WICHITA, Kan. - Wichita State continues its Missouri Valley Conference schedule on Friday, as they take on Northern Iowa in a three game series in Cedar Falls, Iowa.

The games were originally schedule for a doubleheader on Saturday and a single game on Sunday, but due to potential weather, the Shockers will play a single game on Friday at noon and a doubleheader on Saturday beginning at 11 a.m.
 

WICHITA STATE SOFTBALL

Cedar Falls, Iowa

Robinson-Dresser Field

GAME 46

Wichita State (28-17, 13-7 MVC)   Northern Iowa (27-18, 15-6 MVC)

Friday, April 28

12 P.M. CT

Live Stats

GAME 47

Wichita State (28-17, 13-7 MVC)   Northern Iowa (27-18, 15-6 MVC)

Saturday, April 29

11:00 A.M. CT

Live Stats

GAME 48

Wichita State (28-17, 13-7 MVC)    Southern Illinois (27-18, 15-6 MVC)

Saturday, April 29

1:30 P.M. CT

Live Stats

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Scouting Northern Iowa: So far this season, the Panthers are 27-18 overall and 15-6 in Missouri Valley Conference play, good enough for second place.

Anna Varriano has started 44 games for the Panthers and leads the team with an average of .321 and is tied for the team lead with eight home runs. Sammey Bunch has started all 45 games and is hitting .310 on the year.

The Panthers have three pitchers with at least 80 innings pitched with Alyssa Buchanan leading the way with an ERA of 1.57 and 107.0 innings pitched. Jaclyn Spencer has pitched 110.0 innings and an ERA of 2.04. Bailey Lange has thrown 83.0 innings this year and has an ERA of 3.80.

The Shockers lost two games to Northern Iowa last year after defeating the Panthers in game one, 3-2. In the final two games, the Shockers lost 11-7 and 7-4.

Shockers News and Notes: After a tough weekend in Carbondale, Ill., the Shockers bounced back on Tuesday and defeated Missouri State, 6-1, to take the season series two games to one. 

Wichita State currently ranks 33rd in the nation in doubles per game, 20th in slugging percentage, 26th 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 45 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 two wins to move into a tie for second all-time in Wichita State history for wins. She also needs just eight 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 sixth in the nation with 22 wins, setting a new career high.

The Shockers are currently tied for first in the Missouri Valley in batting average at .313, second in slugging percentage (.482), second in on-base percentage (.389), second in runs scored (240), second in hits (383), second in RBI (216), first in doubles with 66 and second in home runs with 42.

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 Mackenzie Wright who is hitting .384 and by Kelli Spring who is hitting .379.

The Shockers have a team ERA of 2.57, 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 15 appearances and has thrown 65.2 innings and allowed 25 earned runs for an ERA of 2.66.

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 14th in batting average (.313), fifth in slugging percentage (.573), fourth in on-base percentage (.436) 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.