WICHITA, Kan. – Wichita State softball split a doubleheader with Northern Oklahoma College – Enid and Tulsa on Saturday afternoon at Wilkins Stadium, as part of the fall season. The Shockers dropped the opener to NOE, 7-1, before coming back in the nightcap to tie Tulsa, 3-3, in 10 innings.

WSU lost for the first time this fall, after earning wins over Seminole State College (5-0) and Johnson County Community College (3-2) two weeks ago.

Liz Broyles led the offensive charge in game two for the Shockers by going 3-for-5 with a double, while Paige Luellen went 2-for-4 with a double and a walk. In game one, five different Shockers had one hit apiece. Macklin Hitz was 1-for-3 with an RBI vs. the Lady Jets.

Game 1 – Northern Oklahoma College - Enid vs. Wichita State

Northern Oklahoma - Enid began the scoring with a two-run home run in the top of the first inning and followed that up with two more runs in the top of the second to chase the Shockers' starting pitcher Ashlynne Neil after just 1 2/3 innings.

Wichita State recorded its lone run on an RBI double from Macklin Hitz in the bottom of the fourth. However, the Lady Jets would hit a solo home run in the very next half inning to take a 5-1 lead. Northern Oklahoma would add another run in the sixth to make it 6-1.

Looking to cut into the lead, WSU had runners on second and third in the bottom of the sixth with no outs, but were unable to drive them in. The Jets would tack on their third home run of the game in the seventh, making the final score 7-1.

The Shockers managed only five hits off Northern Oklahoma pitcher Summer Leitka. Northern Oklahoma finished with 11 hits off WSU pitchers Neil and Kelsey Sternecker, who went 5 1/3 innings in relief. Sternecker allowed seven hits and three runs, while striking out nine batters.

Game 2 – Tulsa vs. Wichita State

Cacy Williams scored the first run of the game on a passed ball to give WSU an early 1-0 lead in the first inning. Both teams would then put up zeros for the next six innings before a three-run seventh inning for the Golden Hurricane.

Tulsa loaded the bases in the seventh and tied the game on a walk, before scoring two more on a single to take a 3-1 lead.

Wichita State pulled within a run in the bottom of the eighth off an RBI single from Mackenzie Wright. Wright drove in Luellen who reached on a leadoff single.

Liz Broyles collected her third hit of the game with a double to lead off the bottom of the 10th. She would then move to third on a sac bunt and come around to score on a wild pitch to tie the game at 3, which would be the final score.

Katie Malone went all 10 innings in the circle for the Shockers, allowing three runs on 10 hits. The Crete, Neb., native didn't allow a run until the seventh inning when the Golden Hurricane drove in all three of their runs.

WSU finished game two with nine total hits, with seven coming from Williams, Luellen and Broyles. Tulsa finished with 10 hits.

The Shockers return to Wilkins Stadium next Saturday, Oct. 4, to host Hutchinson Community College at 11 a.m. and Cowley County Community College at 1 p.m. For more information on the Shocker softball team go to goshockers.com and follow the team on Twitter at @GoShockersSB.

For all your Shocker merchandise visit the official Wichita State team store.

– Wichita State –