WICHITA, Kan. – The Wichita State softball team travels to Las Vegas, Nev., this weekend to play five games in the Demarini Desert Classic.
 
Tournament Info
 
Tournament Site: Demarini Desert Classic (Las Vegas, Nev.)
 
Stadium: Stephanie Lynn Craig Park
 
Dates: Feb. 19-21, 2016
 
Game Schedule:
 
Game 1: WSU vs. San Jose State (Feb. 19, 1:30 P.M.)
Live Stats: Statbroadcast

Game 2: WSU vs. Hawaii (Feb. 19, 6:00 P.M.)
Live Stats: Statbroadcast
 
Game 3: WSU vs. Cal State Northridge (Feb. 20, 9 A.M.)
Live Stats: Statbroadcast
 
Game 4: WSU vs. Oregon State (Feb. 20, 11:15 P.M.)
Live Stats: Statbroadcast

Game 5: WSU vs. Boise State (Feb. 21, 9 A.M.)
Live Stats: Statbroadcast
 
Series History
 
WSU vs. San Jose State
 
Record: 0-1                Last Meeting: 1994                Under Bredbenner: 0-0
 
WSU vs. Hawaii
 
Record: 1-2                Last Meeting: 1993                Under Bredbenner: 0-0
 
WSU vs. Cal State Northridge
 
Record: 0-1                Last Meeting: 1999                Under Bredbenner: 0-0
 
WSU vs. Oregon State    
 
Record: 1-1                Last Meeting: 1999                Under Bredbenner: 0-0
 
WSU vs. Boise State
 
Record: 2-1                Last Meeting: 2015                Under Bredbenner: 1-1

Leading Off
 
Scouting San Jose State: The Spartans have started the 2016 season off with a 1-5 record. In six games last weekend, the Spartans were able to score 25 runs but were only able to come out with one win. In the final three games of their weekend, the team collected 31 hits and scored 22 runs to end the weekend on a good note.
 
In 2015, San Jose State history finished its season with a 37-19 win-loss record with a final RPI ranking of 63 among 295 NCAA Division I programs. San Jose State had a .350 team batting average, scored 357 runs on 534 base hits and had a .482 slugging percentage -- all single-season school records.
 
Wichita State has only faced the Spartans, one time, losing in 1994. This will be the first time the Shockers face San Jose State during the Bredbenner era.
 
Scouting Hawaii: The Rainbow Wahine got off to a hot start last weekend, beginning the 2016 season with a 4-0 record and throwing four shutouts. The team quickly cooled off to end the weekend but came out with an overall record of 4-2 entering the second weekend of play.
 
Last season, the Rainbow Wahine finished with an overall record of 32-22 and 13-8 in the Big West Conference finishing in third place. In 2016, 12 letterwinners from last year's team will be returning including seniors Keiki Carlos, Sarah McAndrew, Tayana Mata, Dori Ann Sugai, and Kaini Wong.
 
The Shockers have faced Hawaii three times, with record of 1-2 with the last game coming in 1993.
 
Scouting Cal State Northridge: The Matadors began their season in Tempe, Ariz. last weekend as the team posted a 3-2 record; taking wins from Creighton, Utah State and Stanford. Pitcher Daphne Pofek went 2-1 and posted an ERA of 2.94 with 17 strikeouts led the team.
 
The Matadors return most of their offense from a year ago, including more than 80 percent of their hits, runs and RBIs and more than 90 percent of their extra-base hits and stolen bases.
 
Wichita State has only faced Cal State Northridge one time, with the Shockers taking the loss in 1999.
 
Scouting Oregon State: The Beavers also began the season in Tempe, Ariz., in the Kajikawa Classic, posting a record of 4-1 while they were there. Meehra Nelson has started three games for the team and has a record of 3-0 to begin her career.
 
The Beavers return six starters from their 2015 team that set several school records. As a team last season, Oregon State set the school record for batting average, had the second-most runs scored and RBI in program history, and the fourth-most doubles and walks.
 
The Shockers have a 1-1 record against the Beavers, with the last meeting coming in 1999.
 
Scouting Boise State: The Broncos have multiple returners from last season, including senior outfielder Kayla Clausen, sophomore third baseman Mackenzie Sullivan and sophomore utility player Shaelee Pearson.
 
The Broncos have had a tough start to their 2016 campaign, going 0-5 in their first weekend in Tempe, Ariz. During this trip, the team had losses to Creighton, Virginia, Maryland, San Diego, and Bradley.
 
The Shockers have faced Boise State three times, with a winning record of 2-1 with their last meeting coming last season. Wichita State is 1-1 against the Broncos in the Bredbenner era.
 
Shocker News and Notes:
 
Wichita State went 2-3 last weekend with two of their losses coming from #24 Texas A&M and one of them coming against #7 UCLA.
 
Paige Luellen who collected six hits and also drove in six runs in just five games led the Shockers on offense. Three of her hits were extra base hits. In the circle, Jenni Brooks led the way going 2-1 on the weekend and holding an ERA of 2.71. Katie Malone also pitched in every game that the Shockers appeared in.
 
Only five games into the 2016 season, the Shockers have already collected a total of 11 extra base hits, with seven of those hits coming from either a freshman or sophomore.
 
With a 2-3 record on the weekend, the Shockers were so close to being 4-1, losing to No 24 Texas A&M by one on Friday and No. 7 UCLA by one on Saturday.
 
Eight of Nine Starters Returning: Wichita State is returning every starter from the 2015 team except catcher Melanie Jaegers, who was a big contributor for the Shockers, hitting .282 and starting all 57 games. Among the position starters returning for Wichita State is Cacy Williams (first base/right field), Liz Broyles (second base), Kelli Spring (shortstop), Mackenzie Wright (third base), Brittany Fortner (left field), Ashley Johnson (center field) and Macklin Hitz (first base). Overall, these returners combined for a batting average of .328 while collecting 202 of the team's 272 RBIs and also hitting 35 of the team's 44 homeruns.
 
2015 All-MVC: The trio of returners, Fortner, Wright and Williams, along with Jaegers who graduated were all named 2015 First Team All-MVC, while Malone, Broyles and Spring were named Second Team All-MVC.
 
Fortner's Historic Season: Fortner finished her junior season with a .416 batting average (second in team history for a single season, tied for the Valley lead), 74 hits (tied the all-time hits record in a season in team history, led the Valley), 47 runs scored (led the Valley, third in team history for a single season), 45 RBIs (third in the Valley, third all-time in a single season in team history), 18 doubles (tied for second in the Valley, set the all-time team mark for doubles in a single season this season), 121 total bases (second in the Valley, second all-time in a single season in WSU SB history), a .502 OB% (second in the Valley) and 0.82 runs scored per game (led the Valley)
 
Climbing the ranks: Fortner is currently third all-time in the Shocker record book with 43 doubles, needing three more to take over second place. Williams is also in the top 15 in doubles and needs just 3 more to jump into the top 10.
 
Williams is in ninth place with 100 runs scored needing just seven more to jump into the top five.
 
Fortner is also 14th in hits (168), ninth in homeruns (17), eight in RBIs (92), ninth in total bases (264) and 14th in walks (60).
 
Williams is also tied for third in homeruns (25) and tied for 14th in RBIs (85).
 
Missouri Valley favorites: Wichita State was picked as the 2016 MVC preseason favorite, as voted on by the Valley coaches. The Shockers collected 84 points and three first-place votes to make this the second year in a row that the Shockers have been the Missouri Valley favorites.
 
2016 Preseason All-MVC: After being named to the All-MVC First Team a season ago, Fortner, Wright and Williams have all been selected for the preseason All-MVC First Team.