The RoundHouse | 2/7/2019 7:29:00 PM

 
 
Wichita State softball coach Kristi Bredbenner is talking through possible lineups, mentioning an infielder shifting here, a freshman fitting there, pitchers who can mash and Laurie Derrico practicing in the outfield.
 
"We've got some really big decisions to make," Bredbenner said. "We've put (Derrico) in the outfield a little bit just to kind of see what kind of defensive makeup we can put together that provides the largest offensive output. That's the part I think is going to be fun."
 
Those tidbits reveal much about the start of the season for the Shockers, who start play on Friday in the Cougar Classic in Charleston, S.C. Bredbenner is confident in her team's depth and excited to explore the options, starting with games against Central Michigan and Virginia Tech.
 
"This is the first time, when you look at all 19 players, that I'm 'OK, we've got 19 kids I feel OK with being in the game at some point,'" Bredbenner said. "It's been pretty cool to see."
 
It also reveals a bit about Derrico, a three-year starter at shortstop who earned All-American Athletic Conference honors in 2018. While experimenting with positions during practice isn't unusual, Bredbenner found the absence of entitlement in Derrico's response significant.
 
"Great role model," Bredbenner said. "I didn't even tell her, when I had her playing left field in a situational scrimmage one day, and she just went out there and took fly balls. No big deal. She was like 'I'll do whatever is best for the team.'"
 
Derrico, who led the Shockers with 11 home runs in 2018, will start at shortstop. Bredbenner considers her spot and Madison Perrigan at catcher the two positions locked in. Regardless, the selflessness by Derrico is a good example for teammates who might be called upon to change positions frequently.
 
"Coming into this year, I knew what options we were going to have and how many ways we could do things," Derrico said. "If me being in the outfield works better, I'm all for it."
 
The Shockers are trying to end an odd-even trend that produced Missouri Valley Conference titles in 2014 and 2016 and NCAA bids in 2016 and 2018. In 2015 and 2017, winning seasons didn't produce titles or NCAA play. Wichita State went 32-23 last season, 12-9 in the American to tie for third, and won two games in the NCAA regional in Fayetteville, Ark.
 
Wichita State is picked second in the American preseason poll and received votes in two national preseason polls. 
 
To go back-to-back with an NCAA bid, Bredbenner needs another big season from senior pitcher Bailey Lange, who went 20-13 with a 2.90 earned run average. She started 36 of the 55 games and appeared in 35. Sophomore Caitlin Bingham will work as the No. 2 starter. Sophomore Erin McDonald, a transfer from Louisiana Tech, and sophomore Hailey Martinez provide the depth.
 
"Bingham's really stepping up," Bredbenner said. "Erin McDonald, when she's on, she's really tough to hit. She lacks that real focus and experience that I think she's going to need at this level. If she finds that, I think she's going to be just as effective as Bingham and Lange are."
 
Lange, an all-conference pick last season, also plays outfield and hit .285 with seven home runs last season. Bredbenner would like to reduce her workload.
 
"That's the nice thing about having Erin and Hailey and Bingham, hopefully using their experiences to help us out," Bredbenner said. "The more we can keep (Lange) fresh, the more success we're going to have this year."
 
The Shockers devoted a lot of time to defensive drills in the fall with the goal of eliminating some of the errors and breakdowns that cost them games last season. 
 
"We've improved with the simple things – easy ground balls, easy pop flys, we're doing those little things right that we didn't last year," Derrico said.
 
Perrigan, a junior, started 54 games at catcher in 2018 and hit .278 with 10 home runs.
 
The infield returns Derrico, junior Ryleigh Buck, who earned second-team all-conference honors at first base last season, and second baseman Kaylee Huecker. Freshmen Sydney McKinney, a transfer from Missouri, can play several infield spots. She may team with freshman Adeline Reese at third base after the departure of American Player of the Year Mackenzie Wright. 
 
"(McKinney) has really great hands and is hitting the ball well," Bredbenner said. "I see her being somebody we're going to count on."
 
Sophomore Neleigh Herring will get a chance at first base based on her hitting in practices.
 
"She can really cause a stir, because she's been crushing it," Bredbenner said. "That bumps Ryleigh to maybe third or second. There's a lot of moving parts."
 
Shocker outfielders are in charge of bigger spaces this season after the Wilkins Stadium wall moved back 10 feet to 195 feet down the lines and 220 feet in centerfield. A six-foot padded wall replaced a five-foot wooden fence.
 
"I love it," center fielder Asea Webber said. "I think it makes my job a lot easier. I don't have to worry about running into the fence and I can catch a lot more pop flys out there."
 
Sophomore Bailee Nickerson earned conference All-Rookie honors after hitting .247 with seven home runs and starting 49 games in the outfield. Lange and Bingham will play in the outfield and Bredbenner is excited about freshman Kasidee Eck's speed.
 
"It's going to come down to offense," Bredbenner said. "Kasidee's speed on the bases is a huge positive, as far as pitch running. Last year, we didn't really have that base-runner, we didn't have that depth in a lot of areas I feel we have this year."
 
Paul Suellentrop covers Wichita State Athletics and the American Athletic Conference for university Strategic Communications. Contact him at paul.suellentrop@wichita.edu.