Date: April 26, 2016
Location: Wichita, Kan.
Stadium: Wilkins Stadium
Live Stats: Stats
Live Video: Watch
Live Audio: Listen
Talent: Steve Strain
Series: Missouri State lead, 51-48
 
Scouting Missouri State:
Missouri State is coming off a 1-2 weekend, losing two games to Northern Iowa on Saturday and winning the final game of the series on Sunday 9-8.
 
This game will be the third and final game of the series with the Bears, with the Shockers winning the first two games of the series at Missouri State last Wednesday. In the first game, the Shockers scored 17 runs on 21 hits, setting a new Killian Stadium record in hits and tied the stadium record in runs.
 
Olivia Roark has led the way offensively, hitting .378 with two doubles, and two RBI. Erin Duewel is hitting .286 with a team high seven doubles, eight home runs and 32 RBI.
 
In the circle, a majority of the innings have gone to Erin Struemph, throwing 131.0 innings so far this season and posting a record of 10-14 with an ERA of 3.95.
 
Series: Wichita State is now 48-51 all-time against the Bears, and 8-6 during the Bredbenner era. The Shockers have won two games against Missouri State already this season, by scores of 17-6 and 3-2.
 
Shockers News and Notes:
2016: Wichita State is currently riding a seven game winning streak, as they took down MVC-leading Drake this weekend in a three-game series by scores of 9-1, 9-0, and 7-4. The Shockers are now in first place in the Missouri Valley Conference with a one game lead over Northern Iowa, and a two game lead over Drake.
 
So far this season, the Shockers have been led by Macklin Hitz who is hitting .377 with seven doubles, nine home runs and 41 RBI. Hitz also has 21 walks on the season. Cacy Williams and Paige Luellen have also contributed to the Shockers success, with Williams hitting .358 with four doubles, 11 home runs and 42 RBI. Luellen has an average of .352 with nine doubles, 10 home runs and 43 RBI.
 
Wichita State has two pitchers with over 105 innings pitched with Jenni Brooks with 109.0 and Katie Malone with 119.1. Brooks has an ERA of 3.02 and an overall record of 15-6. Brooks also holds an opponent batting average of .265. Malone has a record of 10-6 and an ERA of 4.63 and leads the pitching staff with 63 strikeouts.
 
But does she get on base?
Paige Luellen had reached base in the first 28 games for the Shockers this season, but ended her 33 game on-base streak at Kansas on March 29.
 
2015 In Review: Wichita State finished the 2015 season with an overall record of 34-23 and a 16-11 record in the Missouri Valley Conference giving the Shockers a fourth place finish.
 
Eight of Nine Starters Returning: Wichita State is returning every starter from the 2015 team except catcher Melanie Jaegers, who was a big contributor for the Shockers, hitting .282 and starting all 57 games. Among the position starters returning for Wichita State is Cacy Williams (first base/right field), Liz Broyles (second base), Kelli Spring (shortstop), Mackenzie Wright (third base), Brittany Fortner (left field), Ashley Johnson (center field) and Macklin Hitz (first base). Overall, these returners combined for a batting average of .328 while collecting 202 of the team's 272 RBIs and also hitting 35 of the team's 44 homeruns.
 
2015 All-MVC: The trio of returners, Fortner, Wright and Williams, along with Jaegers who graduated were all named 2015 First Team All-MVC, while Malone, Broyles and Spring were named Second Team All-MVC.
 
Fortner's Historic Season: Fortner finished her junior season with a .416 batting average (second in team history for a single season, tied for the Valley lead), 74 hits (tied the all-time hits record in a season in team history, led the Valley), 47 runs scored (led the Valley, third in team history for a single season), 45 RBIs (third in the Valley, third all-time in a single season in team history), 18 doubles (tied for second in the Valley, set the all-time team mark for doubles in a single season this season), 121 total bases (second in the Valley, second all-time in a single season in WSU SB history), a .502 OB% (second in the Valley) and 0.82 runs scored per game (led the Valley)
 
Climbing the ranks: After collecting one double against Bradley, Brittany Fortner has taken over first place all-time in the Shocker record book with 56 doubles, needing just one more to take over sole possession first place in the Missouri Valley Conference record books.
 
Williams is also tied for seventh in doubles (34).
 
Williams is in fourth place with 127 runs scored needing just nine more to jump into the top three.
 
Fortner is also fourth in hits (213), eighth in homeruns (21), fifth in RBI (114), second in total bases (336) and seventh in walks (80).
 
With a home run against Drake, Williams is now first in home runs (36) and second in RBI (127).
 
Missouri Valley favorites: Wichita State was picked as the 2016 MVC preseason favorite, as voted on by the Valley coaches. The Shockers collected 84 points and three first-place votes to make this the second year in a row that the Shockers have been the Missouri Valley favorites.
 
2016 Preseason All-MVC: After being named to the All-MVC First Team a season ago, Fortner, Wright and Williams have all been selected for the preseason All-MVC First Team.