FAYETTEVILLE, Ark.- The Wichita State softball team (6-9) scored a Saturday split at the Clarion Inn/Lady'Back Invitational, downing UMKC, 3-2, before falling to Missouri, 8-2, after a three hour weather delay pushed the start time back to after 9 p.m.

The Shockers claimed the No. 2-seed and advance to bracket play, and will take the field again at 9:30 a.m., Sunday morning against Colorado State. The Shockers are guaranteed an appearance in tomorrow afternoon's championship game regardless of a win or loss to the Rams, as CSU has standing travelling plans that will force them to leave Fayetteville before the championship game begins. Tomorrow's championship game is scheduled for 2 p.m., and will feature Wichita State and the winner of tomorrow morning's Missouri-Arkansas game.

Missouri 8, Shockers 2
Starting three hours later than the scheduled first pitch of 6 p.m., Wichita State (6-9) outhit Missouri (12-6), 7-4, but a Shocker error allowed four unearned runs as the Tigers fought past the Shockers, 8-2, in the final game of the second day at the Clarion Inn/Lady'Back Invitational.

Margo Pruis (3-3) took the loss for the Shockers, working 4.1 innings, giving up all four hits and eight runs, four of which were earned, while walking six and striking out four. Ashly Bright came in on relief and continued to pitch well, logging the final 1.2 innings without allowing a hit, walking one and striking out two.

Jen Bruck (5-0) picked up the win for the Tigers, working four innings while walking one and striking out six.

Missouri started the scoring early and often, scratching out three runs in the first two innings before the Shockers finally opened up in the fourth. Britnee Barnett roped a one-out double to center and touched home on a Stephanie De La Riva single up the middle that closed the MU lead to 3-1. WSU closed the gap to just one run later in the inning when pinch-runner Lindsie Mitts scored on an Elissa Zeches single through the left side, giving the Shockers a new chance, going to the bottom of the fourth down just one run.

The Tigers quickly snatched the runs right back, as a Pruis error and a wild pitch helped MU score three in the inning, putting Missouri ahead 6-2.

A Bruck home run in the fifth, her second of the game, helped MU close the fifth with two more runs and a 8-2 lead. The Shockers went down in order in the fifth sixth and seventh.

Shockers 3, UMKC 2
Wichita State (6-8) scored two runs in the bottom of the first then held off a late-innings rally to fend off a pesky UMKC (0-6) squad, 3-2, in rain-delayed second day action at the 2007 Clarion Inn/Lady'Back Invitational.

WSU's Britnee Barnett (2-2) picked up the win for the Shockers, working a complete game gem, giving up two unearned runs on five hits while walking none and striking out 10. UMKC's Samantha Hurst (0-2) shouldered the loss for the Kangaroos, working a complete-game four-hitter, while walking three and striking out four.

The Shockers led the game off with back-to-back hits, as Lisa Jones drove in Katie McGeeney with a double to put the Shockers ahead 1-0 just two batters into the game. Jones later came around to score on Barnett's single up the middle, giving WSU a 2-0 lead after one.

UMKC threatened in the fourth, stranding two baserunners before tying the game up with two runs in the sixth. Ashley Toft reached on Jones' first error in nearly two years and later scored along with Taron Brewer after Taia Jones laced a double to center, giving the Kangaroos new life and tying the game, 2-2.

Jones quickly got the Shockers started in the bottom of the frame with a leadoff single, and got into scoring position one batter later when Barnett drew the third of three walks off Hurst. giving the Shockers two on with no one out. Ashly Bright advanced the runners with a sacrifice bunt and senior Stephanie De La Riva drove in the winning run when Jones scored on a sacrifice fly to put the Shockers ahead for good, 3-2.

Barnett retired the side in order in the seventh to pick up the win.