HOUSTON, Texas - Despite out-hitting the Houston Cougars, the Wichita State softball team fell in game three of the series, 6-3, with two errors proving costly.
Mackenzie Wright battled back from a 1-2 count to draw a leadoff walk with
Asea Webber sacrifice bunting to move her to second.
Laurie Derrico was hit by a pitch to get two on base with a ground out to third moving the runners into scoring position but another ground out kept the Shockers off the board.
Caitlin Bingham had her first test of the day in the circle in the bottom half after hitting the leadoff Cougar with a pitch. Back-to-back walks loaded the bases with two ground outs and a tag up by Wright at third keeping Houston from scoring.
Bingham got her first three-up, three-down in the second with both teams loading the bases in the third. In the top half
Bailey Lange led off with the first hit of the day for WSU into left field. Wright laid down a sac bunt to move her around with Webber drawing a walk and Buck singling to add the third runner but the Shockers left them stranded.
In the bottom half the Cougars took the lead. A single and two hit by pitches quickly loaded the bases with a single and another hit by pitch getting two home. A wild pitch scored a third with a throwing error on a two-out ground out pushing the lead to 5-0.
Houston added a sixth in the bottom half on a throwing error.
In the fifth, Derrico smoked a two-out solo shot to cut the lead to 6-1. It was her team leading ninth home run of the season. In the sixth,
Bailee Nickerson doubled to get on base with
Madison Perrigan singling to get her home and making the score 6-2.
In the seventh, the Shockers attempted a rally with Wright leading off with a solo home run to cut the lead to 6-3. Buck hit a two-out single up the middle, Nickerson singled through the left side with Luellen reaching on an error to load the bases but a high fly out in center field ended the game.
Wichita State falls to 23-17 on the year and 6-6 in The American. The Shockers now look to a midweek matchup against Oklahoma State at Wilkins Stadium on Wednesday evening.
