WICHITA, Kan. – Despite rallying from a five-run deficit for the second time this season, the Wichita State softball team fell to the Memphis Tigers 10-7 in extra innings at Wilkins Stadium to close out the opening weekend of conference play.
Mackenzie Wright led off the Wichita State bats with a double down the left field line in the first.
Bailee Nickerson followed up with a perfect bunt that bounced just in front of the pitcher to get two on base but the Shockers left them stranded.
In the second the Tigers took a 3-0 lead. A leadoff single was followed by two straight outs and a walk before the Memphis bats came alive with a single just over
Ryleigh Buck at first base getting two home. A third followed a walk with
Caitlin Bingham, who came in to replace Lange, getting the third out on a swinging strikeout.
Bingham had her first three-up, three-down in the third and led off the third with a walk. Wright flew out before Nickerson crushed the ball over the left field fence for a two-run home run - her second of the series and fourth of the season.
After cutting into the lead, the Tigers responded with five runs in the fourth - the highlight being a two-run home run to push the lead to 7-2.
In the bottom half the Shocker bats found some rhythm with Buck singling down the left line and Lange doubling to left-center to get two on base.
Madison Perrigan flew out to deep center with Buck scoring and
Asea Webber doubling to get Lange home and cutting the Memphis lead to 7-4.
Bailey Klitzke replaced Bingham in the circle and sat down the Tigers in order in the fifth. In the bottom half,
Laurie Derrico drew a walk with Klitzke singling on the first pitch to get two on base but the Shockers couldn't take advantage and left them stranded.
Klitzke got her second straight three-up, three-down in the sixth with the Shockers again getting two on base in the bottom half on a Webber double into left field and a Bingham walk. This time they took advantage with Wright doubling for the second time to get Webber home.
Morgan Palmer ran for Bingham and beat out the throw at home on a Nickerson fielder's choice to cut the lead to 7-6. In the next at-bat the Shockers tied it up with Derrico reaching on an infield single and Wright getting home to make it 7-7.
In the top of the seventh Lange re-entered to pitch and retired the Tigers in order. In the bottom half, Webber reached first on an error and Palmer beat out the throw at first to get two on but a looking strikeout left them stranded.
The Tigers re-took the lead for good in the top of the eighth. A leadoff double and a hit by pitch got two on with a single and error getting them home. A groundout to Derrico at shortstop added a third and the Shocker bats went down in order in the bottom half for the Memphis win.
Lange took the loss and moves to 9-8 with Wichita State moving to 17-12 on the season and 1-2 in The American. They next face top-25 ranked Oklahoma State in a single game in Stillwater on Tuesday night with the first pitch scheduled for 6:00 p.m. Live radio will be streamed through GoShockers.com with Steve Strain and Jamie Hull both making the trip.
