DENTON, Texas – The Wichita State softball team split a pair of games to open the Best Western/Courtyard Classic Saturday in Denton, Texas. The Shockers dropped the first game, 0-3 against McNeese State before snapping North Texas' 12-game winning streak with a 5-4 victory over the Mean Green.

Game One: McNeese 3, Wichita State 0

Alanna DiVittorio hit a home run on the first pitch in the bottom of the first to give the Cowgirls an early 1-0 lead.

Taylor Goree added another run with a home run in the bottom of the third, giving McNeese State a 2-0 advantage. The Cowgirls loaded the bases on two walks and a hit by pitch before Sloan Anderson retired the next three batters to get the Shockers out of the inning.

Wichita State threatened to score in the fourth with bases loaded after Paige Mason was hit by a pitch, Ali Vandever hit a single through the left side and Kelli Spring walked but the McNeese State defense stepped up and kept the Shocker scoreless.

The McNeese defense helped the pitching staff get away with a 3-0 victory over Wichita State in the first game of the Best Western/Courtyard Classic.

Sloan Anderson (4-5) took the loss for the Shockers, allowing four hits and striking out eight in six innings while Rachel Smith recorded the win for the Cowgirls, pitching five innings and allowing just two hits and striking out one.

Game Two: Wichita State, North Texas

Jordan Terry hit a RBI double to left field to give the Mean Green a 1-0 lead in the first inning but the Shockers responded with a double to left field by Mason who scored shortly after on an error by the shortstop, tying the game 1-1.

Mason got Wichita State on base again in the bottom of the fourth, hitting a single to center field and advancing on a SAC bunt by Liz Broyles. Paige Luellen hit a two RBI home run over the center field scoreboard to give the Shockers their first lead of the game, 3-1.

North Texas loaded the bases in the top of the sixth with no outs before the Mean Green got run in on a hit to shortstop and a RBI flyout to right field tied the game 3-3. Katie Malone retired the next two batters to get the Shockers out of the inning.

Broyles and Luellen hit back-to-back singles to put runners on first and second for Wichita State before Broyles stole third to put the Shockers in scoring position. Ali Vandever hit a two RBI single up the middle to regain the lead, 5-3, heading into the seventh inning.

Anderson relieved Malone of her duties in the seventh inning after Malone pitched six innings, allowing six hits, three runs and striking out two in the game.

The Mean Green put up a fight in the top of the seventh, putting runners on first and second with a walk and a single to right field with the winning runner at the plate. Danielle Hoff hit a RBI single to right field, cutting the Shocker lead, 5-4 with just one out. The Wichita State defense came up big, however, defeating North Texas 5-4 in the second game of the Best Western/Courtyard Classic.

Malone was recorded with the win and Anderson picked up the save for the Shockers in the victory. Luellen and Mason both went 2-for-3 at the plate to lift Wichita State past North Texas.

The Shockers will wrap up the Best Western/Courtyard Classic Sunday with a 9 a.m. game against McNeese State and a 2:30 p.m. finale game against tournament host, North Texas.

-WICHITA STATE-