SB: Shockers Sweep Loyola during Saturday DH
CHICAGO, Ill.—Wichita State's softball team swept their doubleheader against Loyola on Saturday inside the Loyola Softball Park in Chicago. With the two wins, Wichita State moved to 34-21 (16-10 MVC), as Loyola dropped to 13-35 (4-21) MVC. Saturday's 34th win of the season for the Shockers allowed them to match their identical record from 2014 with one game remaining in the regular season. If the Shockers win on Sunday, it will give them their highest win total under Kristi Bredbenner.
Kelli Spring went 4-8 to lead the Shockers on Saturday. As Spring went 4-8, she had a two-run homer (her second of the season), three RBI and two runs scored.
Melanie Jaegers was 2-3 overall on Saturday with a RBI, two runs scored, two walks and a pickoff (during game two).
Wichita State looks for the sweep on Sunday, as they'll face Loyola for the final time this season inside the Loyola Softball Park in Chicago.
Game 1: Wichita State 11, Loyola 4
Jenni Brooks picked up her 11th win of the season. She pitched 5.2 innings and allowed two earned runs on six hits, walked three and struck out three.
Madison Hope took the loss for Bradley. She pitched five innings and allowed eight earned runs on six hits, and walked three.
Kelli Spring was the only Shocker to record two hits in game one. Spring was 2-4 with her second homer of the season (a two-run homer in the top of the first), had three RBI and two runs scored. Mackenzie Wright and Cacy Williams had identical offensive statistical lines: 1-4 with two RBI and a run scored.
Jamie O'Brien was 2-3 with two RBI to pace the Ramblers' offense.
To lead off the game, Fortner reached base by being hit by a pitch. Moments later, Kelli Spring hit a two-run homer to deep right moments later to give the Shockers a 2-0 lead in the top of the first.
A fielding error by Spring at shortstop allowed Loyola to have runners on second and third with two outs. However, Brooks forced a flyout to Ashley Johnson that ended the bottom of the second with the score remaining 2-0 Shockers through two innings.
Wright singled through the left side, scoring Fortner to take a 3-0 lead in the top of the third, while Spring advanced to third and Wright advanced to second on the throw home. The bases then became loaded with no outs, and Cacy Williams at the plate. Williams hit a two-RBI double that dropped just in front of
The Shockers scored nine runs on five hits, helped by one Loyola error to take an 11-0 lead after the top half of the third. Wichita State scored 10 of their 11 runs and recorded four of their five hits in the top of the third with no outs.
Loyola scored two runs in each of both the bottom of the third and bottom of the fourth innings to close the Wichita State lead to 11-4 after four innings.
The Ramblers would load the bases with no outs in the bottom of the sixth with Ashley Parenti at the plate. Brooks struck out the next two batters to record two outs. Melanie Jaegers picked off Annie Korth at first to record the last out of the inning, keeping the game at 11-4, which later became the final score.
Game 2: Wichita State 5, Loyola 1Â
Katie Malone picked up her 19th win of the season during game two. She pitched a complete game while allowing just one earned run on five hits to go along with six strikeouts.
Ashley Rogers took the loss. She pitched four innings and allowed two earned runs on five hits. Rogers also walked three and struck out one.
Cacy Williams was 1-3 with her ninth homer of the season (a three-run homer), a run scored and a walk.
Brooke Wyderski was 1-3 with a RBI to lead Loyola during game two.
Loyola scored a run in the bottom of the first when Brooke Wyderski singled up the middle, scoring Jessica Balzano to take a 1-0 lead.
Greenlee doubled to shallow left field, scoring Liz Broyles to tie the game at one apiece in the top of the second inning.
Fortner singled to second, scoring Jaegers to give the Shockers a 2-1 lead during the top of the fourth.
Baizano tripled to right center with one out in the bottom of the sixth, but Wyderski popped out to Spring and Jamie O'Brien grounded out to Broyles to end the threat. This kept the game at 2-1 in favor of the Shockers through six innings.
After six innings, the two teams played nearly identical to each other. As the Shockers had two runs on five hits, the Ramblers had one run on five hits.
A Williams three-run homer in the top of the seventh (her ninth of the season that tied her for the team lead in homers with Fortner) extended the Shocker lead to 5-1, which later became the final score.
The Shockers take on Loyola to finish the 2015 regular season on Sunday at noon inside the Loyola Softball Park.
-WICHITA STATE-
