WICHITA, Kan. – The Wichita State softball team took down the Missouri State Bears on day two of the Wichita State Tournament with
Paige Luellen hitting another home run to lead the offense.
Caitlin Bingham got the start in the circle, striking out two in the first but two wild pitches got a runner home to give Missouri State an early 1-0 lead.
In the second, Bingham got her third and fourth strikeouts, both looking, with a single in the bottom half following up a single from
Asea Webber to get two on base.
Bailee Nickerson continued the trend with the third straight single to load the bases, a fielder's choice on a hit by
Morgan Palmer and a fly out on a
Mackenzie Wright swing got the Bears out the jam.
Three straight ground outs to
Laurie Derrico at shortstop ended the top of the third. Derrico singled into left field in the bottom half for the 100th hit of her career. In the next at-bat,
Paige Luellen crushed a two-run homer over the right field fence to put the Shockers on top 2-1.
The Bears tied it back up in the fifth with a solo rocket over the center field fence and took the lead following two consecutive errors after
Bailey Klitzke had replaced Bingham in the circle. The Shockers eventually got out of the inning with Klitzke recording her 50th career strikeout.
In the bottom half the Shockers took the lead right back. Wright led off with a deep triple to right field and a
Ryleigh Buck single to left field to get her home and tied the score at 5-5. Derrico then doubled into center field with the Bears intentionally walking Luellen to load the bases.
Madison Perrigan singled through the left to get Buck home.
Asea Webber flew out to right field to add another and gave the Shockers a 5-4 lead.
Bailey Lange then came in to hit for Klitzke, a deep double to right field scored another two and gave the Shockers a 7-4 lead.
In the sixth, the Bears cut back into the lead with a throwing error getting a runner home. In the seventh another single made it 7-6 but two straight swinging strikeouts by Lange, who came in for the save, gave the Shockers the win.
Wichita State (13-8) next face Western Illinois in game two of the day beginning at 5:45 p.m.
