27 February 2023
LAWRENCE (KSNT)- KU softball has been starved for success in recent years.
The Jayhawks finished 3-15 in Big 12 play last spring. They went 2-16 in the conference in 2021. KU hasn’t won more than three conference softball games since 2016. This year, however, could be different.
“Our team chemistry is off the charts,” junior pitcher and Washburn Rural graduate Kasey Hamilton said.
Her teammate, in college and from high school, agrees.
“Our chemistry is top-tier,” utility sophomore Olivia Bruno, also a WRHS product, said.
This team believes that chemistry will produce wins.
“Team chemistry wins games, Coach McFalls always says,” Hamilton said. “When there’s that close knit bond between everyone it shows up on the softball field.”
Chemistry by itself is likely not enough. Luckily for KU fans, this team has a whole lot more than just a close-knit community.
“We always know that the talent is there,” Hamilton said. “We’re not lacking talent whatsoever. If we just keep pushing, keep chipping away, climbing the ladder we’re going to do great. We have the talent. We have what it takes.”
The will to win is there, according to coach.
“They’re focused. they’re hungry, they want to be better,” head coach Jennifer McFalls said.
The trials of previous seasons could have long term benefits for this squad. It’s a group that has been through a lot, and stuck together in good times and bad.
“We all want to work together,” Bruno said. “We all want to be the best. Yeah, we’ll have some tough times but we’ll learn from those.”
The toughness and resiliency that can come through trials is already paying off.
“It’s already shown up this year in several games,” McFalls said. “If we started off behind we answered right back in the next couple innings. We’ve really done a great job of not giving up.”
It’s a group of players taking the field for Kansas who are from Kansas. Ten players on KU’s roster are from the Sunflower State.
“There’s just that Kansas pride, and everyone wants to do well for the state of Kansas,” Hamilton said.
Last year, three of the final four teams in the college softball playoffs were from the Big 12. The Jayhawks will play against the best of the best. That challenge excites Coach McFalls and her team.
“We just got to take care of business and kind of take it one game at a time,” McFalls said.
They’re hoping this season could be the start of an upward trend for KU softball.
“Ever since my freshman year it’s been a goal to turn this program around and I think we’re starting to get there for sure,” senior infielder Ashlyn Anderson said. “This year’s looking up.”
McFalls describes their team as hungry and hard working. KU is 10-5 to start the season and even notched a 10-0 no-hit win against Texas Southern on Sunday.