photo by: Kahner Sampson/Special to the Journal-World

Kansas sophomore Riane Ritter works through his motion to deliver a pitch during the Jayhawks' game against Utah on Saturday, April 4, 2026, at Hoglund Ballpark in Lawrence.

The Kansas baseball team has won five straight Big 12 series for the first time in program history as a result of taking down Oklahoma State 9-6 on Sunday afternoon at O’Brate Stadium in Stillwater, Oklahoma.

The Jayhawks are 29-11 and 14-4 in league play and as a result of favorable results elsewhere during the weekend maintained their two-game lead for first place in the conference.

“Huge series win against a really good Oklahoma State team,” KU coach Dan Fitzgerald said in a press release on Sunday. “They have a really dynamic offense that we were able to pitch really well to for the last two games. Obviously, they flexed their offense in game one, but I’m really proud of how the guys responded. Especially how we pitched. I thought Dom (Voegele) was fantastic, but then today to get the effort we got out of our bullpen was fantastic.”

Designated hitter Dariel Osoria changed Sunday’s game with a two-out grand slam in the fifth inning that put KU ahead. For Osoria, who has been inconsistent at the plate much of the season, it was the first game with multiple runs batted in since March 18, as he returned to the lineup in the Jayhawks’ victories on Saturday and Sunday following two weeks off.

Riane Ritter struck out seven Cowboys in his three innings of relief. He and closer Boede Rahe allowed a run each, but it didn’t matter because of Augusto Mungarrieta’s sacrifice fly in the eighth and Jordan Bach’s two-RBI double in the ninth, which helped KU to claim victory.

The series had started off in grim fashion for the Jayhawks, snapping an 11-game winning streak. KU allowed four home runs in the first two innings on Friday and went down 6-2 before the game was suspended due to weather.

When it continued on Saturday, OSU pitcher Stormy Rhodes kept KU scoreless for five innings while allowing two hits and one walk. In the meantime, the Cowboys teed off against a series of Jayhawk pitchers from the depths of the bullpen and produced a 13-2 victory in eight innings.

KU was just about as dominant in the second game on Saturday, however, in large part thanks to Voegele. The Jayhawks’ resurgent ace was practically flawless outside of one three-run home run and ended up striking out 15 Cowboys in seven innings pitched. In the meantime, KU never trailed because of early RBIs from Cade Baldridge and Dylan Schlotterback and a home run by Brady Ballinger. Mungarrieta drove in five runs in the later innings to lead the way in what became a 13-3 win for the Jayhawks.

That gave KU a chance at the series, which it did not relinquish as it followed through in Sunday’s rubber match.

The Jayhawks will host Nebraska on Tuesday in a rematch of the game on April 7 that KU won 5-3 on the road. First pitch is set for 6 p.m.

SOFTBALL SLIPS

KU softball suffered its first series loss of Big 12 play on the road at ranked UCF over the weekend, a result that ultimately turned on a late-inning slide in the series opener.

The Jayhawks led the Knights 3-2 in the bottom of the sixth on Friday with two outs and a runner on second when Samantha Rey came up with a first-pitch RBI single to tie the game. Lila Partridge got the third out and concluded her appearance with three earned runs allowed on five hits and six walks in six innings pitched.

KU had a chance to take the lead right back immediately when Emma Tatum hit a pinch-hit single and Presley Limbaugh reached on an error when attempting a sacrifice bunt. But UCF’s Isabella Vega escaped the jam, as Ella Boyer popped out on a 3-0 pitch, Kadence Stafford struck out swinging and Anna Soles flied out to left field.

Chloe Barber replaced Partridge and allowed two early runners before getting three quick outs of her own to send the game to extra innings.

Ultimately, Vega had better luck than Barber in the eighth. KU stranded a runner at second base again, and then Barber allowed a two-out three-run walk-off home run to Olathe native Kendall Yarnell as UCF won 6-3.

The Knights claimed the series on Saturday in resounding fashion with a 9-2 victory in which three KU pitchers stumbled through a four-run third inning, and then the Jayhawks allowed four more runs in the fifth for good measure. Soles was the only KU player with a multi-hit game as the Jayhawks were held to five overall by Ava Stuewe and Lena Elkins.

The Jayhawks did obtain some consolation in the form of a 4-2 win on Sunday, which should help their RPI as they angle for the postseason. (Softball America had them in the field in Wednesday’s bracket projections, but that was before a 1-3 week, albeit entirely against fellow tournament teams.)

Cripe hit a three-run home run in the third to provide most of KU’s offense as the Knights outhit the Jayhawks 10-4 but managed just two runs on the day.

Partridge pitched a complete game and stranded a host of runners. UCF got one across with two outs in the sixth when Rey singled to shortstop. The Knights threatened in the seventh with a leadoff double by Izzy Mertes, but the next two batters grounded out. That scored Mertes, but Partridge induced a flyout to end the game.

KU is down to seven games remaining in its season with a 30-15 record (11-7 in Big 12 play). The Jayhawks have a significant opportunity ahead with Iowa State (27-18, 7-11 Big 12) set to visit Arrocha Ballpark for three games beginning on Friday at 5 p.m.