The RoundHouse | 4/9/2021 9:03:00 PM

 
 
Houston gave Bailey Lange problems early in Friday's game. So did the Kansas wind. Once Lange figured out the wind, she figured out the Cougars.
 
Wichita State run-ruled Houston 13-5 in six innings at Wilkins Stadium to open the four-game series. Lange gave up all five runs in the first two innings; she didn't allow a hit over the final four. The wind blew out of left field at around 33 mph and made softballs move in ways they don't normally.
 
"It's not the first time I've pitched in weather like this, but it's definitely different and takes a little time to get used to," she said. "The first couple innings were a struggle, but after that we got it figured out."
 
The Shockers (25-5, 8-1 American Athletic Conference) hit two grand slams to bring their season total to 58 home runs, one off the school record set in 2018. Madison Perrigan hit one in the second inning to tie the game at 5-all. Lauren Mills hit hers in the sixth inning for a 12-5 lead. Sydney McKinney's single drove in Kaylee Huecker to end the game with an eight-run lead.
 
The Shockers won their sixth straight game and remains tied with USF atop the American standings. They play Houston in a doubleheader on Saturday (2 p.m.).
 
Lange figured the offense would get rolling. She needed to stop guiding the ball and let her talent and the defense take care of the Cougars. That happened in the third when she retired the Cougars (10-23, 1-8) in order. 
 
She worked around two two-out walks in the fourth with a strikeout and retired the Houston in order again in the fifth. In the sixth, she struck out the first two batters before an error allowed a runner to reach. A groundball out ended the inning.
 
"(The wind) is a lot more challenging than you think for the pitcher," Shockers coach Kristi Bredbenner said. "It took a little while for Bailey to really find the zone and get comfortable out there. She has to just control her pitches and her movement and try to keep the ball down as best as possible."
 
While the Shockers are used to dealing with weather, Friday's cold front blowing in provided a real test. The grand slams sailed out to right field with some help. Anything hit to left or center died or pushed back. Hitters dealt with disappointment on well-struck balls and fielders tracked balls moving in unpredictable ways.
 
"We're kind of lucky in the sense that we practice in – not that kind of wind – but in some type of wind every day," left fielder Bailey Urban said. "Every day we talk about the sun and the wind. Taking reps in that was definitely very helpful."
 
Urban gave the Shockers the lead at 6-5 with a sacrifice fly in the third inning. In the fifth inning, she expected Houston pitcher Megan Lee to throw to the inner half of the plate and doubled on the first pitch to drive in two runs for an 8-5 lead.
 
"That was my approach – to be aggressive and try to hit something on a line to not have the wind be a huge factor," she said.
 
Paul Suellentrop covers Wichita State Athletics and the American Athletic Conference for university Strategic Communications. Story suggestion? Contact him at paul.suellentrop@wichita.edu.