearance in the Phillips 66 Big 12 Championship since 2019 as the Jayhawks head to the USA Softball Hall of Fame Complex in Oklahoma City. The Jayhawks will open up the tournament against No. 2 seed Oklahoma State Cowgirls. First pitch for the game is set for Thursday, May 12 at 3 p.m. CT. The game will be broadcast on Big 12 NOW on ESPN+.
The Jayhawks and Cowgirls met earlier this season in a three-game series in Stillwater where Kansas fell 0-3. The Cowgirls lead the all-time series 80-47 overall over the Jayhawks. When the teams met in 2021, Kansas snapped an 11-game losing streak with a 7-4 upset win over then-No. 10 Oklahoma State in the opening game of the series.
Kansas closed out its regular season in Ames, Iowa, last weekend against the Iowa State Cyclones. The Jayhawks lost the series 2-1 and ended the regular season with a 16-33 overall record and 3-15 Big 12 record. Oklahoma State closed out their season with a five-game losing streak after falling 0-2 to Florida State and getting swept by No. 1 Oklahoma. Before falling to Oklahoma, the Cowgirls had just one conference loss all season.
Olivia Bruno was just named to the All-Big 12 Conference Team as well as the Big 12 All-Freshman team for her performance this year. She was a unanimous vote for the All-Freshman team. Bruno is currently hitting .315, second best on the team. She has played in 48 of the Jayhawks 49 games thus far and has 41 hits, which include 10 home runs.
Lyric Moore and Ashlyn Anderson continue to lead the Jayhawks in hitting. Moore is batting .363 and leads the team with 49 hits. Her 49 hits are good for the 10th-highest total in the Big 12. Anderson leads the team with 14 doubles and is tied for the team lead with 10 home runs. Her 14 doubles is good for the second-highest total in the conference.
In the circle, both Katie Brooks and Kasey Hamilton threw complete games against Iowa State. Brooks threw all seven innings in the Jayhawk victory over the Cyclones on Saturday, marking her second complete game of the year. She also recorded her career-high six strikeouts in a game.
Oklahoma State’s Kelly Maxwell continues to dominate in the circle and was just named one of the Big 12 Co-Pitchers of the Year. She finished the regular season with a conference-high 228 strikeouts. Maxwell also earned her spot on the All-Big 12 First Team and is joined by her teammate Miranda Elish. The Cowgirls also had four players on the All-Conference Second Team and one on the All-Freshman team.
The winner of Thursday’s competition will go on to play the winner of the Texas and Texas Tech matchup on Friday, May 13, at 4 p.m. CT.
