WICHITA, Kan. – The Wichita State softball team will travel to Stillwater, Okla., on Wednesday, as they take on Oklahoma State at 6:30 p.m., in the final away game before the Shockers begin a long home stand.
 
Game Info.
 
Site: Stillwater, Okla.
 
Stadium: Cowgirl Softball Complex
 
Date: March 9, 2016
 
Game Time:

WSU vs. Oklahoma State (March 9, 6:30 P.M.)

Live Stream: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DS3XFI4ee7c
 
Live Stats: http://stats.statbroadcast.com/broadcast/?id=128234

  
Series History
 
WSU vs. Oklahoma State
 
Record: 8-76              Last Meeting: 2015              Under Bredbenner: 1-4
 
 
Leading Off:
Scouting Oklahoma State: The Cowgirls opened the 2016 season, returning 13 players and seven starters from a 2015 team that ended the season with a 21-31 record overall and 3-13 in the Big 12 Conference for a seventh place finish.
 
From that 2015 team, some key returners are, Tiffany Mikkelson, Vanessa Shippy, Shianne Hughes and Brandi Needham. Mikkelson had a season batting average of .361, hitting 13 home runs and driving in 46 RBIs for the Cowgirls. Shippy hit .306 with 12 doubles and 16 stolen bases. Hughes hit .280 on the season and had 17 stolen bases. In the circle, Needham led the way with a 12-17 record and a 4.61 ERA, throwing 159.1 innings.
 
So far this season, the Cowgirls have a record of 7-11 with Shippy leading the way offensively, starting all 18 games with a batting average of .322.
 
In the circle, Oklahoma State has two girls with eight starts and both pitchers have over 47 innings pitched. Brandi Needham is 2-6 with 47.1 innings pitched while Kacy Freeze is 4-4 with 48.1 innings pitched.
 
Shocker News and Notes:
 
For the first time in five years, the Wichita State softball team defeated a top-25 team, after knocking off No. 23 Nebraska last weekend, 2-1 in the second game of a three game series in Lincoln, Neb.
 
Paige Luellen led the way for the Shockers last weekend, hitting .444 and driving in two runs and drawing two walks.
 
Jenni Brooks received the Shockers only win last weekend, throwing 7.0 innings and only allowing one run to defeat No. 23 Nebraska, 2-1.
 
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 last weekend, Brittany Fortner is currently tied for second all-time in the Shocker record book with 46 doubles, needing seven more to take over first place. Williams is also tied for ninth in doubles and needs just one more to jump into seventh.
 
Williams is tied for eighth place with 104 runs scored needing just three more to jump into the top five.
 
Fortner is also 10th in hits (180), ninth in homeruns (17), seventh in RBIs (101), sixth in total bases (281) and 12th in walks (66).
 
Williams is also third in homeruns (27) and ninth in RBIs (94).
 
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.