TULSA, Okla. – Wichita State run-ruled Tulsa in game one of Friday's doubleheader, 11-1, but needed a rally to defeat the Golden Hurricane, 7-6, in the nightcap.
Wichita State (36-9-1, 17-4-1) trailed by four runs in the second game heading into the sixth inning, before combining for six runs in the sixth and seventh to complete the comeback. The Shockers moved ahead of Tulsa in the conference standings after Friday's wins, now just a game back of first place USF.
Game 1
Bailey Lange (18-5) needed only three innings of work to record her 18th victory of the season. She allowed only four hits, allowing no runs and walking none.
Erin McDonald pitched the final 2.0 innings in relief. She struck out four batters, while allowing the one run on a sacrifice fly.
Four Shockers had multiple hits in the opener, led by
Sydney McKinney (2-for-3),
Neleigh Herring (2-for-4) and
Ryleigh Buck (2-for-3). Herring doubled twice to go with an RBI, Buck doubled and drove in three runs and McKinney scored three runs.
Madison Perrigan delivered her 16th home run of the season and 53rd of her career on a three-run blast in the second.
Bailey Urban also homered in the contest with an opposite field solo shot.
Wichita State got off to a fast start, scoring three runs in the top of the first. An RBI double from Herring opened the scoring and then a two-run single from Buck made it 3-0.
The lead quickly grew to 8-0 in the top of the second. Perrigan's three-run home run to left was the big blast in the inning, and then a tough-luck play from Tulsa turned into a two-run triple for
Lauren Mills. The Tulsa shortstop briefly made a running catch on a looping hit into shallow left, but lost control and dropped the ball, allowing Mills to make it all the way to third for her first career triple.
Two more runs came in the top of the third, beginning with a leadoff solo home run by
Bailey Urban. McKinney then crossed the plate on a passed ball to make it 10-0 with play moving to the bottom of the third.
Buck's third RBI of the game came in the top of the fourth on an RBI double to right-center, scoring
Bailee Nickerson from first.
Tulsa scored its lone run in the bottom of the fifth on sacrifice fly.
Game 2
The Shockers used all three of their pitchers in the nightcap.
Caitlin Bingham made it through only 2.0 innings after giving up four runs on three hits. McDonald walked two, gave three hits and allowed two runs in 3.1 innings. Lange finished the final 1.2 innings and recorded the win (19-5).
McKinney extended her hit streak to 13 after going 2-for-4 with a home run.
Bailee Nickerson was 2-for-3 with a double.
Kaylee Huecker drove in three on her game-tying sixth inning home run – fourth of the season.
McKinney sent the very first pitch of the game out of the ballpark to straightaway center field, putting the Shockers on the board, 1-0.
The Hurricane responded with a four-run second inning to jump in front 4-1. An RBI single in the third made it 5-1.
Wichita State struggled for much of the game against Tulsa's pitcher Chenise Delce, but with two outs in the top of the sixth, things changed. Nickerson hit a screaming double off the left field wall. The very next batter,
Ryleigh Buck, smoked a double of her own down the third base line, trimming the deficit to 5-2.
Camryn Compton got on after a hit by pitch, setting the stage for Huecker. On an 0-2 pitch, Huecker hit a laser over the left field fence to tie the game at 5-5.
Just when it looked like Wichita State had stolen the momentum, Tulsa struck back. A leadoff single and a one-out walk put runners on first and second. The Shockers turned to Lange to get them out of a jam, but a single up the middle and a bobble in center field allowed the go-ahead run to score from second.
Trailing by one in the top of the seventh, McKinney does what she does best. Her leadoff infield single immediately put the pressure on.
Addison Barnard stepped up and hit what could have been a possible double play instead the Tulsa second baseman let the ball go under her glove and into the outfield. McKinney moved all the way to third base, but Barnard was thrown out trying to advance to second.
Wichita State had the tying run on third and one out for Perrigan, but she would ground out to third base, keeping McKinney right where she was. With two outs,
Neleigh Herring ripped a triple down the right field line to tie the game at 6-6. She would then score on a wild pitch to put the Shockers on top, 7-6.
The bottom of the seventh would not come without drama either. A leadoff walk followed by an infield single had Tulsa threatening with two on and no out, but on the infield single, Alexis Perry thought she was called out on the bang-bang play at second. She stepped off the base and was tagged out by Huecker for the first out. The next batter would walk, now giving Tulsa runners on first and second with one out.
A fielder's choice and a game-ending strikeout from Lange would strand Tulsa's tying run at third base.
Up Next
Wichita State and Tulsa continue play Saturday with first pitch scheduled for 2 p.m. on ESPN+.
