CARBONDALE, Ill. –The Wichita State softball team used a six-run comeback in the final two innings to tie Sunday afternoon's game against Southern Illinois at six apiece after the top of the seventh. However, a Merri Ann Patterson walk-off homer gave the Salukis a 7-6 victory over the Shockers at Charlotte West Stadium. With SIU's victory in walk-off fashion, the Salukis improved to 11-10-1 (6-0 MVC) as the Shockers fell to 16-15 overall (1-5 MVC).

Jenni Brooks (4-7) took the loss in relief. She pitched the final two innings as she allowed a run on one hit, walked none and struck out none.

Katie Bertelsen (9-5) picked up the win. She pitched a complete game, as she allowed six runs (all earned) on nine hits, walked three and struck out three.

Three different Shockers went 2-4: Brittany Fortner, Liz Broyles, and Mackenzie Wright. As Wright had two RBI and a run scored, Fortner had a RBI and two runs scored, and Broyles had a RBI. Melanie Jaegers, who went 1-2 with a walk, had two RBI of her own.

Patterson went 2-4 with two homers, three RBI and two runs scored.

In the top of the first, Williams reached with a base hit to lead off the game.

She advanced to second after a Kelli Spring sacrifice bunt attempt was caught, and the throw by Brook Womack to first went into right field, advancing Williams to second. Williams advanced to third after Bertelsen tripped on the rubber between pitches as Jones' was throwing the ball back to Bertelsen, and the ball bounced on the base and later, was thrown in Williams' back as she advanced to third. The Shockers didn't score in the top of the first, as Fortner popped out and Broyles lined out to end the inning.

SIU had three runs on five hits with one Shocker error to take a 3-0 lead after one inning. Jones homered to deep right center, scoring Harker to give the Salukis a quick 2-0 lead. Three batters later, Womack hit a RBI-single, scoring Shaye Harr to go up 3-0 on the Shockers after one.

During the bottom of the third, SIU loaded the bases with one out, and Jessi Heese at the plate. Heese lined out to Wright, and then Wright tagged the base with her glove before Patterson made it back to third, earning an inning-ending double play to keep the game at 3-0 Salukis through three innings.

Patterson and Womack hit back-to-back homers to start the bottom of the fifth to increase the Saluki lead to 6-0. As Patterson hit her second homer of the series and of the season (a two-run homer), Womack hit her second homer of the season (a solo homer).

Wichita State answered the Saluki bottom of the fifth with three runs on four hits in the top of the sixth to cut the SIU lead in half after five and a half innings.

A walk by Williams and singles by Fortner and Broyles made the bases loaded for the Shockers with one out in the top of the sixth. An infield RBI-single by Wright scored Williams to give the Shockers their first run of the game at 6-1.

Two batters later, Jaegers hit a two-RBI single to shallow left field just beyond he infield dirt behind third base, scoring Wright and Fortner. Seconds later, McKenzie Adams attempted to advance from second to third as the ball was bobbled in shallow left field, but was thrown out by Gonzalez to Womack to end the top of the sixth. After the top of the sixth, the Salukis led 6-3.

Wichita State scored three runs on three hits during the top of the seventh to tie the game at six apiece heading into the bottom of the seventh, all with two outs.

With Layne Greenlee and Ashley Johnson committing the first two outs in order to start the top of the seventh, Williams was hit by a Bertelsen pitch to keep the inning alive, and to bring Spring to the plate as Fortner was the tying run in the on-deck circle. Spring had a full count, but worked a walk to send Fortner to the plate. Fortner was down 0-2 in the count, but hit a RBI-single up the middle, scoring Williams to cut the Saluki lead to 6-4.

As Fortner was the tying run at first, and Spring was at third, Broyles became the go-ahead run at the plate. Broyles was down 1-2 in the count, but a RBI-double down the third-base line scored Spring to close the Saluki lead within one at 6-5 with Wright at the plate, Fortner still as the tying run at third, and Broyles remaining as the go-ahead run at second.

Wright was down 1-2 in the count, and worked the count to 2-2. SIU could have made a play in right field as Savannah Fisher and Heese converged in foul territory to make a play on a pop-fly in right field, but was missed, giving Wright another chance during her at bat. Wright capitalized on her extra opportunity, as she hit a RBI-single to right, scoring Fortner to tie the game at six apiece. Erin Carney pinch-hit for Adams, but flew out to deep center to end the inning with the game tied at six apiece heading into the bottom of the seventh.

Patterson hit a leadoff walk-off homer with a full-count to give the Salukis the series sweep and the 7-6 victory. SIU moved to 11-10-1 on the year (6-0 MVC) as the Shockers fell to 16-15 overall (1-5 MVC).

The Shockers' next game will be on Tuesday, March 24 when they travel to Tulsa, Okla. to face Tulsa inside the Collins Family Softball Complex at 6 p.m.

-WICHITA STATE-