photo by: AP Photo/Colin E. Braley

Kansas pitcher Kasey Hamilton (24) reacts after striking out a Baylor batter during the seventh inning of an NCAA college softball game on Saturday, March 16, 2024, in Lawrence.

The Kansas softball team didn’t just win a series against a ranked opponent for the first in 19 years; it finished off a sweep.

KU took down Baylor, which had been ranked No. 13 in the country by the ESPN.com/USA Softball poll, three times at Arrocha Ballpark over the weekend: 3-2 on Friday, 2-0 on Saturday and 1-0 on Sunday.

The victories earned the Jayhawks some national attention of their own; they opened the week Monday morning with a top-25 ranking in, for one, the Softball America poll, in which they rocketed up to No. 20.

Neither of the Jayhawks’ pitchers, Katie Brooks or Kasey Hamilton, allowed an earned run in the series, as Brooks tossed 12 shutout innings and Hamilton allowed just two unearned runs in nine frames over the course of the three matchups.

Those two runs put Baylor up 2-1 late on Friday, threatening to take an advantage over the Jayhawks, but Campbell Bagshaw hit a two-run home run on an 0-2 count to bring home Lyric Moore and get KU back ahead before Hamilton shut down the game.

“I was just really excited it went out,” Bagshaw said in a press release. “Honestly, I didn’t think it was going to. I was just hoping to shorten up and hit it in the gap. When it went over the fence, I was just celebrating and ready to get in there and celebrate with my team.”

Added head coach Jennifer McFalls: “She’s just clutch. She’s so calm and collected in the box and never gets too high or too low. Just proud of her stepping up. We needed that, this team needed that. Winning the first game of the series is huge.”

KU — which previously had a ranked win over Texas A&M — wasn’t content with the lone victory against Baylor, though. The next day KU’s defense was able to back up Brooks with some highlight plays to leave runners stranded on base. This time, Free State alumna Sara Roszak was the hero on offense with a two-RBI double in the fourth inning.

The Bears mounted a two-out rally in the seventh to load the bases, but Hamilton got Sydney Collazos to fly out to conclude the game.

“(Baylor) had opportunities to grab some momentum, but we did an awesome job of shutting them down,” McFalls said in a release. “We had to make big plays today and our defense came through for us.”

On the final day, which McFalls characterized as a test of mental toughness, the margins were even thinner. Baylor was able to tag out Aynslee Linduff heading for home in the third inning, but KU eventually got its lone run in the sixth. Again Roszak came through, this time by drawing a bases-loaded two-out walk.

Brooks, meanwhile, did not issue a walk the whole day. She did allow six hits that came to nothing.

“The biggest performance today was from Katie Brooks,” McFalls said. “She made them put the ball in play and didn’t give up a walk. That’s something that she has really been focused on and locked in on. So proud of her for just trusting her defense today.

“Got a big week ahead of us. We just have to keep the momentum rolling and keep believing in ourselves.”

That week begins with a midweek battle of ranked teams against rival Missouri at Arrocha on Wednesday at 5 p.m. (The Tigers are No. 16 in the Softball America poll.) After that, KU has just one series at home in the span of nearly a month; the Jayhawks will travel to conference newcomer Houston over the weekend.

photo by: AP Photo/Colin E. Braley

Kansas pitcher Katie Brooks (16) delivers to a Baylor batter during an NCAA college baseball game on Saturday, March 16, 2024, in Lawrence.

photo by: AP Photo/Colin E. Braley

Kansas first baseman Campbell Bagshaw (6) is late with the tag as Baylor’s Presleigh Pilon dives back to first after getting caught off the bag during an NCAA college baseball game on Saturday, March 16, 2024, in Lawrence.

photo by: AP Photo/Colin E. Braley

Kansas catcher Lyric Moore (3) meets with relief pitcher Kasey Hamilton after walking a Baylor batter during an NCAA college baseball game on Saturday, March 16, 2024, in Lawrence.