WICHITA, Kan. - On another cold day at Wilkins Stadium Wichita State's (21-24, 9-6) bats provided plenty of heat as a six-run first helped the Shockers finish off the series sweep of Indiana State (15-18, 1-10), 8-1, Saturday afternoon at Wilkins Stadium.

The Shockers heated up early with six runs in the first, as each of the first three WSU batters reached on hits. Katie McGeeney led the game off with a single before Brooke Usher singled through the left side, giving the Shockers two runners on for Britnee Barnett, who plated them both with a double off the right-center wall. Barnett's 24th and 25th RBI of the season gave the Shockers a 2-0 lead just three batters into the game. An Erin Peters RBI single to center plated Barnett to give WSU a 3-0 lead. A bases-loaded walk by Sycamore starter Darcy Wood (8-14) to Lindsie Mitts allowed another run and Shocker catcher Kara L'Huillier made her pay a batter later, driving in two with a single, giving the Shockers a 6-0 lead after just an inning of play.

Wood didn't last long, working just two-thirds of an inning, giving up six runs on five hits while walking and striking out two. Meagan McCurdy came on in relief and pitched well, giving up just three hits and two unearned runs in 5.1 innings of work, striking out seven on the afternoon.

The Sycamores posed their first threat in the second when Stephanie Spychaj led the inning off with a single, and Jessica McGivney walked, but Shocker starter Margo Pruis (12-11) struck out the final two hitters to end the inning.

ISU scored its first off Pruis with a home run in the top of the sixth, as leadoff hitter Meredith Simpson took a pitch from the senior deep over the right-center fence, cutting the Shocker lead to 6-1. A nice running catch by centerfielder Erin Peters likely prevented another run and Pruis got Spychaj to ground out to end the inning and Indiana State's strongest scoring threat of the day.

The Shockers tacked on two more unearned runs in the sixth to extend the lead to 8-1, and Pruis shut the Sycamores down in the seventh to pick up the win. The Morrison, Ill., native walked three and struck out seven, giving up just three hits and one run, while walking three. Pruis has given up just two runs in her last 25 innings of work.

WSU is next in action when the Shockers host Tulsa as part of a 3 p.m., doubleheader on Wednesday at Wilkins Stadium.