By: Wichita State
EVANSVILLE, Ind. – Brittany Fortner hit 3-for-4 with a double and two stolen bases in the final game of the series against Evansville as the Wichita State softball team defeated the Purple Aces, 8-3 Sunday at Cooper Stadium.
Melanie Jaegers hit 3-for-4 with three RBI and a double in the victory, while Liz Broyles and Ali Vandever hit .333 (1-for-3) with both getting hit by pitches in the final day. Sloan Anderson (9-10) started the game for the Shockers, pitching three innings and allowing five hits and three runs before Katie Malone relieved Anderson of her duties in the fourth, picking up the win, allowing just two hits and one walk, while striking out six in four innings.
Fortner continued to be a force at the plate for the Shockers, hitting a single to shortstop in the second inning, advancing to third on a double down the left field line by Jaegers. Macklin Hitz reached on a fielder's choice that saw Fortner score to give Wichita State a 1-0 lead.
The Shockers scored four runs in the third inning, highlighted by single from Liz Broyles and Jaegers, a Purple Aces' error and two batters hit by pitches to give Wichita State the 5-0 advantage.
Evansville responded in the bottom half of the inning with a RBI groundout and a RBI double to left center to cut the Wichita State lead, 5-2, heading into the fourth inning.
The Purple Aces hit a home run to left field in the fourth, cutting the Shocker lead once again, 5-3, before Wichita State retired the next three batters to get out of the inning.
Paige Luellen drew a leadoff walk to start the fifth, followed by back-to-back singles by Fortner and Jaegers to give the Shockers a 6-3 lead. Fortner reached home on an illegal pitch and Jaegers scored on a fielder's choice shortly after to extend the lead back to five, 8-3.
Wichita State retired three-straight batters in the final inning to take the final game and the series from Evansville.
The Shockers are next in action when they travel to Norman, Okla., to take on the Oklahoma Sooners in a doubleheader beginning at 4 p.m.
-WICHITA STATE-
