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WICHITA, Kan. – After beginning Missouri Valley Conference play with a perfect 3-0 record, the Wichita State softball team fell to Illinois State twice on Saturday, by scores of, 5-3 and 8-3.
 
Katie Malone started game one, throwing all seven innings, but allowing five earned runs on 10 hits.
 
Both teams went scoreless for the first three innings until a solo home run in the top of the fourth by Allison Spence broke the tie and gave Illinois State a 1-0 lead.
 
In the bottom of the fourth, the Shockers tied it back up after Kelli Spring reached on a bunt single and later came around to score on a single from Madison Perrigan.
 
After back-to-back singles and a sacrifice bunt by the Redbirds in the fifth, a double from Riley Strandgard scored two and gave Illinois State a 3-1 lead.
 
The Redbirds extended the lead in the sixth inning after a single, an error and a double scored two, pushing the lead to 5-1.
 
A solo home run by Perrigan in the sixth and another solo home run by Paige Luellen in the seventh made the game closer, but the Shockers were unable to mount a comeback, falling in game one, 5-3.
 
Jenni Brooks got the start for game two and threw 3.1 innings and allowed six runs, four of which were earned, on just three hits. Freshman Bailey Klitzke entered the game and faced four batters and collected one out before Malone entered the game. Malone then finished the final 3.1 innings and allowed one run on six hits.
 
The Redbirds jumped on the Shockers early, scoring three runs in the first inning on three hits and two walks.
 
In the second after reaching on an error, the Redbirds added another run on a double from Strandgard to extend the lead to 4-0.
 
The Shockers added a run in the bottom of the third on a solo home run from Laurie Derrico to make the score, 4-1.
 
Illinois State stayed hot and added three more runs in the fourth after two walks and a single came around to score and extend the lead to 7-1.
 
Wichita State showed signs of fight in the fifth inning after Mackenzie Wright and Derrico were both hit by a pitch and later came around to score on a bases loaded walk and a double from McKenzie Adams.
 
The Redbirds pushed across one more run in the sixth on two hits to extend the lead to 8-3 and push the game out of reach as the Shockers fell to the Redbirds in game two.
 
The Shockers are now 16-12 overall and 3-2 in Missouri Valley Conference play and will finish the three-game series with Illinois State tomorrow at 11 a.m.

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