The RoundHouse | 5/15/2021 5:06:00 PM
Wichita State needed a few more meetings than usual early in Saturday's game. Coach
Kristi Bredbenner reminded them to bring energy down two runs and remain confident.
"We kind of let them have the momentum and we let them lead with the energy," said third baseman
Ryleigh Buck. "We're normally the loudest. We were a little timid."
Home runs changed that feeling, which has been the story much of the softball season for the 24th-ranked Shockers. They defeated third-seeded UCF 7-4 in the title game of American Athletic Conference Championship at Tulsa's Collins Family Softball Complex.
Top-seeded Wichita State (39-11-1) earned the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. They will make the program's fifth NCAA appearance, the third under Bredbenner.
UCF (39-17-1) is expected to earn an at-large bid when the field is announced at 8 p.m. Sunday (ESPN2).
The Shockers won their third conference tournament title and their first since the 2016 Missouri Valley Conference Tournament. Wichita State joined Tulsa (2017) and UCF (2015) as champions of both the regular-season and tournament in the American.
"We wanted to make a statement," catcher
Madison Perrigan said.
The Shockers expect to play in one of the regionals within driving distance – a choice that might include Missouri, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State or Arkansas. By winning the tournament, they did everything possible to make their case as a strong No. 2 seed to avoid a trip to No. 1 Oklahoma.
While the other destinations are difficult, none are as imposing as playing the Sooners, who are 28-3 in their past nine regionals, winning all nine at home.
"They're a tough team to beat at their place," Bredbenner said. "An Oklahoma State, we've beaten them in the past. We've beaten an Arkansas in the past. We've been very competitive with Missouri."
Freshman
Addison Barnard – the tournament's Most Outstanding Player – started the statement with a two-run line drive to left in the third inning. Her 21st home run of the season cut UCF's lead to 3-2 and signaled a shift.
"It was a rocket," Bredbenner said. "She got up there and crushed something and I think it was kind of the start. I think it rattled the pitcher a little bit and gave ourselves that confidence we needed to keep having better at-bats."
UCF starter Alea White limited the Shockers to one hit in the first two innings and struck out the final two batters of the second with two on. After that, the Shockers locked in on the scouting report and waited for White's off-speed pitches to find a sweet spot.
In the fifth,
Sydney McKinney singled and Barnard walked on four pitches. Perrigan homered to left to put the Shockers up 5-3.
Perrigan expected an off-speed curve and hit that first pitch out.
"I took a chance on it," she said.
Neleigh Herring followed with a single to end White's afternoon.
"We just started implementing the game plan that we had early in the game and weren't doing," Bredbenner said. "We were looking for something hard in, knowing she was throwing off-speed quite a bit. Madison did a nice job of sitting on an off-speed pitch and hitting that ball hard."
Buck made it 7-3 with a two-run home run to left-center off reliever Gianna Mancha to cap the five-run fifth inning. Buck hit the ball high, so high, she wasn't sure it was going to clear the fence. Mancha pointed up, expecting an outfielder to settle under the ball for a catch.
Instead it cleared the fence by a few feet and landed in the bushes.
"That usually doesn't happen for me, but it was a good feeling," Buck said. "I just tried to poke it out there and do something with it. As soon as I hit it, I thought it was just a pop up."
First baseman Jazmine Esparza homered twice for the Knights. She gave them a 2-0 lead in the first inning and cut Wichita State's lead to 7-4 in the sixth inning with a solo shot.
Shocker starter
Bailey Lange retired eight straight batters in between giving up a run in the third and Esparza's second home run. Reliever
Caitlin Bingham struck out the first two batters of the seventh before allowing two infield singles. Buck threw out Esparza at first base to end the game.
The Shockers celebrated near the circle with the tournament trophy. Before the season, they set goals for winning the regular-season title and the tournament on their way to NCAA play.
On Sunday night, they find out their next opponent and they can start planning another goal.
Paul Suellentrop covers Wichita State Athletics and the American Athletic Conference for university Strategic Communications. Story suggestion? Contact him at paul.suellentrop@wichita.edu.
