WICHITA, Kan. - The Shockers open the 2018 season and the seventh season under head coach Kristi Bredbenner with 18 days of travel, fitting in 12 teams across three tournaments, beginning play at the Plainsman Invite in Auburn, Ala., hosted by Auburn University at Jane B. Moore Field.

The Shockers begin with the Tigers (ranked #13 in the NFCA/USA Today Coaches Poll) on the SEC Network+ (ESPN3) at 5:30 p.m., Thursday, Feb. 8, followed by a matchup against Tennessee Tech at 9:00 a.m. on Feb. 9. Other games from the tournament against Marshall (R.V.), Furman and the second game against Auburn are yet to be determined due to inclement weather.
 

PLAINSMAN INVITE

Auburn, Ala.

Jane B. Moore Field

Game Notes: WSU | AU

GAME 1

Wichita State at Auburn

Thursday, Feb. 8

5:30 P.M. CDT

AuburnTigers.com

GAME 2

Wichita State vs. Tennessee Tech

Friday, Feb. 9

9:00 A.M. CDT

SOCIAL

@GoShockersSB | #watchus

@goshockers | #watchus

Go Shockers

Scouting Auburn: Auburn return 14 letterwinners and six starters from a 2017 squad that went 49-12 (17-7), finishing second in the regular season SEC race and in the semi finals of the SEC Championships. The Tigers reached the NCAA Regional Round and finished the year with the same ranking they start the 2018 season, #13. 

Senior pitcher Kaylee Carlson has been named to the 2018 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year Watch List after compiling a program-record 27 wins and a 1.36 ERA last season; the second-lowest in Auburn's history. Carlson and outfielder Alyssa Rivera have both selected to the Preseason All-SEC Team with the Tigers' selected to finish sixth in the SEC Preseason Coaches Poll. 

This will be fifth meeting between the programs with the Shockers trailing 0-4. Auburn defeated Wichita State 15-0 back in 2004 at the Getterman Classic held in Waco, Texas. The Shockers have never played Auburn under Bredbenner. 

Scouting Tennessee Tech: The Golden Eagles return 10 letterwinners from the 2017 squad who went 16-30 (8-8), reaching the quarter finals of the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament. Three pitchers return under head coach Bonnie Bynum Graham, also beginning her seventh season in charge. Tennessee Tech have been projected to finish 10th in the OVC Preseason Coaches Poll. 

The Shockers and the Golden Eagles will meet for the first time in history at the Plainsman Invite. 

Against the Field: The Shockers are 0-6 against the tournament field having dropped four straight to Auburn (pre-Bredbenner) and two straight to Furman (also pre-Bredbenner). Wichita State will be facing both Marshall, should the game go ahead, and Tennessee Tech for the first time in program history.

###

OPENING DAY:
The Shockers are 16-24 in season openers and 4-2 under Bredbenner. Last season the Shockers began the year with a perfect 4-0 record at the Houston Invitational.

YEAR AFTER YEAR AFTER YEAR AFTER YEAR:
Since 2014, every Shocker softball squad has entered the batting record books with the '14, '15, '16 and '17 teams all holding top-six positions in the history books. These include highest batting average, highest slugging percentage, highest on base percentage, most runs scored, most hits, most doubles, most home runs and most RBI's. 

STACKED SCHEDULE:
Wichita State has one of the toughest 2018 schedules in college softball after scheduling 11 teams that reached the 2017 NCAA Tournament. This includes two teams that went all the way to the College World Series in Washington (play twice at the Sam Houston State Tournament) and defending National Champions Oklahoma (the Shockers travel to Norman, Okla., in April). 

MOVING ON UP:
Multiple Shockers have individual career records in the top-10 record books. Senior Mackenzie Wright is currently fifth in batting average (.337) with junior Laurie Derrico second in slugging percentage (.613). Wright (in third position) and fellow senior Paige Luellen (in fourth position) are currently seperated by only one percentile in on base percentage. 

GETTING 'EM ROUND:
Luellen needs 14 RBI to move into first position in the individual Shocker record books. The senior from Tulsa, Okla., is currently in fifth position with 121 with current softball director of operations Cacy Williams, who played at Wichita State from 2014 to 2016, holding first with 135. 

DRAWING AND STEALING:
Luellen and Wright both continue to climb the Shocker record books in walks and stolen bases. Luellen is tied third in walks with 91 (needs 13 to move in first), while Wright fifth in stolen bases with 44 (needs 12 to move into first). 

STREAKS ON STREAKS:
Sophomore Madison Perrigan and junior Laurie Derrico hold the only still-alive hitting streaks moving into 2018; both are at five. Perrigan led the team in hitting streaks last season with 10 while Derrico reached a high of seven. Wright and Luellen both had a high of six. Wright also brings a run of nine consecutive games reaching base into the fresh season with Perrigan and Derrico also bringing in a run of five each. 

NEW DIGS:
The Shockers have been selected to finish fifth in the inaugural American Athletic Conference season behind Preseason Coaches Poll favorites Tulsa; Houston, USF and UCF were all also selected to finish ahead of the Shockers. However Wichita State currently holds a six game win streak over The American preseason favorites the Golden Hurricane's. 

STAYING IN THE LOOP:
Follow the Shocker softball program on twitter (@GoShockersSB) for content and live in-game updates. You can also become a fan of Wichita State softball on Facebook (WichitaStateSoftball) and Instagram (GoShockersSB).