WICHITA, Kan. - The Wichita State softball team opens up its 2017 campaign this weekend as they travel to Houston, Texas to play in the Hilton Plaza Inviational at the University of Houston, playing against Wright State, California Santa Barbara twice and Houston.
Due to inclement weather interfering with Boston College's travel plans, the schedule for this weekends tournament has been updated. Instead of playing Boston College on Friday at 9 a.m., the Shockers will now play Wright State at 11 a.m. and California Santa Barbara at 1:30 p.m. Day two of the schedule did not change.
Scouting Wright State: Wright State is returning 16 players from its 2016 season, after winning a school record 37 games. The Raiders were recently selected to finish second in the preseason poll for the Horizon Leauge
Returning to the Raiders batting order is junior outfielder Honnah Susor along with senior catcher Vivi Martinez and shortstop Becka Peterson who all hit over .300 last season.
The raiders finished 2016 with a record of 37-23 and 18-6 in the Horizon Leaugue.
The Shockers have faced Wright State just one time in school history, falling to the Raiders in 2013.
Scouting UCSB: Last year, UCSB finished with a 28-28 record overall, and 11-10 in the conference, finishing in fourth place in the Big West. Senior Kristen Clark and sophomore Sierra Altmeyer are the only two all-conference players returning this season.
UCSB was selected to finish sixth in this year's Big West Preseason Coaches Poll.
The Gauchos are returning all three starting outfielders from last season, as well as three starters on the infield.
The Shockers have faced UCSB just twice in school history, going 0-2, with the last time coming in 2014.
Scouting Houston: Houston finished 2016 with a record of 27-29 overall, and 9-9 in the American Athletic Conference.
The Cougars return 12 letterwinners from last year, including All-American Athletic Conference selections Savannah Heebner, Elise LeBeouf and Maya Thomas.
The Cougars have gone 2-3 all-time in the Houston Hilton Plaza Inviational. This tournament is just one of three tournaments that Houston will host.
The Shockers are 1-0 against the Cougars all-time, with the only meeting coming in 2006.
Shockers News and Notes:
Wichita State looks to kick off their season in Houston, Texas, as they play four games in two days against Boston College, Wright State, UCSB, and Houston.
Wichita State finished the 2016 regular season winning 12 of their last 13 games, with a 12 game winning streak being the second longest in school history.
After winning the regular season championship, the Shockers then went on to win the Missouri Valley Tournament Championship, winning both for the first time in school history.
Wichita State then was selected for the 2016 NCAA Regional in Oklahoma, falling to Oklahoma and Ole Miss, but defeating Tulsa for Wichita State's first win in an NCAA Regional.
The Shockers will return four of the seven athletes who recieved
All-MVC
honors in 2016, including Paige Luellen
, Jenni
Brooks, Mackenzie Wright and Macklin
Hitz.
Paige Luellen had reached base in the first 28 games for the Shockers in 2016, but ended her 33 game on-base streak at Kansas last Tuesday.
Wichita State lost two giant bats from 2016 in Cacy Williams and Brittany Fortner, but look to pick up where they left off, bringing in eight newcomers to battle for playing time with the 8 returning starters from a year ago. Returning starters for the Shockers are Kelli Spring, Laurie Derrico, Mackenzie Wright, Ashley Johnson, Paige Luellen, Macklin Hitz, Jenni Brooks and Katie Malone.
The Shockers also return three other position players including, McKenzie Adams who played in 22 games in 2016, hitting .212. Mauriana Jamele, Kennedy Long, Cassidy Kelsheimer, Bethany Canada and Kaylee Huecker will also return in 2017.
Wichita State returns seniors Katie Malone, who made the most starts among the pitching staff (43) a season ago, and Jenni Brooks, who led the team in ERA (3.23), wins (18), and was second in starts (21), and innings pitched (136.1).
Malone appeared in 43 games while starting 26 for the Shockers. During those 43 appearances (which led the team), she also was second on the team in wins (15), strikeouts (78), complete games (11) and second on the team with an ERA of 4.18. Brooks appeared in 38 games for the Shockers, collecting 18 wins and holding opposing hitters to an average of .271. The Shockers have also brought in two newcomers that will pitch for the Shockers in Bailey Klitzke and Morgan Palmer.
In just her junior season, Paige Luellen is beginning to work her way up the Shocker record book, currently in fifth in batting average (.337), second in slugging percentage (.600), first in on-base percentage (.459) and 13th in walks (68).
Along with Luellen breaking records, senior pitcher Katie Malone is also climbing the ranks with a full seasons still to play. She is fourth all-time with 50 wins, second all-time with 11 saves, fifth all-time with 125 appearances, tied for sixth all-time with 88 games started and seventh all-time with 320 strikeouts.
Head coach Kristi Bredbenner is entering her sixth season with the Shockers after coaching at Emporia State prior to taking the job at Wichita State.
Wichita State was picked second in the 2016 MVC preseason poll, as voted on by the Valley coaches. The Shockers collected 88 points and three first-place votes. Drake was picked first with 92 points and six first place votes.
Two Shockers were named to the 2017 Preseason First Team All-MVC, including Wright and Hitz.
