RUSTON, La. - Coming off a double-digit win over Louisiana Tech, Wichita State capped off its second consecutive doubleheader sweep with an 11-5 win over Mississippi Valley State on Saturday night.
Bailee Nickerson and
Laurie Derrico led the Shockers with two hits each, totaling four RBI.
Erin McDonald registered her first win as a Shocker, striking out five batters in 3.2 innings pitched.
Ryleigh Buck got things started in the bottom of the first by drawing a walk, with Derrico and
Lauren Mills stringing together back-to-back singles. Like she did in the first game against Louisiana Tech,
Neleigh Herring got runners home off a ground rule double to right field to give the Shockers a 2-0 lead.
Asea Webber continued the first inning scoring spree, getting two more runs home with a center field single. Two more singles from Nickerson and
Wylie Glover allowed the Shockers to take a six-run lead in the bottom of the first.
The offensive momentum continued in the bottom of the second inning, with
Madison Perrigan hitting a sacrifice grounder with the bases loaded to give the Shockers a seven-run advantage. Despite Mississippi Valley State getting a runner 60 feet away from scoring, two putouts from
Kaylee Huecker at shortstop and a strikeout from McDonald kept the MVSU scoreless through three.
Mississippi Valley State, however, did not go away quietly in the top of the fourth. The Devilettes collected three hits and scored three runs off two home runs, cutting the Shocker lead down to four. MVSU continued its offensive firepower in the following inning, coming up with a double that cut the deficit to three runs.
Perrigan responded with a leadoff double to center field, Nickerson then bringing her home off a left field double to bring the Shocker lead back up to four. Buck followed with a grounder that scored Webber from third and pushed Wichita State out in front 9-4. Derrico added two more runs, coming up with a double to left field.
Kaylee Huecker collected her first career hit as a Shocker, coming up with a left field single in the bottom of the fourth inning.
Wichita State (6-3) wraps up play in the La Tech Invitational on Sunday with a matchup against Fairleigh Dickinson at 9 a.m.
