LAWRENCE, Kan. – No. 23 Kansas used a two-out, walk-off grand slam to take a 5-4 win over the Omaha softball team in the final game of the Jayhawk Invitational on Sunday afternoon at Arrocha Ballpark.
The Mavericks finish the tournament 1-3 and now stand 10-13 on the season. Kansas went 3-0 on the weekend and is 25-2 overall.
Lizzie Noble went 2-for-3 at the plate with a solo homerun to lead the Mavericks. Campbell Ditto went 1-for-3 with a two-run homerun. Kelly Pattison and Megan May each hit doubles, while Allie Mathewson and Tara Trede each had singles.
Kat Barrow (4-3) pitched 6.2 innings and gave up one earned run on eight hits, two walks, and five strikeouts.
Barrow and Kansas pitcher Alicia Pille were locked in a pitcher's duel until the top of the fourth inning. Tonya Peterson drew a walk from Pille to bring Ditto to the plate. Ditto smashed a two-run homerun to left field to give the Mavericks the lead, 2-0.
UNO added a run in the top of the fifth. Pille retired the first two Omaha batters before allowing Mathewson to single up the middle. Mathewson immediately swiped second to give the Mavericks a runner in scoring position. Pattison roped a double down the left field line allowing Mathewson to score, giving the Mavs a 3-0 lead.
In the top of the sixth, Noble laced a two-out homerun off Kansas relief pitcher Sophia Templin to increase the Maverick lead to 4-0.
Kansas got a run back in the bottom of the frame when lead-off batter, Lily Behrmann, hit a homer to center field to make the score 4-1 in favor of UNO.
Trede opened the top of the seventh with an infield single and moved into scoring position with only one out. Templin managed to work out of trouble to keep the Jayhawks within three runs.
Barrow retired the first Kansas batter of the inning before Taylor McElhaney singled up the middle. An Omaha error, followed by a walk to Behrmann loaded the bases for KU with one out. Barrow once again rose to the occasion by inducing Chaley Brickey to hit into a fielder's choice. Maddie Stein hit a walk-off grand slam to give Kansas the win, 5-4.
Omaha will host Northern Colorado for its home opener on Tuesday, March 17 in non-conference action. First pitch is set for 1 p.m. at Westside Field at Westbrook, and links to live stats will be available on OMavs.com.
