WICHITA, Kan. – The Wichita State softball team swept their two-game doubleheader with Omaha on Tuesday afternoon/evening inside Wilkins Stadium. During game one, the Shockers defeated Omaha 7-5, and won 4-1 over the Mavericks during game two. With the two wins, the Shockers improved to 19-18 on the year, as they're now on a three-game winning streak. Omaha dropped to 16-17.

The Shocks came back from two separate deficits in game one—a 3-0 deficit after the top of the first, and a 5-3 deficit after the top of the fourth. The Shockers rallied to tie the game at three after three innings, and took the lead for good after a four-run bottom of the sixth.

Game two saw Katie Malone pick up her 10^th win of the season as she allowed a run (earned) on three hits, walked one and struck out seven. Malone went on to retire nine Mavericks in a row and 10 of 12 to end game two.

Ashley Johnson led the Shockers in batting average on Tuesday, as she hit .667 (2-3) with two runs scored, a double and three total bases during the doubleheader against Omaha. Her 1.000 slugging percentage also led the team.

Brittany Fortner also had a strong Tuesday, as she hit .500 (3-6) with a double, three RBI, a stolen base and four total bases.

The Shockers' next three games take place on Friday and Saturday, as they travel to Cedar Falls, Iowa to face UNI.

Game 1: Wichita State 7, Omaha 5

Jenni Brooks picked up the win for the second straight game. She pitched all seven innings and allowed five runs (four earned) on eight hits, walked three and struck out four.

Jaylee Hinrichs took her sixth loss of the season. She pitched in the sixth inning and allowed two runs on two hits, walked one and struck out one.

Kelli Spring and Brittany Fortner were both 2-3 with a RBI apiece. Ashley Johnson was 2-2 with two runs scored, as Paige Mason was 1-4 with two RBI and a run scored. Mackenzie Wright, Erin Carney, Macklin Hitz, Melanie Jaegers, and Layne Greenlee also recorded hits in game one.

Greenlee had two great defensive plays plays in the outfield. One was on a diving catch in right field as she dove over the wall next to the Shocker bullpen to make a catch in foul territory, and later threw out Tonya Peterson from right field in what was a rare 9-2 putout.

Allie Mathewson, Campbell Ditto and Kelly Pattison each recorded two hits for the Mavericks, as Mathewson and Pattison had two RBI as well. Mathewson homered for the sixth time this season as well.

Through the first three innings, each team used a three run outburst on four hits to get on the board. As the Mavericks' three runs on four hits came in the top of the first to take a 3-0 lead, the Shockers' three runs on four hits came in the bottom of the third to tie the game at three after three innings. All three of the Shocker runs in the bottom of the third were with two outs in the inning.

On just the second pitch of the game, Mathewson homered to deep left, giving the Mavericks an immediate 1-0 lead. Five batters later, Pattison singled to center, scoring Campbell Ditto and Lizzie Noble to increase their lead to 3-0 after the top of the first.

Paige Mason hit a two-RBI double with two outs in the bottom of the third, scoring both Kelli Spring and Ashley Johnson to cut the Mavericks lead to 3-2. Moments later, Carney singled to right, scoring Mason to tie the game at three apiece after three innings.

The Mavericks answered with two in the fourth to reclaim the lead at 5-3. Mathewson doubled and advanced to third on the throw, scoring Nicole Warren to claim their second lead of the game at 4-3. Seconds later, Lia Mancuso reached on a throwing error by Paige Mason, allowing Mathewson to score, and increase the Omaha lead to 5-3 after the top-half of the fourth.

Wichita State scored four runs on four hits in the bottom of the sixth to take a 7-5 lead into the final half-inning of game one.

Wichita State loaded the bases with no outs and Mackenzie Wright at the plate. Wright singled to right field after the ball fell just short of Mancuso's diving attempt to catch the ball, scoring Jaegers to close the gap to 5-4. Spring walked with the bases loaded, forcing Greenlee to score and to tie the game at five apiece.

Fortner hit a sacrifice fly to left, allowing the go-ahead run (Johnson) to score from home. As the throw from Pattison went to home plate from left field, Spring (to second) and Wright (to third) both advanced a base. Moments later, Spring scored on a wild pitch to give the Shockers the 7-5 lead heading into the top of the seventh.

With no outs in the top of the seventh, Greenlee was able to throw out Peterson, 9-2 as the ball was hit in right field but Greenlee's throw from right beat Peterson to the bag. Brooks forced Noble to fly out to left, and Pattinson grounded out to Brooks two batters later to secure the 7-5 victory.

Game 2: Wichita State 4, Omaha 1

Katie Malone picked up her 10^th win of the season. She pitched the entire game, allowed a run (earned) on three hits, walked one and struck out seven.

Jaylee Hinrichs took her seventh loss. She pitched the entire game as well, allowing four runs (none earned) on three hits, walked two and struck out two.

Brittany Fortner was 1-3 with a double and two RBI to lead the Shocker offense during game two. Melanie Jaegers and Mackenzie Wright each had hits, as Wright had the only other RBI for Wichita State.

Allie Mathewson was 1-3 with a double and the Mavericks' only RBI of game two.

Through the first two innings, both Malone and Jaylee Hinrichs did not allow a hit, as both were perfect.

With two outs in the top of the third, Mathewson doubled with two outs, scoring Tara Trede all the way from first to allow the Mavericks to take a 1-0 lead.

The Shockers answered with three (unearned) runs on two hits to take a 3-1 lead after three innings. Layne Greenlee reached with one out when Nicole Warren had a fielding error at third base. Two batters later, Mackenzie Wright singled and advanced to second on the throw, scoring Greenlee to tie the game at one apiece. Two batters later, Fortner had a two-RBI double that scored Spring and Wright, giving the Shockers their first lead of game two at 3-1 heading into the top of the fourth.

With two outs in the bottom of the fifth, Kelli Spring reached on a throwing error by Tonya Peterson, scoring Greenlee to increase their lead to 4-1 after five innings.

Malone retired 10 of the next 12 batters, including nine in a row from the last out in the top of the fourth until Pattison doubled with two outs in the top of the seventh. The Crete, Neb. native struck out Megan May to get the last out of the game, and to send the Shockers on a three-game winning streak heading into the UNI series that begins on Friday.

Wichita State resumes Missouri Valley Conference play when they travel to Cedar Falls, Iowa to face Northern Iowa in a rare Friday/Saturday series inside the Robinson-Dresser Sports Complex. Games one and two of the series are on Friday at noon and 2 p.m., and game three is on Saturday at noon.

-WICHITA STATE-