DES MOINES, Iowa – The Wichita State softball team took two games from the Drake Bulldogs Friday afternoon at Ron Buel Field. The Shockers defeated the Bulldogs 4-2 in game one before taking game two, 2-1 in the series.

Paige Luellen hit 3-for-5 on the day with a triple, a double, two RBIs and two walks, while Brittany Fortner went 3-for-7 with a home run and two RBIs in the victories.

Luellen hit a leadoff triple to right field in the second inning, scoring on a single by Vandever shortly after to give the Shockers a 1-0 lead in the early going of the first game.

Williams hit a leadoff single up the middle, reaching second on a SAC bunt by Jaegers and advancing to third on a wild pitch. Luellen hit a RBI single to bring in Williams and give the Shockers a 2-0 advantage.

Vandever reached on a Bulldog error to start the fourth inning, advancing to third on two-straight wild pitches before scoring on another Drake error to put Wichita State ahead, 3-0.

The Bulldogs got on the board in the bottom half of the fourth inning, cutting the Shocker lead, 3-1, when Laura Brewer hit a home run to left field. Drake followed the homer with four-straight singles to get the Bulldogs within one, 3-2, heading into the fifth inning.

Fortner hit a single up the middle in the seventh, bringing in Layne Greenlee to pinch run for the sophomore before Luellen hit a RBI double to right center to give Wichita State a 4-2 lead. The Shocker defense came up big in the bottom half of the inning, taking game one from the Bulldogs.

Jenni Brooks (3-1) picked up the win for Wichita State, allowing just two hits and striking out three in 3.2 innings. Brooks relieved Malone in the fourth, who allowed five hits and two runs, striking out three in 3.1 innings.

Luellen hit 3-for-4 for the Shockers, which included a triple, a double and two RBIs, while Williams went 1-for-2 with two walks and one run scored in the victory.

In the second game, Fortner hit her sixth home run on the season in the third inning to right center as the Shockers took an early 2-0 lead.

Drake responded with a home run of its own in the bottom of the fifth to make the score 2-1 but it wasn't enough as Wichita State took game two from the Bulldogs.

Sloan Anderson (11-11) was recorded with the win in game two, striking out seven and allowing just one run in seven innings. Fortner led the Shockers in the game, going 2-for-3 at the plate with a home run and two RBIs.

The Shockers will play the final game of the series Sat., April 19 with a 12 p.m. start at Ron Buel Field.

-WICHITA STATE-