WICHITA, Kan. - With 17 runs from 15 hits the Wichita State softball team took down Hutchinson Community College, 17-2, in a 10-inning game at Wilkins Stadium to kick off the fall ball schedule.

After allowing a leadoff double in her first collegiate pitch, freshman pitcher Hailey Martinez sat down the next three Blue Dragons in order to close out the top of the first. The Shockers scored three in the bottom, started by a Hutchinson throwing error to quickly take a 3-0 lead. 

The Blue Dragons hit a solo home run in the top of the fourth to cut into the Shockers lead but Wichita State responded in the bottom of the 5th with Bailee Nickerson reaching home on a wild pitch. Nickerson went 2-3 with one RBI in her first game as a Shocker.

Kiersten Otte had an RBI single up the middle in the bottom of the sixth with Paige Luellen finding home to push the lead to 5-1.

In the 8th Morgan Palmer flew out to center field with Mackenzie Wright rounding the bases on a throwing error. Laurie Derrico followed up with a two-run home run to center field later in the inning to make it 8-1. 

Hutchinson made it 8-2 in the top of the 9th on a wild pitch before the Shocker offense took over in the bottom of the inning. A series of throwing errors, hit by pitches, walks and hits allowed Wichita State to score nine runs and make it 17-2 with Hutchinson unable to respond in the top of the 10th.

The Shockers begin the fall schedule 1-0 and are back in action tomorrow when they play host to Crowder College at Wilkins Stadium. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m. with admission $5 at the gate and free for WSU students with valid ID.