Date: April 13, 2016
Location: Columbia, Mo.
Stadium: University Field
Live Stats Game 1: http://stats.statbroadcast.com/broadcast/?id=130799
Live Stats Game 2: http://stats.statbroadcast.com/broadcast/?id=130800
Watch Game 1: http://espn.go.com/watchespn/index/_/id/2780481/wichita-state-vs-missouri
Watch Game 2: http://espn.go.com/watchespn/index/_/id/2780485/wichita-state-vs-missouri
Series: Missouri leads 19-2
 
Scouting No. 18 Missouri
The Tigers finished the 2015 season with a record of 42-16 and ranked 12/14 in the USA Today/NFCA polls. In 2016, Missouri has returned six starters as well as their entire pitching staff from 2015. In total, there are nine newcomers this season.
 
So far this season, the Tigers have posted a record of 26-10 overall and 5-7 in the SEC.
 
Missouri has three everyday starters that are hitting over .400, Sami Fagan (.442), Taylor Gadbois (.411), and Regan Nash (.400). Fagan also is tied for the team lead with 10 home runs and also has 7 doubles and 39 RBI. Gadbois has three doubles, one triple, one home run and 11 RBI. Nash has compiled one double and nine RBI.
 
In the circle, the Tigers have to pitchers with at least 10 wins, with Danielle Baumgartner posting a record of 11-3 with an ERA of 2.07 while Paige Lowary has a record of 14-5 and an ERA of 4.21.
 
In the USA Today poll, the Tigers are ranked No. 18 in the nation.
 
Series: Wichita State is 2-19 all-time against the Tigers with the last meeting coming in 2010 with WSU, losing both games, 8-0 and 6-1. The Shockers have not faced Missouri during the Bredbenner era.
 
Shockers News and Notes:
2016: The Shockers are coming off a tough week, going 1-3, but look to bounce back against Missouri. All three games this last weekend against Evansville were decided by one run.
 
So far this season, the Shockers have been led by Macklin Hitz who is hitting .373 with three doubles, seven home runs and 30 RBI. Hitz also has 17 walks on the season. Brittany Fortner has also contributed to the Shockers success, hitting .363 with 11 doubles, three home runs and 16 RBI.
 
Wichita State has two pitchers with over 80 innings pitched with Jenni Brooks with 84.1 and Katie Malone with 100.0. Brooks has an ERA of 2.82 and an overall record of 11-5. Brooks also holds an opponent batting average of .251. Malone has a record of 8-5 and an ERA of 4.55 and leads the pitching staff with 53 strikeouts.
 
But does she get on base?
Paige Luellen had reached base in the first 28 games for the Shockers this season, but ended her 33 game on-base streak at Kansas on March 29.
 
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 collecting two doubles this last weekend against Illinois State, Brittany Fortner is currently second all-time in the Shocker record book with 52 doubles, needing just one more to be tied for first place.
 
Williams is also tied for seventh in doubles (34).
 
Williams is in fourth place with 118 runs scored needing just seven more to jump into the top three.
 
Fortner is also seventh in hits (201), eighth in homeruns (20), tied for sixth in RBI (107), fourth in total bases (317) and eighth in walks (75).
 
Williams is also second in homeruns (32) and tied for third in RBI (117).
 
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.