WICHITA, Kan. – Wichita State's softball team dropped both games of a Saturday doubleheader against Indiana State to open Missouri Valley Conference play at Wilkins Stadium. During game one, the Shockers fell to the Sycamores 2-1 in eight innings, and in game two, Wichita State fell to Indiana State by a score of 9-2. With the two losses, the Shockers are 15-11 (0-2 MVC), as Indiana State improves to 6-12 (2-0 MVC).

Layne Greenlee had a strong Saturday, as she went a total of 3-4 with a run scored. On defense, Greenlee made spectacular plays during both games, including diving catches and throwing out runners from left field to home plate. Kelli Spring had a strong day as well, as she went 3-7 with two runs scored.

On the pitching side, Katie Malone pitched 10 innings on the day, and allowed five runs (one earned) on nine hits, walked three and struck out two. Malone's ERA between both appearances (she started game one while pitching in relief during game two) was only 0.70.

Wichita State completes their opening series in MVC play tomorrow at noon, as it can be heard on GoShockers.com radio, and seen on GoShockers.com's ShockerVision.

Game 1: Indiana State 2, Wichita State 1 (8)

Before the first game, the 2014 MVC Regular Season Championship banner was unveiled on the lower half of the scoreboard where the advertisements of the Wichita State social media outlets were. Once the game began, a pitcher's duel controlled the entire game.

Katie Malone (8-5) took her first loss since February 27 against UCLA, and snapped a four-start winning streak. She pitched all eight innings, allowing two runs (one earned) on six hits, walked three and struck out none.

Taylor Lockwood (4-5) picked up the win. She also pitched all eight innings, as she gave up one run (earned) on seven hits, walked one and struck out four.

Layne Greenlee led the way for the Shockers at the plate and defensively. As Greenlee went 3-3 in the batter's box, she also made a diving stop and a big throw from left field to home plate that allowed the game to eventually head into extra innings.

Ashley Dickerson went 2-3 with a run scored to pace the Sycamores during game one.

The Sycamores had runners on first and third with one out in the top of the second. Malone forced a flyout to Layne Greenlee, and Brooke Riemenschneid was thrown out 2-6-2 as she was caught in a rundown during a double-steal attempt. This allowed the Shockers to escape the top half of the second without allowing any runs, while keeping the game scoreless.

Through the first three and a half innings, there were only three hits combined—one by the Shockers, and two by the Sycamores. The Shockers broke through in the bottom of the fourth, when they scored a run on two hits to take a 1-0 lead into the top of the fifth inning.

Kelli Spring singled to third and advanced to third after a Mackenzie Wright sac bunt, and a Liz Broyles groundout. Cacy Williams then singled to center, scoring Spring to give the Shockers the first run of the game, and a 1-0 lead after four innings.

Indiana State tied the game at one apiece in the top of the fifth when Dickerson reached base on a throwing error by Mackenzie Wright that went near the tarp just next to the Wichita State bench, allowing Montgomery to score from second.

At the end of the fifth inning, there were only two runs scored—one by each team—and a combined six hits, as the Shockers had four and the Sycamores had two.

The Sycamores had runners on first and second with two outs, and Riemenschneid at the plate during the top of the sixth. Riemenschenid singled to left as Mary Turitto advanced to second and Aubre Carpenter advanced to third. Carpenter was waved home, but was thrown out by Greenlee, as her throw reached Melanie Jaegers just before she could score.

An Ashley Johnson sac-bunt during the bottom of the seventh put Greenlee at second, but Greenlee kept running after Johnson was out at first and advanced to third. An intentional walk to Fortner kept Greenlee on third, and Fortner walked to first with Spring at the plate to win the game for the Shockers. Spring struck out with a full count and two outs to send the game into extra innings for the first time this season.

Indiana State had runners on second and third with one out in the top of the eighth. Malone caught a line-shot comebacker right to her, but a wild pitch with two outs allowed Dickerson to score from third to give the Sycamores their first lead of the game at 2-1 heading into the bottom of the eighth.

Wright doubled to begin the bottom of the eighth, and Broyles sacrifice bunted her over to third with one out and Williams at the plate. Williams popped out and Carney flew out to end the game, and to fall to Indiana State, 2-1 in eight innings.

Game 2: Indiana State 9, Wichita State 2

Jenni Brooks (4-5) took the loss. She went 4.1 innings and gave up three runs (all earned) on 10 hits, walked one and struck out four.

Taylor Lockwood (5-5) picked up her second win of the day, this time in relief. She pitched the final 3.1 innings and allowed three hits, but was credited with the win because she was in the game when the Sycamores took the lead in the top of the fifth inning.

Kelli Spring went 2-3 to with a run scored to pace the Shockers. Brittany Fortner was 2-4 with a RBI, as Liz Broyles, Cacy Williams and Erin Carney also recorded hits.

Brooke Riemenschneid and Kassie Brown were both 3-4 with a RBI for Indiana State.

Wichita State scored runs in the first two innings to take a 2-0 lead into the top of the third.

Broyles hit a RBI-single to center in the bottom of the first, scoring Spring to take a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first. In the bottom of the second inning, Fortner singled to center during the bottom of the second, scoring Layne Greenlee to push their lead to 2-0.

Brooks' second illegal pitch of the game during forced runners on second and third with two outs and a 3-1 count, as Indiana State previously had runners on first and second to begin the Riemenschneid at-bat during the top of the third. Riemenschneid then singled to left, scoring Erika Crissman to put the Sycamores on the board, and trimmed the Shocker lead to 2-1. Stone advanced to third and was attempting to score right behind Crissman, but Layne Greenlee threw Stone out at home as she was trying to score the go-ahead run.

A double and a single by Indiana State put runners on first and third with one out, and Rylee Holland at the plate. Holland beat out an infield single to Brooks, tying the game at two apiece.

The Sycamores threatened with the bases loaded with one out in the top of the fifth with Cassie Brown at the plate. Brown singled to left, just below Spring's diving attempt to stop the ball before it reached the outfield. Indiana State took the 3-2 lead heading into the bottom of the fifth inning.

Indiana State scored three runs in the sixth and three runs in the seventh to take a 9-2 lead into the bottom of the seventh, which was eventually the final score.

The Shockers and Sycamores complete their three-game series on Sunday at noon inside Wilkins Stadium in Wichita. Sunday's game can be viewed via ShockerVision, or heard on GoShockers.com's live radio stream.

-WICHITA STATE-