WICHITA, Kan. - For the final non-conference regular season game of the year, the Wichita State softball team challenges No. 1 Oklahoma in front of an expected sell-out crowd at Wilkins Stadium on Wednesday. This is the first time in the program's history that the No. 1 ranked team comes to Wichita. 

SCOUTING OKLAHOMA
Riding a 31-game winning streak, Oklahoma is leading the pack in the Big 12 and college softball once again. The Sooners have had 16 wins over competition that was ranked or receiving votes in the top 25 poll, with their only two losses coming to then ranked No. 1 Florida State and No. 2 UCLA. Oklahoma has power at every position, with eight batters hitting .327 or better. The Sooners also have three players who have already hit double figures in home runs, including Sydney Romero. Romero leads the Sooners with 15 home runs and 45 RBIs in addition to hitting .451 and collecting 13 doubles. Grace Green and Caleigh Clifton are threats on offense, each hitting more than 10 home runs and each having a batting average of more than .400. Oklahoma is just as dangerous in the circle, having a team earned run average of just 1.24 while collecting 378 strikeouts. Giselle Juarez leads the Sooners with 140 strikeouts on the season and an undefeated record of 18-0 in every game she has started.

LAST MEETING
The Shockers came close to pulling off an upset over No. 2 Oklahoma in Norman last season, leading by six runs and outhitting the Sooners 9-7. After a six-run top of the third inning, Oklahoma rallied behind a seven-run outing in the bottom of the sixth to escape the day with a victory on April 11, 2018.

HOMETOWN TEAM
Wednesday's game is personal for Erin McDonald, who grew up in Norman and attended Norman High School. McDonald's mother, Michele, has been working as a project manager for OU's Information Technology department for the last 15 years. McDonald played her high school softball less than two miles away from the OU campus.

SISTERLY COMPETITION
Graduate manager MJ Knighten will be facing off against some family on Wednesday. Knighten's sister, Shay, is currently a senior for OU softball. Shay, the 2017 Women's College World Series Most Outstanding Player, is hitting .367 on the season and has six home runs with 28 RBIs.

DON'T COUNT US OUT
When the Shockers have been down to their last out, the party has just gotten started for them at the plate. Wichita State has scored 78 runs with two outs, hitting 15 out of 42 of its home runs during that stretch.

GETTING 'EM AROUND
Senior Laurie Derrico needs two home runs to move into first place in the Shocker record books. Currently in second with 38, Derrico would pass Cacy Williams (2014-16). Derrico has reached double figures in home runs in the previous two seasons.

MOVING ON UP
In addition to closing in on Wichita State's home run record, Laurie Derrico recently moved up in a tie for second on the Shockers' all-time RBIs list with 135. Derrico tied Cacy Williams (2014-16) and 19 more to pass Paige Luellen (2013-18) for the record.

TWO IS BETTER THAN ONE
Double plays have been key to Wichita State's defensive success. Ryleigh Buck leads the American Athletic Conference in double plays with 18, with Kaylee Huecker (13) and Laurie Derrico (15)not far behind. Wichita State leads the conference with 24 double plays, five away from tying a program record.

OFFENSIVE POWER
The Shockers are leading the American Athletic Conference in several offensive categories, including hits, slugging percentage, on-base percentage and batting average. Wichita State also holds a commanding lead in home runs and runs scored against its conference foes.

TAKE YOUR BASE
Freshman Lauren Mills has helped the Shockers offensively from the jump as a freshman, utilizing her at-bats to get on base. Mills currently leads the American Athletic Conference in on-base percentage, dominating the way with a .600 mark.

POWER OFF THE BENCH   
Not only have the Shocker starters been producing offensively, but have added depth when they call for a pinch hitter. Wichita State has five different pinch hitters collecting hits this season, with three of them having a batting average of .333 or better. Mauriana Jamele leads the team with an .800 batting average as a pinch hitter, with Neleigh Herring hitting .600 when she is called off from the bench. Wichita State's pinch hitters are hitting .344 collectively compared to their opponents at .229.