By: Wichita State
at 
Evansville (10-34, 4-13) at Wichita State (14-30, 6-10)
Fri., April 22- 2:00 p.m.
Fri., April 22- 4:00 p.m.
Sat., April 23- 12:00 p.m.
Leading Off
- The Series
- WSU vs. UE All-Time: 23-20
- Under Perniciaro: 9-5
- Last Meeting: 2010
- Result: L, 3-2
- Wichita State hasn't hosted the Purple Aces at Wilkins Stadium since the 2007 season. That year, the Shockers won the series by winning two of the three games. They wrapped up the series with a 2-1 thrilling win in eight innings.
Senior Farewell:
The Shockers play their last Missouri
Valley Conference series at home this weekend against the Purple Aces of
Evansville. It is a weekend when Shocker fans will celebrate the careers of
seniors Jamie Hull, Brianna Smet, Heather Gerritse, and Kiersten Dixon. Wichita State and Evansville meet for a three-game series in Wichita for the first time since the 2007 season. The two teams have met in Evansville for the past three seasons due to inclement weather. The Shocks and the Purple Aces collide for a doubleheader on Fri., April 22 starting at 2:00 p.m. The two teams will wrap up the series on Sat., April 23 at 12:00 p.m.
Scouting Evansville: The Purple Aces look carry momentum from a 3-0 shutout over Southern Illinois Wednesday night into the three-game series with the Shockers. They moved into eighth place in the MVC standings behind Wichita State with the split against Southern Illinois on Wednesday night. The Purple Aces would have to sweep the Shockers this weekend in order to take the seventh place standing. Evansville is 10-34 on the season and 4-13 in conference play. The Purple Aces are 3-12 on the road away from Evansville, Ind.
The Shockers have the edge on the Purple Aces with an all-time record of 23-20. They are 9-5 against Evansville in the Perniciaro era. Last year, the teams met for a three-game series in Evansville, Ind. where the Purple Aces took the series by winning two of the year. UE wrapped up the series with a 3-2 victory. The last time the Shockers played Evansville in Wichita, WSU won the series by winning two of the three games. They wrapped up the series with a 2-1 thrilling win in eight innings.
Celebrating the Seniors:
Wichita State will celebrate the careers of Kiersten Dixon, Heather Gerritse, Jamie Hull, and Brianna Smet on Sat., April 23. The young ladies have left their mark on the Wichita State program both on and off the field. From being named to the all-Missouri Valley Conference teams to being recognized as a scholar-athlete, Dixon,Gerritse, Hull, and Smet have continued the rich tradition of Shocker softball.
A Look at the Shockers:
Wichita State's offense is led by Heather Gerritse, who ranks fifth in the
Valley with a .355 batting average. Sophomore Sammie Shook leads the squad with
six home runs on the season, and Hayley Temple leads the way with 11
doubles.
Last Time Out: The
Missouri State Bears extended its win streak out to seven games as they took
both games of the doubleheader from the Shockers at Wilkins Stadium Wednesday
evening. The Bears won the first game of
the doubleheader by the score of 5-3, and then scored two runs in the top of
the seventh inning to come from behind and win the second game, 2-1.
The Shockers held MSU scoreless on just four hits for six innings. The
Bears stormed back and doubled their hits total in the seventh inning to claim
a 2-1 lead.
Shockers Upset #18 Oklahoma State: The
Wichita State softball team extended its winning streak out to four games as
the Shockers upset #18 Oklahoma State, 4-2, in front of 266 fans at Wilkins
Stadium Tuesday evening. In their game under the lights, the Shockers never
trailed to nationally ranked Oklahoma State. The Shockers lost to the Cowgirls
earlier in the season, 10-1, but came out and took it to OSU from the start of
the game. Wichita State scored four runs on nine hits and held the Cowgirls to
just two runs on five hits. Freshman Sloan Anderson picked up her fifth
win of the season as she held Oklahoma State to two runs on four hits in 3.1
innings of action. Senior Brianna Smet picked up her second save of the season.
All three pitchers saw action in the game. Hayley Temple led the
Shockers' offensive attack. She went 2-for-3 at the plate and scored two runs.
Freshman Erin Carney was a perfect 2-for-2 at the plate with a run scored.
Kiersten Dixon, Jamie Hull, Heather Gerritse, Sammie Shook, and Brittney Osborn
each picked up one hit in the contest. Both Rachel Milnark and Shook picked up
an RBI.
