WICHITA, Kan. - The Wichita State softball team is back on the road this weekend, as they try and snap a three-game losing streak in the Tulsa Invitational beginning on Friday, at 3:00 p.m., against Texas Tech.
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Scouting Texas Tech: The Red Raiders have started the 2017 season with a record of 12-9 and are led by Devon Thomey who is hitting .389 on the season.
Kassidy Scott has led the team in the circle with 60.1 innings pitched and an ERA of 2.44.
The Shockers faced Texas Tech last weekend, defeating the Red Raiders by a score of 10-7 after coming from behind.
Scouting #19 California: The Bears are off to a 15-3 start and are ranked number 19 in the country.Â
Lindsay Rood has led the way so far, batting .404 in 16 games, while Zoe Conley has led the team in the circle with 73.1 innings pitched and an ERA of 1.81.
The Shockers are 0-2 all-time against the Bears, with the last meeting coming in 2009.
Scouting Montana: The Griz have started the 2017 campaign with a record of 7-12, going 5-10 in neutral site games.
Bethany Olea has led the way for Montana, hitting .383, along with Delene Colburn. The Griz have also had four pitchers pitch over 20 innings.
Wichita State has never faced Montana.
Scouting Tulsa: The Golden Hurricane have started the 2017 season with a record of 11-9, recently falling to Oklahoma by a score of 1-0.
Morgan Neal has led the offense, hitting .429, while Emily Watson has led the way in the circle, with an ERA of 1.91 in 58.2 innings.
The Shockers faced the Golden Hurricane three times last season, defeating them all three times, including Wichita State's first ever NCAA Regional win.
Shockers News and Notes:
Trying to snap a three-game losing streak, the Shockers will take on Texas Tech, California, Montana and Tulsa in the Tulsa Invitational.
Last week, the Shockers went 2-4, falling to Oklahoma, UTEP and North Texas twice. Wichita State defeated UTEP and Texas Tech in the Texas Tech Invitational.
Against Oklahoma, the Shockers drew a record setting crowd, bringing in 1,113 fans.
Mackenzie Wright led the Shockers on the week, hitting .435 in six games and earning Missouri Valley Player of the week.
Katie Malone went a perfect 5-0 two weekends ago in Arlington, throwing 29.1 innings, earning her Missouri Valley Conference Pitcher of the Week.
So far this season, the Shocker offense has been led by
Kelli Spring who is hitting .417 and by
Mackenzie Wright who is hitting .410.
The Shockers have a team ERA of 3.47, with senior
Katie Malone throwing 78.0 innings, with a record of 9-5 while freshman
Bailey Klitzke has thrown 33.2 innings and has an ERA of 4.16.
Jenni Brooks got her first appearances last weekend and threw 5.1 innings and allowed six earned runs for an ERA of 7.88.
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.
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.
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