WICHITA, Kan.- Senior Brianna Smet threw a two-hitter and the seniors combined for four runs on eight hits as Wichita State beat Evansville, 5-1, on senior day at Wilkins Stadium Saturday afternoon.

With the win, the Shockers' claimed the series against the Purple Aces in front of 251 fans at Wilkins Stadium. It is the second Missouri Valley Conference series the Shockers have won this season.

Senior Kiersten Dixon went 3-for-3 at the plate, scored three runs, hit a home run, and picked up one RBI in the game. Senior Heather Gerritse went 3-for-4 with a double and picked up two RBI. Senior Jamie Hull was 2-for-4 on the day with a home run, a run scored, and an RBI.

Both Hayley Temple and Sammie Shook picked up one hit in the game. Shook also scored a run.

After giving up one run in the first inning, senior Brianna Smet held the Purple Aces scoreless for six innings as she picked up the win. It was Smet's first complete game of the season as she went 7.0 innings and gave up just one run on two hits.

Taylor Perry fell to 3-9 on the season as she picked up the loss in the circle for Evansville. She went 4.0 innings and gave up five runs on 10 hits.

With the win, Wichita State improves to 16-31 on the season and 8-11 in MVC action. Evansville falls to 11-36 on the year and 5-15 in the Valley. Wichita State currently sits in seventh place in the Missouri Valley standings, but could slide into sixth depending on the outcome of Creighton's weekend.

Both teams jumped out to an early start with the series on the line. Evansville scored a run on one hit and one error in the top of the first inning. The Shockers matched that run and tied the game at 1-1 in the bottom of the inning. Kiersten Dixon led things off for WSU with a bloop single out to left-field. Jamie Hull moved her over to second with a line drive right past the third baseman. Heather Gerritse picked up the RBI in the inning with a single right back up the middle to score Dixon.

The Shockers claimed a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the third inning scoring one run on two hits. Again, Dixon started all of the action for WSU in the bottom of the inning by hitting a double off the fence in center-field. Gerritse picked up her second RBI of the game as she hit a double to right center to allow Dixon to score her second run of the game.

WSU extended its lead out to 3-1 scoring one run on one hit in the bottom of the fourth inning. Sammie Shook led off the inning with a double down the left-field line. Rachel Milnark moved her over to third before Shook advanced home on a wild pitch.

The Shockers scored two runs on four hits to take a 5-1 lead over the Purple Aces in the bottom of the fifth inning. Dixon picked up her third hit of the game with a solo home run in the inning. It was her 6th home run of the season. The seniors decided to make it back-to-back home runs as Hull hit a solo home run of her own over the scoreboard in left-field. It was also her 6th home run of the season.

Wichita State returns to action on Tues., April 26 as they travel to Springfield, Mo. to wrap up the three-game series with the Bears of Missouri State. The game is set to begin at 5:00 p.m.

-Wichita State-