CARBONDALE, Ill. – For the first time since 2010 against Drake, the Wichita State softball team has won a Missouri Valley Conference Tournament game, defeating Southern Illinois 7-5 to advance to the championship game.
Jenni Brooks got the nod to start the game, throwing 5.2 innings and receiving her 17th win of the season. Katie Malone threw 1.1 innings and finished the game for the Shockers, collecting her fourth save of the season.
Southern Illinois' Kelsey Gonzalez led off the top of the first with a double down the right field line. After a groundout to Derrico, moved Gonzalez to third and a walk to Shaye Harre, Merri Anne Patterson doubled into left center to bring in two runs.
Another single and a throwing error by Ashley Johnson scored one more run to make the score, 3-0.
With runners on first and second in the bottom of the second inning and two outs, Laurie Anne Derrico crushed a no-doubt home run to left field that scored three runs to tie the game at three, heading into the third inning.
After both teams went scoreless in the third, Derrico led off the bottom of the fourth with a hit-by-pitch. After a walk to Cacy Williams, Mackenzie Wright hit an infield single, to load the bases with one out.
With the bases loaded, Paige Luellen singled into centerfield and advanced to second while Wright advanced to third, scoring two runs and taking a 5-3 lead.
Brittany Fortner led off the bottom of the fifth with a surprise bunt single. After a bunt by Ashley Johnson, and a fielding error by the third baseman and a walk to Derrico, a pinch-hit single by McKenzie Adams scored one run and make the score, 6-3.
With the bases loaded, Luellen reached on an error by the shortstop to score another run, 7-3.
In the top of the sixth, the Salukis got runners at first and third with one out, Patterson singled to left field, scoring one run, cutting the lead to 7-4. After a fly-out to center, both runners advanced to second and third with two outs.
After a walk to Hanna Porter, Brooks walked in a run to make the score, 7-5. Katie Malone entered the game with two outs and got Savannah Fisher to fly-out to right field to end the inning.
With the bases loaded for the Shockers in the bottom of the sixth with two outs, Williams grounded out to second base to end the inning with the Shockers taking a 7-5 lead into the top of the seventh.
Malone got the Salukis in order in the seventh to give the Shockers their first MVC Tournament win since 2010, 7-5.
Wichita State will be in action again tomorrow in the Championship game at 1:04 p.m. as the Shockers will take on the winner of Drake vs. Illinois State, tonight.
-Wichita State-
