The Kansas softball team split its four games at the Coach B Classic and is now 9-10 overall. While the pitching and defense were solid aspects of play for the Jayhawks during the weekend — they allowed just 11 runs in four games — Kansas’ offense was sluggish, racking up only 10 runs.

For that reason, coach Megan Smith said Kansas needs to have more confidence — and therefore production — in the batter’s box.

“We need to relax in the box and trust what we’ve been working on all fall and all preseason,” Smith said. “We need to know it’s going to work, get up there, wait for our pitch, and attack it with an aggressive swing.”

Kansas’ offense has relied on only a handful of hitters so far this season. Sophomore outfielder Kelsey Alsdorf said the rest of the Jayhawks needed to deliver as well.

“We’ve had to rely on big hits sometimes from Alex Jones, Sara Ramirez or Brittany Hile,” Alsdorf said. “Hopefully more people can start getting on base.”

Kansas’ offense needs to regroup and take a simple-minded approach to hitting instead of looking for the homerun ball, junior catcher Brittney Hile said.

“I think we just need to take a step back and watch the ball all the way to the bat, and not look for that big hit to get us out of our slump,” Hile said. “We need to take it one hit at a time and let it all come together.”

Out of the top five batting averages on the team, four are freshmen. The freshman players have arguably been some of Kansas’ most productive players this season.

“Our young players are playing better than our upperclassmen,” Smith said. “I told the freshmen after the fall, ‘You’re no longer freshmen, and you’ve got to step up and be ready to play.’ They’ve certainly done that and gone out and did an excellent job for us.”

Kansas will have its home opener on Thursday when it hosts the KU Invitational and will face Valparaiso and Missouri State.

— Edited by Kelly Gibson