CLEARWATER, Fla. - Climbing from behind in both games of the doubleheader, the Wichita State softball team came up short. The Shockers lost their first two games on the first day of the USF Spring Invitational, losing 3-2 to UT-Chattanooga and 6-4 to North Dakota State. 

Sydney McKinney and Madison Perrigan led the way offensively for the Shockers, each coming up with three combined hits in the two games. McKinney tied her career high of two hits against North Dakota State, last obtaining that mark against Virginia Tech on Feb. 8. 

Game One

UT-Chattanooga started the game with two singles in the top of the first, scoring the game's first run off a groundout to shortstop. After a hit by pitch, single by Perrigan and a walk to load the bases for the Shockers a half-inning later, Ryleigh Buck drew the tying run after getting hit by a pitch to make it a 1-1 game. 

Three consecutive walks by Caitlin Bingham allowed the Mocs to load the bases in the top of the third, scoring the go-ahead run off another walk. A single to left center brought in another run, but Hailey Martinez came in, in relief and forced an infield fly and a groundout to retire the side. 

Wichita State came up with two singles in the bottom of the fourth, but the Mocs forced a strikeout to prevent any damage. The Shockers loaded the bases in the bottom of the sixth thanks to two singles and a hit by pitch with Perrigan and Bailee Nickerson due up. The Mocs, however, came up with the force out at home and forced a fly out to right field to leave the runners stranded. 

Glover came up with a hit in her 10th straight game, marking the second time this season where a player had a hitting streak of 10 games (Nickerson from Feb. 15-March 2). Martinez tied her career high for strikeouts, last collecting three on on March 3, 2018 at Nebraska. 

Game Two 

After a single by Buck and a walk put runners on first and second, McKinney came up with a single and the game's first run was scored off a throwing error by the pitcher in the top of the second inning. The Shockers extended their lead to two after a passed ball scored Laurie Derrico from third in the top of third. 

NDSU responded a half-inning later, scoring off a two-out single to center field that cut the deficit to one. Following a leadoff single in the bottom of the fifth inning, the Bison snagged the lead off a home run to left field to make it a 3-2 game. NDSU kept the heat on with another single and drawing a walk, with another single to center field scoring two more runs to extend the Bison's lead to three. 

A leadoff single in the top of the sixth by Nickerson gave the Shockers life, with Neleigh Herring following with a single up the middle as a pinch hitter that cut the deficit to two. McKinney followed with a double down the left field line, making it a one-run game. 

After getting the leadoff runner on via a hit by pitch, the Bison scored an insurance run on an RBI double to left center in the bottom of the sixth. McKinney came up with her second game of two hits or more of the season, with Buck extending her hit streak to four games. 

Wichita State (17-7) continues action in the USF Spring Invitational Saturday, playing another doubleheader with Towson and No. 21 Minnesota starting at 12 p.m. CT.