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

KU head coach Jennifer McFalls walks off the field in disbelief after a late foul call during the Jayhawks' sixth-inning comeback on Oklahoma State on Sunday, April 27, 2025, at Arrocha Ballpark in Lawrence.

The Kansas softball team started strong with a pair of wins on Friday but lost late leads in each of its next two games and ultimately concluded its opening weekend in Tampa, Florida, with a 2-3 record.

Five different Jayhawks hit home runs on the weekend and freshman Ella Boyer recorded a team-high five RBIs, but KU only scored twice in each of its final two losses. Meanwhile, in the circle, a three-run sixth inning against Michigan put a damper on a strong debut weekend for Wichita State transfer Chloe Barber, and sophomore Kaelee Washington, who started three of the five games, got into trouble in the fifth against Florida.

The Jayhawks started strong in the early hours of Friday morning at USF Softball Stadium when they shut out and run-ruled Bethune-Cookman, 12-0. Washington, fellow sophomore Kennedy Diggs and freshman Blakely Barber limited the Wildcats to a total of two hits. Boyer and fellow catcher Bailey Amezcua homered once apiece with three RBIs each, and senior right fielder Aynslee Linduff went 3-for-3.

KU’s offense was just as potent later that day against Illinois State in a second straight five-inning victory, with a 10-run inning that laid the groundwork for a 13-5 result. Campbell Bagshaw was 3-for-3 with two RBIs, and September Flanagan and Kadence Stafford hit home runs as KU recorded 14 hits as a team. Lizzy Ludwig got into some trouble late, but ISU’s Hanna Meeks struck out swinging to leave the Cardinals eight runs down for the final out.

The Jayhawks got off to a promising start against frequent foe South Florida, their host for the weekend, on Saturday. Two-way lefty Anna Soles hit a two-run home run in the first inning, and JUCO transfer Tehya Pitts tripled in a couple more runs in the fourth to make it 4-0.

Washington had largely cruised through the first 4 1/3 innings before a double by Dania Brooks and single by Kiley Strott put runners on the corners with one out. After pinch hitter Jocelyn Wilkes drove in the Bulls’ first run, Washington gave way to Blakely Barber, who allowed another RBI single and then a third run after hitting two batters (with a strikeout in between). She was able to get to Jamia Nelson to fly out to end the inning with KU still ahead 4-3.

The sixth inning produced nothing for the Jayhawks after Madi Hays got caught stealing, and then disaster struck: KU not only relinquished its lead but allowed nine runs in the bottom of the sixth to get run-ruled. Barber got an out but conceded a three-run homer to Toryn Fulton and freshman Lila Partridge was unable to stop the bleeding in her debut as the Jayhawks lost 12-4.

KU also lost a hard-fought result the following day to Michigan. The two teams were tied 1-1 in the fifth inning when freshman Brinley Ramirez took advantage of a fielding error to score on Hailey Cripe’s flyout. Chloe Barber had allowed just one hit — a leadoff homer in the first inning — when she gave up a second solo home run to tie the score in the sixth. Erin Hoehn and Avery Fantucci hit RBI singles to put the Wolverines ahead 4-2, and a walk by Soles gave KU its only baserunner in an unsuccessful seventh.

The Jayhawks’ third and final loss came against Florida by a score of 11-2. The Gators’ pitcher Keagan Rothrock limited KU quite effectively, and Florida stretched its lead from 1-0 to 7-0 in the fifth inning with two walks, two doubles, three singles and a home run. Soles tripled to score Presley Limbaugh and then Boyer brought Soles in with a sacrifice fly in a brief sixth-inning surge.

KU will remain in Florida and play a midweek road date with Florida Gulf Coast at 4 p.m. Central time on Tuesday.