2012: In her first collegiate season as a Lady Brave, Kays appeared in 30 games with 17 starts. She went 9-for-42 at the plate for a .214 batting average. Kays scored two runs, had one double, drove in three runs, had a slugging percentage of .238, an on base percentage of .227, and she was 2-for-2 in stolen base attempts. On the pitcher’s mound, Kays appeared in 17 games with five starts and pitched in 45 innings. She had a 2-6 record with a 4.67 ERA. She had a career high 11 strikeouts against MidAmerica Nazarene University (3/6).
Johnson County Community College: Kays earned two letters on the softball diamond for the Cavaliers. On the pitching mound, she finished her career with a 23-7 record, recorded five saves, logged 208.1 innings with 133 strikeouts, and had a career ERA of 2.25. Kays ranks 16th all-time in innings pitched, is tied for 12th in career starts (35), and tied for 16th in career games completed (21).
During her sophomore season, she saw action at both outfield and pitching positions. Kays played all three outfield spots but primarily in left field. She earned First-Team All-Region VI/District D and Honorable Mention All-East Jayhawk Conference honors as an outfielder. Kays hit .363 (58-for-160) with eight doubles, one triple, 22 runs, and 20 RBI. Her 58 hits were third on the team and she had five stolen bases. Kays had a .980 fielding percentage in the outfield, and an overall percentage of .941 including time as pitcher. She posted a 4-5 record with five saves and had an ERA of 3.81 with 37 strikeouts in 57 innings of work. Kays started seven games, completing four and held her opponents to an average of .287.
As a freshman, she earned Honorable Mention All-Region VI/District B accolades at pitcher. Kays ranked 31st in the NJCAA in individual pitching. She worked 151.1 innings compiling a 19-2 record, 96 strikeouts and an ERA of 1.67 in 31 appearances with 28 as a starter. She completed 17 games, registered 10 shutouts, and held her opponents to a batting average of .181. Kays 19 wins rank 11th on JCCC’s season chart and she ranks 11th for fewest loses in a season, 19th in innings pitched, 10th in season starts and tied for 16th in complete games. She recorded a 9-0 shutout in her first collegiate start, allowing just one hit with four strikeouts against the Ottawa University Junior Varsity (3-5-10) and mowed down a season high nine Dodge City batters in a victory over the Conquistadors (3-26-10). Three outings later, Kays struck out eight in a 4-3 win over Labette (3-31-10) and began a 12-game win streak with a win over Highland (4-6-10). She had an eight strikeout effort in a two-hit shutout over Brown Mackie (4-16-10) and ended the regular season with three-hit shutout over Maple Woods (4-28-10). Kays had seven strikeouts in the game. She logged 12 innings in three games at Nationals and was credited with the win over Mercer County after working six innings with a strikeout.
High School: At Lafayette County C-1 High School, she earned letters in softball, track and basketball. Kays was a four-time Missouri Class 2 All-District pitcher, earning First-Team honors three times. She earned All-Region and All-Missouri River Valley East Conference accolades as a pitcher. Kays was voted her team’s Rookie of the Year as a freshman, and top defensive player her junior year. She set the career wins record at her school with 52, winning 14 games as a freshman, 15 as a sophomore, 12 her junior year, and 11 as a senior. Her 15 wins her sophomore year set the school’s season mark. Kays hit over .300 her junior and senior year. On the track, she earned Missouri Class 2 All-State in the discus, placing sixth with a mark of 113-10 her senior year and she was the only track athlete from her school to place at state in 2009. Kays won the District 8 title in the discus with a mark of 114-10, and followed with another win at the Class Sectional with a winning toss of 114-4. She set the school record in the discus with a mark of 121-8.5 and was a four-time Academic all-conference selection in softball, track and basketball.
Personal: Daughter of Mark and Joyce Kays ... born November 29, 1990 ... elementary education major.
