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Shocks Finish Series Sweep, 1-0

Shocks Finish Series Sweep, 1-0

3/22/2008 1:00:00 AM

WICHITA -- Wichita State (22-12, 4-2) made a bit of history Saturday afternoon as the Shockers finished off a shutout sweep of Southern Illinois (15-14, 3-3), 1-0, Saturday afternoon at Wilkins Stadium. The Salukis were swept in a three-game Valley series for the first time in conference history, as WSU did not allow a single run the entire weekend. Jamie Hull's solo home run in the fifth provided the winning run for the Shockers.

Ashly Bright tossed her second gem of the weekend, working the complete-game three-hit shutout. Bright walked two and struck out five and threw just 89 pitches in lowering her ERA to 1.83 on the season. Nikki Waters (8-7) took the hard-luck loss for the Salukis, giving up an unearned run while walking two and striking out two on the afternoon.

Leadoff hitter Katie McGeeney was the only Shocker with a multiple-hit day, going 2-for-3 for WSU at the plate, while Hull posted the day's only run with a solo shot in the fifth to push the Shockers ahead. Saluki first-baseman Lauren Haas went 2-for-3 on the afternoon, posting two of Southern Illinois' three hits.

The Shockers dodged a serious threat from the Salukis in the second when Lauren Haas ripped a leadoff double to left centerfield, but SIU again could not capitalize as Bright stranded two more Southern Illinois runners with no damage done after getting Katie Schmidt to ground out to end the second.

WSU had its first real threat in the fourth when Kara L'Huillier led the inning off with a blooping single to left before Britnee Barnett ripped a Waters pitch to deep right field but SIU's Katie Wilson made the catch and doubled L'Huillier off first to end the threat and send the game to the fifth scoreless.

Wichita State scored the first and only run of the day with a bang, as Jamie Hull took a full-count pitch from Waters over the left field fence giving WSU a 1-0 lead. Hull popped up a pitch in the at bat that Saluki first baseman Lauren Haas dropped, allowing Hull to stay alive to give the Shockers the lead.

The Shockers knew they would have to fight off a Saluki rally, and it came in the sixth after Katie Wagner ripped a one-out single through the left side bringing Alicia Garza to the plate, one of SIU's top hitters. Bright faced down the challenge yet again, getting Garza to fly out and Wagner was caught leaving early to end the threat, keeping the Salukis scoreless for the 20th-straight inning of the series.

Bright (13-8) finished the shutout sweep in the seventh, as Haas ripped a one-out double to right-center before turning over running duties to Chelsea Held. Becky Wegmann flew out to right before Jayme Wamsley popped up to Barnett to complete the sweep.

--Wichita State--
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