WICHITA, Kan. - The Shocker softball team opens Missouri Valley Conference play with a three-game series against Indiana State beginning with a doubleheader Saturday at 12 p.m. at Wilkins Stadium. The series will conclude Sunday at 12 p.m.

Following a preseason campaign that saw no Valley team outdistance itself from the competition, the regular season race for the conference crown could be one of the most wide-open in recent memory.

A good start in the opening weekend could go a long way in deciding the seeding for the MVC Tournament being held in Omaha, Neb., May 9-12. Nobody knows that better than the Shockers.

A year ago the Shockers opened conference play 0-12 before finally finding the winning edge in a three-game sweep of Evansville. It proved to be too little, too late as WSU finished a half game out of eighth place and earning a trip to the MVC Tournament.

Wichita State enters MVC play on the ultimate rollercoaster ride. WSU has sandwiched a five-game winning streak between a pair of five-game losing skids.

Starting pichers Katie Armagost (2.68 ERA) and Sloan Anderson (2.38 ERA) have been the bright spot for WSU following a disappointing 2012. Each ranks in the top-seven in the conference in ERA.

At the plate the Shockers have relied on sophomore catcher Melanie Jaegers and sophomore designated player Brianne Bond as well as senior second baseman Hayley Temple and Oklahoma transfer Ali Vandever.

For the Shockers to move up the conference ladder they will need to find more consistency at the plate (.244 avg.) and find a suitable replacement for sophomore Layne Greenlee in centerfield after the Denton, Texas native was lost for the season with a torn ACL last week against Nebraska.

Indiana State comes to Wichita sporting a pair of the conference's most dangerous hitters in Shelby Wilson and Morgan Allee.  WIlson is the MVC's second-leading hitter with a .439 batting average and has driven in 19 runs. Allee is the MVC's leading base stealer with 21 in 25 attempts.

The Sycamores offense has made up for a rought start in the circle so far in 2013. Indiana State comes into MVC play with a conference-worst 4.74 ERA.

-WICHITA STATE-