Date: March 15, 2016
First Pitch: 3:00 p.m.
Location: Wichita, Kan.
Stadium: Wilkins Stadium
Free Audio: www.goshockers.com/watch
Talent: Steve Strain
Series: Western Illinois leads 16-15
 
Scouting Western Illinois:
 
Western Illinois has started the season off with a 6-16 record so far, going 1-5 in away games and 5-11 in neutral site games. As a team, the Leathernecks are hitting, .247 and are lead offensively by Karissa Kouchis who is hitting .392 with two triples and has started every game.
 
In the circle, both Emily Ira and Kacyee Hart have double-digit appearances. In Ira's 13 appearances she has thrown seven complete games and has an ERA of 5.53 while posting a record of 3-8. Hart has 10 appearances with three complete games and an ERA of 8.77 and a record of 2-7.
 
Series History: Wichita State is 15-16 all-time against the Leathernecks with the last meeting coming in 2014. Since Bredbenner has taken over the program, the Shockers are 1-1 against Western Illinois.
 
 
Shockers News and Notes:
2016: Wichita State is 11-9 on the season so far after run-ruling Northern Colorado twice on Saturday, 10-1 and 8-0. On Sunday, the final game of the series was rained out.
 
Paige Luellen has led the way for the Shockers offense, hitting .377 in 20 games with a team-high six doubles. Luellen also has two home runs and has a team-high 24 RBIs.
 
In the circle, the Shockers have a team ERA of 3.88 with Jenni Brooks leading the way with 13 appearances and a record of 6-2 and an ERA of 2.86. Katie Malone also has 15 appearances and a record of 3-4 with an ERA of 4.13.
 
2015 In Review: Wichita State finished the 2015 season with an overall record of 34-23 and a 16-11 record in the Missouri Valley Conference giving the Shockers a fourth place finish.
 
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: After two doubles against Nebraska and a double against Oklahoma State, Brittany Fortner is currently second all-time in the Shocker record book with 47 doubles, needing six more to take over first place.
 
Williams is also tied for ninth in doubles (33) and needs just one more to jump into seventh.
 
Williams is tied for sixth place with 106 runs scored needing just four more to jump into the top five.
 
Fortner is also 10th in hits (183), ninth in homeruns (17), seventh in RBIs (102), sixth in total bases (285) and tied for 11th in walks (68).
 
Williams is also third in homeruns (28) and ninth in RBIs (98).
 
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.