WICHITA, Kan. –Wichita State's softball team split their Wednesday afternoon doubleheader with Missouri State inside Wilkins Stadium. As the Shockers lost 6-2 in game one, they bounced back to win 6-4 in game two. With the split, Wichita State is now 26-20 (8-9 MVC) as Missouri State is 24-18 (12-5 MVC). While Wednesday's split stopped the Shockers' second six-game winning streak in a row, they have still won seven of their last eight games, along with six of their last seven Missouri Valley Conference games.

Wednesday's game saw the Shockers wear orange jerseys to Strike out Leukemia, which was a promotion in which the team's orange jerseys were auctioned off to support Leukemia research and awareness.

Brittany Fortner, the MVC Softball Player of the Week and the Madness MVC Softball Player of the Week, led the way by going 2-4 on the day. Fortner had a run scored, her eighth homer that tied her for the team lead with Cacy Williams, three RBI, a 1.250 slugging percentage, three walks and a .714 on-base percentage.

Williams also had a strong Wednesday, as she went 2-5 with a run scored, a double, two RBI, three total bases, a .600 slugging percentage, and a .571 on-base percentage.

Game one saw three costly errors that turned into seven runs. The Shockers took a 2-1 lead heading into the top of the third after a Williams two-RBI double that was set up by two consecutive errors by Erin Duewel of Missouri State. Two and a half innings later, a Liz Broyles error keyed a five-run top of the fifth rally for Missouri State, all with two outs to take a 6-2 lead. That remained the score for the rest of the game.

Game two saw the Shockers use homers by Liz Broyles, Macklin Hitz and Brittany Fortner to produce all six RBI in a 6-4 victory.

Wichita State continues Valley play when they face Bradley in Peoria, Ill. for a three-game series on April 18 and 19. Games one and two will be at noon and 2 p.m. respectively on Saturday, as game three is on Sunday at noon.

Game 1: Missouri State 6, Wichita State 2

Katie Malone took her first loss in her six starts during game one when she pitched 4.2 innings and allowed six runs (only one earned) on seven hits. Malone also one walked one and struck out none.

Chelsea Jones picked up her 12^th win of the season. She pitched 6.2 innings and allowed two runs (none earned) on six hits, walked five and struck out four. Jones was also 2-4 from the plate with three RBI.

Cacy Williams led the Shocker offense by going 2-3 with a double and had both Shocker RBI.

The Bears scored one in the top of the first to take a 1-0 lead when Jones singled through the right side, scoring Erika Zimmer with two outs in the inning.

Wichita State had the bases loaded with two outs, and Macklin Hitz at the plate. However, Jones struck out Hitz to leave the bases loaded, and to preserve Missouri State's 1-0 lead after the first inning.

Missouri State's Erin Duewel committed two straight fielding errors to start the bottom of the second—one that allowed Melanie Jaegers to reach and McKenzie Adams to reach. Two batters later, Williams hit a two-RBI double and advanced to third on the throw, scoring both Johnson and Adams to give Wichita State their first lead of the game at 2-1 during the bottom of the second.

The Bears scored five runs (all were unearned) on four hits moments after a fielding error by Liz Broyles in the top of the fifth to take a 6-2 lead over the Shockers.

Wichita State loaded the bases with two outs in the bottom of the seventh, with Jaegers at the plate as the tying run for the Shockers. Jaegers eventually grounded out to Struempth to end the game, giving Missouri State the 6-2 win over Wichita State.

Game 2: Wichita State 6, Missouri State 4

Jenni Brooks picked up her eighth win of the season by pitching a complete game, as she allowed four runs (three earned) on six hits. Brooks also walked two and struck out three.

Erin Struemph took her ninth loss of the season. She pitched three innings and allowed six runs (all earned) on four hits, walked two and struck out two.

Brittany Fortner, Macklin Hitz, and Liz Broyles were responsible for three homers, three runs scored and all six Shocker RBI within game two. As Fortner was 1-2 with her eighth homer (now tied for the team lead), a run scored and three RBI, Hitz was 1-3 with her fourth homer and a run scored, as Broyles was 1-2 with her fifth homer and scored a run of her own.

Coil Braxton was 2-3 with a homer, two RBI and a run scored to lead the Missouri State offense.

Missouri State scored once during the top of the second when Braxton Coil singled to right, scoring Chelsea Thomas to give the Bears a 1-0 lead after the top half of the second.

Hitz answered the Bears' top of the second with a solo homer to deep left-center (her fourth homer of the season) to tie the game at one-all after two innings.

In the third innings, both teams combined for seven runs on five hits, including three home runs. During the top of the third, the Bears scored two runs on two hits to go up 3-1 after the top of the third when Rebecca McPherson hit a two-run homer to deep left center, scoring Mary Stephens.

The Shockers scored five runs on three hits to take a 6-3 lead after three. All five runs came from two home runs while there was with two outs.

Fortner answered the McPherson homer with her eighth homer of the season, a three-run homer to deep left to give the Shockers a 4-3 lead. Two batters later, Broyles hit a towering two-run homer to deep left, increasing the Wichita State lead to 6-3 after three innings.

Braxton Coil hit a lead-off, solo home run in the top of the seventh to cut the Shocker lead to 6-4, but the Shockers held on to win 6-4 and to split the Wednesday MVC home midweek doubleheader.

Wichita State hits the road for the first time since April 4 when they take on Bradley in Peoria, Ill. on Saturday, the Shockers have a doubleheader against the Braves at noon and 2 p.m., and will face the Braves on Sunday at noon.

-WICHITA STATE-