WICHITA, Kan. - After splitting a mid-week doubleheader against Missouri State on Wednesday, the Shockers travel to Carbondale, Ill., to take on Southern Illinois in a three-game series beginning at noon on Saturday.
 

WICHITA STATE SOFTBALL

Carbondale, Ill.

Charlotte West Stadium

GAME 43

Wichita State (27-15, 12-5 MVC)   Southern Illinois (23-21, 10-7 MVC)

Saturday, April 22

12 P.M. CT

The Valley on ESPN3

WatchESPN3

Live Stats

GAME 44

Wichita State (27-15, 12-5 MVC)   Southern Illinois (23-21, 10-7 MVC)

Saturday, April 22

2:30 P.M. CT

The Valley on ESPN3

WatchESPN3

Live Stats

GAME 45

Wichita State (27-15, 12-5 MVC)    Southern Illinois (23-21, 10-7 MVC)

Sunday, April 23

11 A.M. CT

The Valley on ESPN3

WatchESPN3

Live Stats

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Scouting Southern Illinois: The Salukis have started the 2017 season with an overall record of 23-21 while starting 10-7 in Missouri Valley Conference play. 

Shaye Harre has led the way offensively, as she has started all 44 games and is hitting .333 with five home runs and 15 doubles for 27 RBI. Susie Baranski and Merri Anne Patterson are also helping the offense, hitting .315 and .297 respectively, while Baranski has 13 RBI and Patterson leads the team with 34 RBI.

All three Saluki pitchers have thrown over 65 innings, with Nicole Doyle throwing 68.2 with an ERA of 3.98 while Savanna Dover has thrown 72.0 innings and holds a 3.31 ERA. Brianna Jones leads the way with 160.1 innings pitched and an ERA of 2.31 and 99 strikeouts.

Wichita State faced won the first game of the series last year 5-4, but fell to the Salukis in game two, 11-3. The third game of the series got cancelled, but the Shockers played Southern Illinois in the first round of the MVC Tournament and won, 7-5.

Shockers News and Notes: Wichita State split its double-header on Wednesday against Missouri State to move to 27-15 overall and 12-5 in MVC play. The Shockers head into Carbondale winning four of their winning eight of their last 10.

McKenzie Adams, Mackenzie Wright and Kelli Spring all have current six game hitting streaks, while Asea Webber has a five game hitting streak.

Wichita State currently ranks 29th in the nation in doubles per game, 17th in slugging percentage, 22nd in batting average, 28th in on-base percentage and 32nd in home runs per game.

Senior Katie Malone 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.

Malone collected her 22nd win of the year after going 3-0 with 20.0 innings pitched, allowing zero runs to win MVC Pitcher of the week for the week of April 17. 

Wichita State has five players that have started all 42 games this season. Those players are, Kelli Spring, Mackenzie Wright, Madison Perrigan, Laurie Derrico and Macklin Hitz. Four of those five players are currently hitting over .300.

With one game against Kansas and three against Indiana State 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 three wins to move into a tie for second all-time in Wichita State history for wins. She also needs just nine wins to reach 500 in her career.

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 fourth in the nation with 22 wins, setting a new career high.

The Shockers are also first in the Missouri Valley in batting average at .318, first in slugging percentage (.488), first in on-base percentage (.394), first in runs scored (228), first in hits (361), tied for first in RBI (204), first in doubles with 63 and second in home runs with 39.

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

Senior Katie Malone leads the Missouri Valley in innings pitched (193.1), wins (22) and is second in the Valley in total strikeouts (135).

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 .389 and by Mackenzie Wright who is hitting .375.

The Shockers have a team ERA of 2.59, with senior Katie Malone throwing 193.1 innings, with a record of 22-9 while freshman Bailey Klitzke has thrown 35.0 innings and has an ERA of 4.20. Jenni Brooks has now made 13 appearances and has thrown 50.0 innings and allowed 22 earned runs for an ERA of 3.08.

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.

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.

In just her junior season, Paige Luellen is beginning to work her way up the Shocker record book, currently in ninth in batting average (.318), fourth in slugging percentage (.583), third in on-base percentage (.440) and 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 163 appearances, second all-time with 115 games started and fourth all-time with 455 strikeouts.

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

Wichita State was picked second in the 2017 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.