WICHITA, Kan. - After dropping two games at Southern Illinois last weekend, the Shockers look to bounce back and take the series from Missouri State as they play a single game at 5 p.m., on Tuesday in Springfield, Mo.
 

WICHITA STATE SOFTBALL

Springfield, Mo.

Killian Sports Complex

GAME 45

Wichita State (27-17, 12-7 MVC)   Missouri State (22-19, 10-10 MVC)

Tuesday, April 25

5 P.M. CT

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Scouting Missouri State: After splitting with the Shockers last Wednesday, the Bears traveled to Illinois State where they were swept by scores of 7-2, 5-3 and 5-2, to move to 22-19 on the season and 10-10 in MVC play.

Both Bethany Sullinger and Erika Velasquez Zimmer are leading the team with an average of .379. Sullinger leads the team with 24 RBI, five home runs and eight doubles, while Zimmer has five doubles, 11 RBI and four triples.

The Bears pitching staff has two players with at least 100 innings pitched. Kaitlin Beason leads the tema with 131.0 innings and a record of 12-8, while Holly Kelley has 103.1 innings and a record of 9-9. Beason holds a team best 2.03 ERA, while Kelley holds a 3.25.

Every run scored in the matchup last Wednesday was a two-run home run. Missouri State hit two in the first game to win 4-0 and Wichita State hit two in the second game to win 4-0.

Shockers News and Notes: After a tough weekend in Carbondale, Ill., the Shockers look to bounce back as they finish the three-game series with Missouri State with a single game in Springfield on Tuesday.

Wichita State currently ranks 33rd in the nation in doubles per game, 22nd in slugging percentage, 28th in batting average and 31st 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 44 games this season. Those players are, Kelli Spring, Mackenzie Wright, Madison Perrigan, Laurie Derrico and Macklin Hitz. All five players are currently hitting over .300.

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 72nd.

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

The Shockers are second in the Missouri Valley in batting average at .313, second in slugging percentage (.482), second in on-base percentage (.389), second in runs scored (234), second in hits (373), second in RBI (210), first in doubles with 65 and second in home runs with 41.

Laurie Derrico is second in the Valley with 10 home runs.

Senior Katie Malone leads the Missouri Valley in innings pitched (196.2), wins (22) and is second in the Valley in total strikeouts (140).

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 .370.

The Shockers have a team ERA of 2.60, with senior Katie Malone throwing 196.2 innings, with a record of 22-10 while freshman Bailey Klitzke has thrown 35.0 innings and has an ERA of 4.20. Jenni Brooks has now made 14 appearances and has thrown 58.2 innings and allowed 24 earned runs for an ERA of 2.86.

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 13th in batting average (.315), fourth in slugging percentage (.576), third in on-base percentage (.437) 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 164 appearances, second all-time with 116 games started and fourth all-time with 460 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.