OMAHA, Neb. – Bailey Lange's two-hit game led the Wichita State softball team to a 9-1 victory over the Creighton Bluejays to close out the Creighton Tournament.
Lange led both the offense and defense going 2-for-3 at the plate, knocking in three runs and striking out three in the circle.
Mackenzie Wright led off the game with the single up the middle with
Laurie Derrico reaching first on a fielder's choice. Wright got caught in a rundown between second and third before
Madison Perrigan's deep shot into right field was dropped by the Bluejays' right fielder to get her to second base and Derrico home.
Bailee Nickerson,
Asea Webber and Lange drew consecutive walks to get Perrigan home and pushing the lead to 2-0.
In the bottom half the Bluejays quickly loaded the bases with a sacrifice fly getting a runner home. A ground out and two fielder's choices got the Shockers out of the inning still with a 2-1 lead.
Paige Luellen smoked a deep shot to center field in the third for a leadoff double. Perrigan's sacrifice bunt moved
Kaylee Huecker, who came in to run, to third. Nickerson then knocked one into left field for an RBI single to push the lead to 3-1. Three became five with back-to-back doubles by Lange and
Ryleigh Buck getting Nickerson and Lange home.
Buck led off the sixth being hit by a pitch with Palmer reaching first on an error. Wright's sac fly got Buck home with Derrico singling into left center to get Palmer home and pushing the score to 7-1.
In the seventh,
Mauriana Jamele pinch hit for Webber, crushing a home run to right field for her first homer of the season. In the next at-bat Lange knocked one over the center field fence for the second straight solo home run to make it 9-1.
In the seventh, the Bluejays singled for only their second hit of the day with Lange striking out the final batter to get the win (9-6) and the Shockers moving to 16-10 on the season.
Wichita State now looks to a lone game on Tuesday afternoon back in Omaha as they face the University of Nebraska – Omaha at 2:00 p.m. CT.
