WICHITA -- Wichita State (21-12, 3-2) used a pair of strong pitching performances to sweep Southern Illinois (15-13, 3-2) in a conference doubleheader at Wilkins Stadium Friday evening. The Shockers took game one by a 7-0 score before defeating the Salukis 3-0 in the nightcap.

Katie McGeeney, Britnee Barnett and Cynthia Verhulst each had multiple-hit games in the first game of the day, while Barnett and Verhulst drove in five of WSU's seven runs in game one. Heather Gerritse was the hero of game two, driving in two in a three-run third that gave the Shockers the win. Verhulst hit her team-best sixth home run of the season in game one.

Game One: Shockers 7, Salukis 0
Ashly Bright stole the show in game one, tossing the three-hit shutout to pick up her 12th win of the season. Bright walked two and struck out eight in her fourth shutout of the season.

The Shockers struck first with a sacrifice fly by Britnee Barnett that brought home Katie McGeeney after the Shocker leadoff hitter floated a double down the left line to open the bottom of the first.

Kiersten Dixon's one-out single in the bottom of the second gave the Shockers a 3-0 lead after Jamie Hull and Jamie Stanclift both crossed the plate. Hull led the second off with a walk while Stanclift moved her to third after doubling over the head of Saluki left-fielder Katie Schmidt. Dixon's 11th and 12th RBI's of the season gave WSU a three-run advantage after the first two innings.

Saluki starter Danielle Glosson (1-4) was pulled after surrendering a leadoff single to Britnee Barnett in the bottom of the third. Glosson gave up four runs on three hits. Katie McNamara replaced Glosson and promptly gave up a home run on a full count to Cynthia Verhulst, a two-run shot over the right field fence that gave the Shockers a 5-0 lead.

WSU tacked on two more in the fourth after a Barnett single brought home Dixon and a sacrifice fly by Verhulst that brought home McGeeney, putting the Shockers up 7-0 after four innings of play.

SIU posed its first threat of the afternoon in the sixth after a two-out error and a single by Lauren Haas gave the Salukis runners on the corners, but Bright got Katie Wilson to fly out to center, keeping Southern Illinois scoreless and moving her record to 12-8 in the circle this season.


Game Two: Shockers 3, Salukis 0
The Shockers scored three runs in the bottom of the third which was all the offense Shocker starter Brianna Smet (8-2) needed as WSU posted the doubleheader shutout of the Salukis with the 3-0 win in the nightcap.

Smet was solid in the second game, walking one and striking out two while keeping the conference's best offense in check, holding SIU to just three hits in 4.2 innings of work. Ashly Bright came on to work the final 2.1 innings to pick up her fifth save of the season. Saluki ace Nikki Waters (8-6) worked the complete game in the loss, giving up three earned runs on five hits while walking one and striking out four.

Heather Gerritse went 2-for-3 with two RBI, which came in the third on a single up the middle that scored Smet and Britnee Barnett, giving WSU the 3-0 lead after Barnett drove in Dixon earlier in the inning with a single through the right side.

--Wichita State--