WICHITA, Kan. - Behind four home runs and eight strikeouts, the Wichita State softball team defeated No. 19/24 Oklahoma State, 9-6, at Wilkins Stadium to sweep the series over the Cowgirls and earn its second win over a ranked opponent this season in front of the largest home crowd this season (650).
Bailey Lange got her 50th career start in the circle and instantly delivered with back-to-back looking strikeouts in an easy three-up, three-down for the Shocker defense.
In the bottom half of the first Wichita State took the lead.
Mackenzie Wright led off with a deep double down the left field line, the 33rd of her career to move her into a tie for 10th for doubles all-time at WSU.
Asea Webber's sacrifice bunt moved her to third before
Laurie Derrico hit a soft single just over the shortstop into left-center to get Wright home and give the Shockers an early 1-0 lead.
Lange got her third and fourth strikeouts in the second with the Shocker bats pushing the lead to five in the bottom half.
Paige Luellen led off with a double into center field with
Kaylee Huecker replacing her to run. Lange sacrifice bunted to move her to third with
Madison Perrigan reaching first on a fielder's choice to get runners on the corners. A deep triple down the right field line by Wright got them both home before Webber crushed a two-run home run over the center field fence to push the lead to 5-0, her third of the season.
In the top of the third Oklahoma State got two back with the leadoff batter hit by a pitch. A sacrifice bunt and single loaded the bases with a single and sacrifice fly cutting the lead to 5-2 before the Shocker defense got out of the jam.
The Shockers quickly restored their five run lead in the bottom half with Buck reaching first on a fielder's choice and
Bailee Nickerson crushing the second two-run home run of the game.
Just as quick as the Shockers restored it, the Cowgirls cut it back with an error and bunt getting two runners on with a single into shallow left field getting two home to cut the lead to 7-4.
In the bottom of the fifth Wichita State hit back-to-back home runs to push the lead back to five at 9-4. Lange crushed one with Perrigan knocking one over the right field fence, the fourth and sixth of the season for each. In the sixth OSU cut it back to 9-6 with two singles and a double getting two Cowgirls home with the Shocker bats coming up empty in the bottom half.
OSU attempted a rally in the seventh with two singles but two strikeouts by Lange and a high fly out to former Cowgirl Webber in right field gave the Shockers the win to move to 24-17 on the season. The win also gave Wichita State its second win over a ranked opponent this season, the first time they've defeated two top-25 teams in a season since 2016.
Lange got the win in her 12th complete game of the year to move to 13-10 and will now look to an American Athletic Conference series this weekend when she and the Shockers host UCF at Wilkins Stadium beginning on Friday evening.
