WICHITA, Kan. – By winning game one of the double-header against Southern Illinois, 5-4, the Wichita State softball team clinched the Missouri Valley Conference regular season championship outright. In game two, the Shockers fell to the Salukis in five innings, 11-3.

Jenni Brooks got the start in game one, throwing 3.2 innings and allowing two runs on four hits. Kelsey Sterneker entered the game and threw 0.2 innings, but Katie Malone finished the game, throwing 2.2 innings and receiving the win.

Offensively, the Shockers hit three home runs in the first game, from Cacy Williams, Brittany Fortner and Laurie Anne Derrico.
Both teams were scoreless through two innings in game one. In the bottom of the third, Kelli Spring led off with a double that was followed by a two-run home run to right field by Williams to make the score, 2-0.

In the top of the fourth, the Salukis tied the game on a two-run home run by Savannah Fisher.

The Shockers added one more run in the bottom of the fourth on a lead-off home run by Derrico, to give Wichita State a 3-2 lead.
In the top of the fifth, the Salukis took their first lead of the game, scoring two runs on just two hits to take a 4-3 lead.

Wichita State responded in the bottom of the fifth with a two-run home run by Fortner to center field to give the Shockers a 5-4 lead, which they would hold for the remainder of the game.

In game two, Malone got the start but gave up four runs in just 0.1 innings of work. Jenni Brooks then entered the game and allowed five runs to score but just one was earned. Ashlynne Neil finished the game, throwing 3.1 innings and allowing two runs.

Southern Illinois was hot early, scoring four runs in the top of the first innings on six straight hits to take a 4-0 lead.

For the second straight inning, the Salukis batted around in the second, scoring five more runs on three hits and two errors to take a commanding 9-0 lead.

Cacy Williams collected the Shockers' first hit in the third inning on her second home run of the day, to make the score 9-1.
In the top of the fifth, the Salukis added two more runs to push the lead to 10, 11-1.

Wichita State tried to battle in the bottom of the fifth, scoring two runs on a home run from Derrico, to make the score, 11-3, but were shut down, ending the game by run-rule in five innings.

Wichita State is now 33-19 on the season and snapped its winning streak of 12 games, which is the second longest in Wichita State softball history. The Shockers are now 18-6 in Missouri Valley play and will be in action again tomorrow against Southern Illinois at 11:00 a.m.