ORLANDO – No. 25 Wichita State continues to roll after a doubleheader sweep of No. 23 UCF Saturday by scores of 3-0 and 5-2, extending its win streak to 13 straight games.
Wichita State (32-5, 14-1) has equaled the longest win streak in school history, which was set back in 2005. The Shockers also set a new program record with conference wins No. 13 and No. 14 on the day. Wichita State had not won more than 12 league games since joining the American Athletic Conference back in 2018.
The 3-0 shutout in Game 1 of the day also marked the second straight shutout of UCF to begin the series. Wichita State hasn't had back-to-back shutouts since 2019.
Caitlin Bingham (8-1) started Game 1 of the day and pitched one of the best games of her career. She threw her first complete game shutout of the season, limiting the Knights to just two hits. Until the seventh inning, only two players had reached base.
Bailee Nickerson led the Shockers with two hits in the opener, going 2-for-2 with a double.
Addison Barnard homered yet again, increasing her single season record to 18.
For the second straight game
Kaylee Huecker opened the scoring. Her RBI single down the third base line scored
Ryleigh Buck to give the Shockers an early 1-0 lead in the top of the second.
Barnard's two-run home run in the top of the fifth increased the lead to 3-0. Her 18th home run of the season wasn't a ball that barely made it out of the park. It was sent into outer space.
Looking to complete a comeback attempt, UCF put runners on second and third in the bottom of the seventh after a leadoff walk and a one-out double. The very next batter ripped a grounder to the hole on the left side, but
Sydney McKinney had other plans. A diving catch to her right saved a hit and a run as she fired a throw to first, completing the second out of the inning. An intentional walk loaded the bases with two outs, but Bingham was able to induce an infield pop-up to seal the victory.
Bailey Lange (16-2) had the UCF hitters off balance yet again in the nightcap. She allowed only two runs on three hits with two of those hits coming in the final inning. Lange struck out four and walked three on the night.
Nickerson drove in two of the team's five runs in the second game, going 1-for-3. McKinney finished 2-for-4 and Buck went 1-for-2 with a double and two runs scored.
A four-run top of the first inning gave the Shockers a nice cushion to begin the nightcap. The scoring started on an RBI single from Barnard and then Nickerson cleared the bases on a hit to left.
UCF finally scored its first run of the series on an RBI groundout in the bottom of the fourth inning when they loaded the bases. Lange was able to escape with only the one run coming across.
Wichita State scratched out its final run in the top of the sixth after Buck led off with a double. After Nickerson moved her to third, Mills drove her in behind a sacrifice fly to left.
The Knights again tried to put a seventh inning rally together, loading the bases with no outs. Lange recorded the first out on a strikeout looking and then traded a run for an out. A diving catch in the left-center gap by Nickerson ended the game in thrilling fashion.
Up Next
No. 25 Wichita State and No. 23 UCF wrap up the series tomorrow morning with a 10 a.m. CT first pitch on ESPN+.
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