photo by: Mike Gunnoe/Special to the Journal-World

Kansas senior Tommy Barth connects for a triple against Baylor Friday, March 14, 2025 at Hoglund Ballpark.

The Kansas baseball and softball teams faltered in Big 12 Conference play over the weekend, with each squad dropping a road series, 2-1.

KU baseball continued its road swing through Arizona after a midweek loss to the 23rd-ranked University of Arizona and dropped two out of three against the Wildcats’ rival, Arizona State.

The Jayhawks were three outs away from a series win after a two-out two-run home run in the top of the ninth inning on Sunday by right fielder Tommy Barth had put them ahead 6-5, but pitcher Eric Lin, who had entered midway through the eighth inning, gave up a leadoff single to Landon Hairston and then a walk-off homer to Nu’u Contrades.

KU squandered a 4-for-5 showing by second baseman Dariel Osoria, who had gone hitless in his previous three games.

The Sun Devils and Jayhawks had split the prior two matches, with ASU scoring seven runs off KU ace Dominic Voegele on Friday for a blowout win before the Jayhawks used a five-run third inning — highlighted by Michael Brooks’ three-run home run — to win 7-3 on Saturday.

KU now sits at 18-6 overall and 3-3 in Big 12 play (the Arizona game did not count toward its conference record) ahead of a pair of midweek matchups with St. Thomas on Tuesday and Wednesday.

The KU softball team, meanwhile, was able to salvage one win from a series loss on the road at Utah, which had entered the weekend with an 8-22 record.

On Friday, the Utes battled back from an 8-1 deficit after early home runs by Aynslee Linduff, Hailey Cripe and Karsen Griggs, cutting their deficit to one run in the fifth inning. KU was able to respond with RBI doubles from Cripe and Campbell Bagshaw in the seventh for some apparent breathing room, and the Jayhawks even got the first two outs in the bottom of the inning.

However, Kennedy Diggs conceded a pair of walks with a double in between, allowing Utah to load the bases. Emily Capobianco drove in one run, and after a pitching change to Katie Brooks, Jolie Mayfield singled to left field to tie the game at 10-10.

Capobianco secured the walk-off win for the Utes in the ninth inning with a three-run home run.

The following day’s matchup was not as close, as Utah went up 4-0 by the end of the second inning. KU managed to scratch across a pair of runs late but didn’t have much of an offense with its four hits and three walks and lost 5-2.

The Jayhawks were able to grind out a victory on Sunday to improve to 14-12 overall and 3-3 in Big 12 play. This time, KU once again conceded a seventh-inning advantage — it was Mayfield with a clutch hit against Diggs — but Cripe became the extra-innings hero with a single up the middle to score Presley Limbaugh in the ninth inning, and Kaelee Washington entered for the first save of her career despite allowing the tying run to reach third base.

KU softball will be on the road next for a midweek date with Missouri on Wednesday.