WICHITA, Kan. - Currently on a four-game winning streak, the Wichita State softball team hosts Missouri State on Wednesday for a double-header beginning at 3 p.m.
 

WICHITA STATE SOFTBALL

Wichita, Kan.

Wilkins Stadium

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GAME 41

Wichita State (26-14, 11-4 MVC)   Missouri State (21-15, 9-6 MVC)

Wednesday, April 19

3 P.M. CT

The Valley on ESPN3

WatchESPN3

Live Stats

GAME 42

Wichita State (26-14, 11-4 MVC)   Missouri State (21-15, 9-6 MVC)

Wednesday, April 19

5:30 P.M. CT

The Valley on ESPN3

WatchESPN3

Live Stats

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@GoShockersSB | #watchus

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Go Shockers

Scouting Missouri State: The Bears have started the season with a record of 21-15 and 9-6 in Missouri Valley Conference play. Last season, the Bears finished with a record of 22-30 and 10-14 in MVC play.

Erika Velasquez Zimmer has led the way for the Bears so far this season, hitting .382 with four triples and 11 RBI, while Hailee Vigneaux is hitting .360 with nine RBI.

Kaitlin Beason and Holly Kelley have pitched most of the innings for Missouri State, as Beason has an ERA of 1.96 and a record of 11-7, while Kelley has an ERA of 2.64 and a record of 9-6.

The Shockers faced the Bears three times last year, with Wichita State winning all three games by scores of 17-6, 3-2 and 5-4.

Shockers News and Notes: The Shockers have won four straight games after defeating Kansas once and sweeping Indiana State last weekend.

Senior Katie Malone has not allowed a single earned run in her last 20.0 innings pitched, dating back three starts. She needs just six wins to set an all-time Wichita State record for wins in a career and needs just three to set the record for wins in a single season.

Wichita State has five players that have started all 40 games this season. Those players are, Kelli Spring, Mackenzie Wright, Madison Perrigan, Laurie Derrico and Macklin Hitz. All five of those players are currently hitting over .300.

With one game against Kansas and three against Indiana State over the last week, the Shockers have eight players who hit over .300 and four that hit over .500 with Asea Webber and Paige Luellen hitting .571, McKenzie Adams hitting .583 and Kelli Spring hitting an even .600.

Head coach Kristi Bredbenner needs just four wins to move into second all-time in Wichita State history for wins. She also needs just 10 wins to reach 500 in her career.

Madison Perrigan is currently on a 14 game on-base streak.

Senior Katie Malone has now collected 72 wins in her career, ranking third all-time in Wichita State history. She just needs five more wins to move into a tie for first place all-time at 77 wins.

The Shockers had started conference play 3-0 for the first time since 2007. In 2007, the Shockers also swept Drake at home to begin MVC play.

In the most recent RPI ranking, the Shockers are placed at 61st.

Senior Katie Malone is currently tied for thid in the nation with 22 wins, setting a new career high.

The Shockers are also first in the Missouri Valley in batting average at .319, first in slugging percentage (.493), first in on-base percentage (.397), first in runs scored (224), first in hits (346), first in RBI (200), first in doubles with 63 and first in home runs with 37.

Laurie Derrico is tied for second in the Valley with nine home runs.

Senior Katie Malone leads the Missouri Valley in innings pitched (186.1), wins (22) and is second in the Valley in total strikeouts (132).

The first two home games of the year brought in 1,113 people and 1,115 people respectively, both setting new Wilkins Stadium record.

Mackenzie Wright hit .435 in six games and earned Missouri Valley Player of the week for the week of March 6.

Katie Malone went a perfect 5-0 in Arlington, throwing 29.1 innings, earning her Missouri Valley Conference Pitcher of the Week for the week of Feb. 27.

So far this season, the Shocker offense has been led by Kelli Spring who is hitting .387 and by Mackenzie Wright who is hitting .372.

The Shockers have a team ERA of 2.62, with senior Katie Malone throwing 186.1 innings, with a record of 22-8 while freshman Bailey Klitzke has thrown 35.0 innings and has an ERA of 4.20. Jenni Brooks has now made 12 appearances and has thrown 43.0 innings and allowed 22 earned runs for an ERA of 3.58.

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.

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. 

In just her junior season, Paige Luellen is beginning to work her way up the Shocker record book, currently in eighth in batting average (.323), third in slugging percentage (.591), third in on-base percentage (.446) and for fourth in walks (89).

Along with Luellen breaking records, senior pitcher Katie Malone is also climbing the ranks as she finishes her senior year. She is tied for second all-time with 72 wins, second all-time with 11 saves, first all-time with 162 appearances, second all-time with 114 games started and fourth all-time with 452 strikeouts.

Head coach Kristi Bredbenner is entering her sixth season with the Shockers after coaching at Emporia State.