DeLand, Fla. ? Kansas University’s softball program keeps producing victories in the beginning of the 2011 season.

With a 7-4 victory over Bethune-Cookman on Friday in the Stetson Hatter Invitational, the Jayhawks (7-0) are off to their best start in program history since results began being recorded in 1978.

KU’s offense smashed four home runs against Bethune-Cookman. Brittany Hile hit two of them. BCU fell to 1-5.

Earlier in the day, Kansas blanked South Dakota State, 8-0 in six innings.

Against BCU, Kansas scored five runs on four hits in the fourth inning. Facing a two-out, bases loaded situation, freshman Laura Vickers launched her first career home run — a grand slam — to left field. It marked KU’s third grand slam this season. Hile stepped up next and hit her second home run of the game to make it 6-0.

Hile hit her first home run in the previous inning to break up BCU’s no-hit bid.

Sophomore Mariah Montgomery was the other Jayhawk to record a home run. The second baseman sent her second homer of the year in the fifth inning to score KU’s seventh and final run.

KU freshman pitcher Kristin Martinez threw the complete game victory, allowing two earned runs for her fourth victory of the season.

Against South Dakota State, sophomore Alex Jones went 3-for-3 for the Jayhawks.

KU had a plethora of baserunners from taking 13 walks.

Senior pitcher Allie Clark improved to 3-0 and recorded the win.

Kansas will face Bethune-Cookman again at 10 a.m. today, before facing Stetson at 3 p.m.