photo by: Nathan Friedman/Special to the Journal-World

Kansas infielder Anna Soles swings at a pitch during the game against Missouri on Wednesday, April 15, 2026, in Lawrence.

Just as soon as the Kansas softball team built some momentum amid a dull offensive performance against Missouri on Wednesday, the Tigers snatched it back.

Anna Soles’ two-out, two-RBI triple tied the Border War at 2-2 in the bottom of the sixth inning. But just a few moments later, Missouri first baseman Abby Hay homered off Chloe Barber to restore her team’s two-run advantage.

KU left a pair of runners stranded in the bottom of the seventh and lost 4-2 at Arrocha Ballpark.

“We’ve bounced back, we’ve kind of been some comeback kids on some big games, and unfortunately it just didn’t go our way tonight, but we had the right people in the right place,” head coach Jennifer McFalls said. “I mean, no one else better than to have Presley Limbaugh and then Ella Boyer up in those timely situations. But you know, we got to learn from it.”

Limbaugh and Boyer’s late at-bats took on such dire importance because the Jayhawks had struggled to string hits together for much of the night. Missouri starter Marissa McCann eventually got charged with two earned runs, but she had been rock solid through the first five innings, as she allowed two hits and no walks.

“I think that we were chasing some pitches early on, maybe not just staying disciplined within ourselves,” McFalls said. “They got a couple really good pitchers, and she did a nice job of just keeping us off balance, and I think we settled in and then obviously Anna gave us a huge spark there getting that triple and bringing in those two runs, got us right back in the game. So it was a good matchup.”

The two teams finished with six hits each. Hay went 3-for-4 for the Tigers, while Limbaugh and Aynslee Linduff had two each for the Jayhawks.

KU starter Blakely Barber got Missouri to its final strike of the first inning before surrendering a full-count walk to Abby Carr. That led to a two-out rally that put the Tigers ahead 1-0, as right fielder Sidney Forrester lined a single to center field that bounced in front of Limbaugh and scored Carr.

Mizzou played some small ball in the second inning, as Claire Cahalan reached on an infield single and Sophie Smith bunted her over. Barber hit Kayley Lenger and then walked Addy Waits to load the bases.

Stefania Abruscato brought home a run with a sacrifice fly, and Carr flied out in foul territory.

KU got its first baserunner when Campbell Bagshaw singled with two outs in the second inning. Ava Wallace promptly grounded out to McCann.

Barber gave way to Lizzy Ludwig, who allowed a single on her first pitch. Hay ended up getting all the way to third after her first stolen base of the year was followed by a groundout, but pinch hitter Saniya Hill lined out to Limbaugh to end the inning.

The Jayhawks got a productive offensive play with one out in the third when Linduff’s high-arcing hit dropped in front of Hill for a double. But Limbaugh bounced out to McCann immediately and Boyer could not deliver with two outs.

Ludwig and then Chloe Barber continued to keep the Tigers at bay. The Jayhawks’ challenge was figuring out a way to get to McCann, who in the fifth inning struck out Bagshaw on three pitches, then caught Wallace looking on a checked swing, then got Bailey Amezcua to pop out.

Barber had some issues with control in the sixth inning. She gave up a six-pitch walk to Hill but managed to strike out Smith on a full count in an 11-pitch at-bat. After a sacrifice bunt by Lenger, Barber struck out Waits swinging, once again on a full count.

That left KU with six outs to mount some sort of charge, which it did. Linduff led off the sixth and bounced a single into center field. Limbaugh slapped a ball into right to send pinch runner Bailey Weber to third base with the star freshman Boyer due up.

After McCann’s first pitch to Boyer was low, Missouri changed pitchers to Carr. That proved a pivotal move as Waits made a difficult snag on a hard-hit ball to third base to get Boyer to ground out as Limbaugh advanced to second base. Then Kadence Stafford struck out looking on three pitches, leaving Soles in a big spot.

The junior first baseman delivered, popping the ball to left field, where it got past a diving Cahalan to tie the game.

Hailey Cripe followed that up with a four-pitch walk, but Carr struck out Bagshaw to strand a pair of runners.

Carr was able to draw a one-out walk in the seventh, which set up Hay for her heroic hit: She slammed a 3-1 pitch over the wall in left-center field.

Lila Partridge replaced Barber after she conceded another walk, and got out of the inning without further damage.

KU went with a pair of pinch hitters to open the seventh inning. September Flanagan popped out and Emma Tatum walked to bring up the reentering and previously successful Linduff. After a potential extra-base hit went just foul, she grounded out to third base.

Limbaugh singled to keep KU alive, although Smith prevented the ball from reaching the outfield, so a run did not score. Boyer got ahead 2-1 but struck out swinging to end the contest.

“Ella’s a freshman, and that’s a big, big stage for her tonight,” McFalls said. “Hopefully as we continue to move forward she gets that opportunity again, and I would be surprised if the same thing happens to her again.”

The Jayhawks fell to 29-13 on the season with 10 games left to play in the regular season. They have already reset the mark for their most wins under McFalls and are seeking the first NCAA Tournament berth of her tenure. Currently ranked No. 24 by Softball America, they have 20th-ranked UCF up next.

“These are the kind of games you want to play this time of year,” McFalls said after the loss. “They make us better. And that’s what I said, is we got to learn from this and grow from this, not be satisfied and not leave here hanging our heads. We’re too good of a team and we got a huge weekend ahead of us. I don’t think that loss hurts us, I think it helps us maybe mentally get prepared (because) it’s going to be a fight this weekend down at UCF and we just got to be able to bounce back pretty quickly from this.”

Indeed, KU will travel to the UCF Softball Complex for a three-game series with the Knights beginning on Friday at 5 p.m. Central time.

photo by: Nathan Friedman/Special to the Journal-World

Kansas pitcher Blakely Barber delivers a pitch during the game against Missouri on Wednesday, April 15, 2026, in Lawrence.

photo by: Nathan Friedman/Special to the Journal-World

Kansas outfielder Presley Limbaugh puts a ball in play during the game against Missouri on Wednesday, April 15, 2026, in Lawrence.

photo by: Nathan Friedman/Special to the Journal-World

Missouri players celebrate following the go-ahead home run during the game on Wednesday, April 15, 2026, in Lawrence.

photo by: Nathan Friedman/Special to the Journal-World

Kansas outfielder Bailey Weber celebrates with her teammates during the game against Missouri on Wednesday, April 15, 2026, in Lawrence.

photo by: Nathan Friedman/Special to the Journal-World

Kansas infielder Anna Soles celebrates after a game-tying triple during the game against Missouri on Wednesday, April 15, 2026, in Lawrence.

photo by: Nathan Friedman/Special to the Journal-World

Kansas outfielder Bailey Weber rounds second base during the game against Missouri on Wednesday, April 15, 2026, in Lawrence.

photo by: Nathan Friedman/Special to the Journal-World

Kansas catcher Bailey Amezcua frames a pitch during the game against Missouri on Wednesday, April 15, 2026, in Lawrence.

photo by: Nathan Friedman/Special to the Journal-World

Kansas outfielder Aynslee Linduff slides into second base during the game against Missouri on Wednesday, April 15, 2026, in Lawrence.

photo by: Nathan Friedman/Special to the Journal-World

Kansas pitcher Lizzy Ludwig and infielder Anna Soles give high fives after an out during the game against Missouri on Wednesday, April 15, 2026, in Lawrence.

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