CHICAGO, Ill—Wichita State's softball team fell to Loyola during their regular season finale by a score of 8-7 (8 inn.) on Sunday afternoon inside the Loyola Softball Park. With the loss, the Shockers dropped to 34-22 (16-11 MVC) as Loyola improved to 15-35 (5-21 MVC).
Wichita State was up 7-1 heading into the bottom of the seventh, but Loyola scored six in the bottom of the seventh, and one in the bottom of the eighth to take the final game of the three-game series.
Jenni Brooks took the loss. She pitched one inning and allowed an earned run on five hits, and struck out one.
Ashley Rogers picked up the win for Loyola. She pitched 4.1 innings and allowed an earned run on five hits, walked five and struck out one.
Kelli Spring, Mackenzie Wright and Melanie Jaegers all recorded two hits. As Spring was 2-4 with a run scored, Wright was 2-4 with a RBI and two runs scored. Jaegers was 2-3 with a homer (her sixth of the season), two RBI and a run scored.
Jessica Balzano and Brooke Wyderski both went 3-5 for the Ramblers.
Wichita State loaded the bases with one out, and Cacy Williams at the plate in the top of the first. Williams grounded out into a force out at home, but a single to second by Broyles scored Spring to give the Shockers a 1-0 lead after the top half of the first.
Loyola answered Wichita State's bases loaded, one out situation with one of their own after Williams committed a fielding error at first to allow Jamie O'Brien to reach first. With Annie Korth at the plate, she singled to center, scoring Jessica Balzano to tie the game at one.
A RBI-single by Wright in the top of the fourth scored Fortner to give Wichita State their second lead of the game at 2-1. Katy LaCivita's throwing error into left field allowed Spring to score from third, and seconds later, a fielding error by Hannah Jenkins in left field allowed Wright to score during the same play. Wichita State took a 4-1 lead into the bottom of the fourth.
Jaegers hit a solo homer in the top of the fifth to deep left, nearly landing halfway up the netting that protects housing just beyond the left field wall. Wichita State was able to take a 5-1 lead into the bottom of the fifth.
Loyola loaded the bases in the bottom of the sixth, with Balzano representing the tying run up to bat with two outs. Malone forced a lineout to Wright that ended the threat and kept the game at 5-1 heading into the top of the seventh.
A double steal by Hunter Hogan (who advanced to second), and Kennedy Long (who stole home) increased the Shocker lead to 6-1 in the top of the seventh. Moments later, Jaegers singled up the middle to score Hogan, while expanding the Shocker lead to 7-1.
Loyola scored six runs on six hits with one Shocker error in the bottom of the seventh to tie the game at seven apiece to take the game into extra innings.
Three straight one-out hits in the bottom of the eighth, capped by an Ashley Parenti double down the right field line that scored Annie Korth, gave Loyola the 8-7 victory.
Wichita State is the No. 4 seed in the 2015 MVC Softball Championships that takes place in Wichita from May 7-9 inside Wilkins Stadium. The Shockers will face the winner of the No. 8/No. 5 matchup in the 2015 MVC Softball Championships on Thursday at 4:05 p.m. inside Wilkins Stadium.
Thursday afternoon's game can be seen on ESPN3 or GoShockers.com's live stats. The game can also be heard on GoShockers.com's live radio.
-WICHITA STATE-
