WICHITA, Kan.- Wichita State scored two runs in the bottom of the seventh inning to take down the Missouri Valley Conference preseason favorite, Illinois State, by the score of 4-3 in Wichita, Kansas, Saturday afternoon.

The Shockers were led by sophomore Hayley Temple, who went 2-for-3 at the plate. Senior Kiersten Dixon went 1-for-4 with two RBI off of a home run and a run scored. Dixon also brought home the game winning run as she forced the Redbirds into an error in the bottom of the seventh inning. Heather Gerritse was also 1-for-3 at the plate for the Shockers. Danika Miller was 1-for-3 at the plate with the game-tying RBI and scored the winning run for the Shockers in the bottom of the seventh inning.

Freshman pitcher, Sloan Anderson, went 6.0 innings and gave up just one run off of four hits. She recorded a career high six strikeouts for the Shockers en route to her first win on the season. Anderson now improves to 1-4 in the circle.

Wichita State improves to 8-21 on the season and 1-3 in MVC play, as Illinois State falls to 15-11 on the season and 2-1 in the Valley.

The Redbirds reached the scoreboard first scoring two runs off of two hits in the top of the second inning. Elizabeth Kay led off the inning with a solo home run to right center. ISU kept the inning going and put runners in scoring position for Kara Nelson. She picked up an RBI scoring Laura Canopy with a single up the middle. Illinois State took a 2-0 lead heading into the bottom of the second inning.

The Shockers tried to answer in the bottom of the inning as Heather Gerritse led off the inning with a single and advanced to second on an error by the Redbirds' right fielder, Nichelle Harrison. Torrie Brown came into the game to pinch run for Gerritse and was thrown out at home on a Hayley Temple single to center field. The Redbirds were able to hold onto their 2-0 lead after two innings of play.

Freshman Sloan Anderson came into the game from the bullpen in the middle of the second inning. She had a great game in the circle settling down Illinois State at the plate. After the Redbirds took an early 2-0 lead, Anderson was able to retire 12-straight Illinois State batters through the sixth inning.

The Shockers reached the scoreboard and evened the score at, 2-2, in the bottom of the sixth inning with a two run home run from senior Kiersten Dixon. The homer was Dixon's second home run of the season and 15th of her career.

Illinois State scored one run on three hits to take a 3-2 lead in the top of the seventh inning.

The Shockers scored two runs in the bottom of the seventh inning off of one hit and one error to take down the preseason favorite, Illinois State. Kiersten Dixon forced the Redbirds into an error at third base that allowed Danika Miller to score the winning run.

Wichita State and Illinois State conclude the double-header with the second game starting approximately twenty minutes following the conclusion of the first game.

-Wichita State-