EVANSVILLE, Ind. – Evansville took game one, 4-3, from the Wichita State softball team but Brittany Fortner and Macklin Hitz led the way in game two, combining for a perfect 7-for-7 at the plate with a double, two home runs and eight RBIs to lift the Shockers to a 12-4 victory. 

Fortner hit .833 (5-for-6) on the day with a double, two runs scored and three RBIs to go along with her 1.000 slugging and .857 on-base percentages. Hitz was close behind, hitting .750 (3-for-4) with two home runs and five RBIs in game two alone. The freshman from Tulsa, Okla., had an impressive 2.250 slugging percentage and a .750 on-base percentage on the day for Wichita State.

Game One: Evansville 4, Wichita State 3

Melanie Jaegers connected on the first hit of the game for the Shockers with a RBI single to left center, bringing in Paige Luellen to give Wichita State an early 1-0 lead in the second.

Luellen drew a walk to start the fourth inning, stealing second shortly after before Brittany Fortner hit a single up the middle to score Luellen once again and extend the Shocker lead, 2-0.

Evansville responded in the bottom half of the inning with a home run to center field to cut the Wichita State lead, 2-1, heading into the fifth inning.

The Purple Aces tied the game in the bottom of the fifth after a double and a single put runners in scoring position. Evansville brought a runner home on a single to the shortstop, tying the game 2-2. An attempt to get the runner at second brought home another run as the Purple Aces took a 3-2 lead.

The Shockers tied the game in the seventh after Spring reached on a fielder's choice, Broyles was hit by a pitch and Wichita State drew back-to-back walks, going into the bottom half of the inning tied 3-3.

Evansville reached on a Shocker error, stealing shortly after on a passed ball before stealing third and reaching home on another Wichita State error, taking game one, 4-3.

Sloan Anderson was recorded with the loss, pitching six innings and allowing six hits and four runs, while striking out seven.

Game Two: Wichita State 12, Evansville 4

 

Fortner hit a single up the middle in the second inning, but was thrown out at second, which saw Jaegers reach on a fielder's choice before Macklin Hitz hit a home run to left field to give the Shockers an early 2-0 lead. The home run was just the second by Hitz, who came into the game with a .235 batting average.

The Purple Aces responded in the bottom half of the inning with a two RBI home run to left center to tie the game, 2-2. Evansville added another run in the third with a home run to left field by Kayla Fortner to give the Purple Aces a 3-2 advantage.

Fortner and Jaegers hit back-to-back singles to start the fourth inning, advancing on a SAC bunt by Hitz and bringing in Fortner on a fly-out to left field, tying the game once again, 3-3.

Cacy Williams made a statement in the fifth inning, hitting a home run to center field to put the Shockers back on top, 4-3. Broyles reached on a hit by pitch and Luellen walked, before Fortner hit a RBI double to the left center wall to take the 5-3 advantage. Jaegers singled with a bunt to the pitcher before Hitz hit a two RBI single through the left side, extending the Wichita State lead, 8-3. The Shockers added on two more runs on a Vandever single and a Purple Aces throwing error to go into the bottom half of the inning with a 10-3 lead.

Hitz connected again in the seventh with a home run to left field to give Wichita State an 11-4 lead. Layne Greenlee hit a double to right center to keep things going for the Shockers, eventually scoring on a Baker single, extending the lead, 12-4, going into the bottom of the inning.

Wichita State retired three-straight batters, including two strikeouts by Katie Malone to take the second game from Evansville, 12-4.

Malone picked up the win for the Shockers, pitching a complete game, allowing eight hits, four runs, while striking out eight in the victory.

The Shockers will wrap up the series with the Purple Aces, Sunday with the first pitch scheduled for 12 p.m.

-WICHITA STATE-