MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. - Wichita State swept through the first day of the Coastal Carolina Invitational with victories over Western Carolina, 8-5, and Drexel, 4-0.

In the opening game of the day with Western Carolina the Shockers led off a wild first inning with a pair of runs on senior Hayley Temple's two-run double to right centerfield that plated Ali Vandever and Brittany Fortner from second and third base, respectively.

Western Carolina answered right back in the bottom of the first with four runs, three of which were unearned off Wichita State starter Katie Armagost. The Catamounts were poised to do even more damage with the bases loaded and two outs but Armagost got leadoff hitter Amelia Griffin to line out to left field.

After exchanging scoreless second and third innings Wichita State grabbed the lead back in the top of the fourth, 5-4, on an RBI double from sophomore Layne Greenlee and an RBI single from catcher Melanie Jaegers. Jaegers single to left was misplayed by the Catamount's left fielder allowing Fortner to score all the way from first and moving Jaegers to second.

The Catamounts countered once again in the bottom of the fourth tying the game, 5-5, on an RBI single from Haley Pace.

In the top of the fifth it was another Wichita State sophomore coming through in the clutch when designated player Brianne Bond laced a two-run single to left field scoring Temple and Danika Miller to give the Shockers a 7-5 lead.

Jaegers completed her 3-for-4 game with a solo home run to lead off the sixth inning that glanced off the top of the left field fence. Jaegers was one of three Shockers with two RBI's in the game along with Temple and Bond.

Armagost was steady throughout, navigating a strict strike zone to allowed two earned runs and striking out four.

Sloan Anderson entered in relief to pick up her eighth career save moving her into sole possession of second place on the WSU all-time list.

Anderson returned to take the ball from the start in the day's second game against Drexel tossing her second complete game shutout of the season. The junior from Hillsboro, Ore. needed only 78 pitches to stymie the Dragons offense scattering five hits and striking out a pair.

Jaegers again kick started the Shocker offense shooting a line drive double into the gap in left centerfield scoring Greenlee and freshman Paige Mason to give the Shockers a 2-0 lead.

Vandever and Mason provided a couple of exclamation points to the victory each blasting their first home runs in a Wichita State uniform in the fifth and sixth inning, respectively.

The Shockers will begin their day Saturday with another matchup with Western Carolina at 1:30 p.m. (CST) before an evening date with host Coastal Carolina at 5:30 p.m.

-WICHITA STATE-