WICHITA, Kan. – The Wichita State softball team used a five-run bottom of the second, and a seven-run bottom of the fourth to defeat South Dakota by a 12-3 score in five innings to win their home opener, and to open the 2015 Shocker Invitational inside Wilkins Stadium in Wichita. With the win, Wichita State moved to 11-9 while South Dakota dropped to 4-6-1.

Katie Malone (6-4) picked up the win. She pitched the complete game, throwing all five innings while allowing three runs (all earned) on four hits. Malone also walked three and struck out nine.

Madison Frain (1-3) took the loss. She threw 1.2 innings, allowed five runs (all earned) on four hits. Frain also walked three.

Erin Carney went 1-2 with a double, and three RBI to pace the Shockers. As Mackenzie Wright (who homered) and Brianne Bond had two RBI each, Liz Broyles, Melanie Jaegers, and Layne Greenlee each had a RBI apiece.

Matley Jones led the Coyote offense by going 2-2 with a double, a home run and three RBI.

Back-to-back doubles by Katie Dinning and Jones put the Coyotes up 1-0 in the top of the first.

Wichita State used a five-run bottom of the second inning on four hits while batting around to gain their first lead of the game, 5-1, through two innings.

Wright hit a leadoff home run, her second home run of the season, to tie the game at one apiece. Two batters later, Jaegers doubled to deep left center, scoring Carney from first. Greenlee then singled and advanced to second on the throw from center to home plate, scoring Jaegers to give the Shockers a 3-1 lead. Moments later, Fortner scored on a wild pitch to push the Shocker lead to 4-1. Broyles' single to center scored Williams and pushed the Shocker lead to 5-1 after two innings.

Jones answered the Wichita State bottom of the second with a two-run home run to deep center that cut the Shocker lead to 5-3 after the top half of the third inning.

Morgan Hancock walked and stole second with two outs, putting herself in scoring position during the top of the fourth. However, Malone forced Katie Cochran to fly out to end the inning without allowing any runs. After the top of the fourth, the Shockers maintained their 5-3 lead.

Wichita State scored seven runs on three hits to give themselves a 12-3 lead heading into the top of the fifth inning.

As Fortner and Williams walked to start the bottom of the fourth, a Broyles hit by a pitch set up the bases loaded with one out during the bottom of the fourth. Wright walked with the bases loaded, scoring Fortner to extend the Shocker lead to 6-3. Moments later, Carney hit a three-run double, clearing the bases to push the Shocker advantage to 9-3. Carney would later score from a wild pitch. Then, Brianne Bond hit a pinch-hit two-RBI single to push the Shockers within three outs of the five-inning run rule, and their 11th win of the year at 12-3 through four innings.

Malone pitched a scoreless top of the fifth to give the Shockers the 12-3 win, and the 11^th win of the year.

The Shockers play a doubleheader in the 2015 Shocker Invitational on Saturday, as they face South Dakota at 2:30, and Nebraska at 5 p.m. inside Wilkins Stadium. Both games can be seen via video and heard via audio on GoShockers.com.

-WICHITA STATE-