By: Wichita State
WICHITA, Kan. – Wichita State earned a much-needed split in Saturday afternoon's doubleheader with Drake taking game two 6-1 after dropping the series opener 3-1 at Wilkins Stadium.
Wichita State's first run of game one came on a Melanie Jaegers solo home run to left field in the bottom of the first on the first pitch she saw from Drake starter Jordan Gronewold.
Gronewold made up for the first inning blast from Jaegers with one of her own in the top of the second – a two-run shot to left centerfield to give the Bulldogs a 2-1 lead.
Drake extend its lead to 3-1 in the third inning when Amy Pierce scored from second base on Nicole Randel's two-out RBI single up the middle. Shocker shortstop Ali Vandever fielded the ball and flipped to second base but Macie Silliman slid in ahead of the force out allowing Pierce to score.
From there Gronewold threw two scoreless innings before giving way to Rebekah Schmidt who picked up her eighth save of the season in three scoreless inning of relief.
Shocker starter Katie Armagost allowed five hits and two earned runs in her 15th complete game of the season.
In game two, Sloan Anderson earned the victory in the circle for Wichita State allowing one unearned run on five hits over four innings.
The Shockers took a 2-0 lead on Abby Furstenberg's two-out two-run single to left field in the bottom of the second inning.
Looking for insurance runs Wichita State got four runs – all unearned- in the bottom of the fourth inning to extend its lead to 6-0. After Brittany Fortner reached on a fielding error by the Drake shortstop with two outs Jaegers ripped a RBI single to left field to plate Ali Vandever. Danika Miller followed with a line drive single to right field that tipped off the extended glove of the Drake first baseman to score Laura Vickers and Fortner. Jaegers then scored from third on a wild pitch for the sixth Shocker run of the game.
Armagost entered in the top of the fifth and threw three scoreless innings to pick up her second save of the season.
The series with Drake concludes Sunday at 12 p.m. The Shockers will honor seniors Armagost, Miller and Hayley Temple before the game.
-WICHITA STATE-
