KANSAS CITY - The Wichita State softball team (27-25) got plenty of offense throughout the lineup and excellent pitching performances as the Shockers swept a doubleheader from UMKC (3-38) Wednesday afternoon at Cleveland Park.

The Shockers took game one by an 8-0 six-inning run rule before tripping up the Kangaroos 8-0 in the nightcap.

Britnee Barnett got things started for the Shockers in game one with a two-out triple to right. Cynthia Verhulst got the Shockers on the board a batter later with an RBI single to left-center, giving the Shockers a 1-0 lead.

Back-to-back doubles by Lisa Jones and Erin Peters helped push the Shockers out to a 5-0 lead before Peters came home on a wild pitch to give WSU a 6-0 lead, capping a five-run third for the Shockers.

UMKC could never get the bats going against Margo Pruis (17-11) who picked up her seventh-straight win with a two-hit shutout gem, walking one and striking out five.

The Shockers tacked on two unearned runs in the sixth to end the game via the run-rule. Alicia Baker took the loss for UMKC, giving up six earned runs while walking three and striking out one.

WSU out-hit the Kangaroos 13-2, with Barnett's 3-for-3 game leading the way. Jones went 2-for-4 to pick up the only other multiple-hit game for the Shockers.

Peters delivered the first Shocker run of game two with an RBI single up the middle that scored Barnett, who reached on a one-out double earlier in the inning. Peters' 12th RBI of the season and third of the day gave the Shockers a 1-0 lead after four.

WSU got two unearned runs in the fifth thanks to a McGeeney infield single that scored Kara L'Huillier and Elissa Zeches after a Kangaroo error, giving the Shockers a 3-0 lead after five.

A great running catch by Zeches in right robbed the Kangaroos of a double, helping the cause of starter Ashly Bright (6-9) who pitched a gem for the Shockers, striking out 10 and walking none in the complete-game two-hitter.

L'Huillier's sacrifice fly in the sixth ended up scoring two to give the Shockers a 5-0 lead after Stephanie De La Riva drew the infield's attention with a rundown play that allowed Lisa Jones to score from second on the tag.

UMKC starter Cori Mead (1-9) took the loss, giving up three runs on four hits while walking two in four innings of work. Samantha Hurst came on to work the final three innings, giving up five runs on four hits.

WSU tacked on three more in the seventh thanks to four hits, securing the 8-0 win. McGeeney and Barnett each ran their hitting streaks to nine games with base knocks in each contest. Kylie Williamson had the only two hits in the second game for the Kangaroos.

 

-Wichita State-