The RoundHouse | 4/8/2022 1:48:00 PM

 
Once a pitcher releases the softball, much of the outcome is no longer in her hand.
 
Let it go and let it go.
 
Those are the kind of thoughts Wichita State pitcher Erin McDonald is working with after two solid performances in the circle. Wichita State (20-11, 3-0 American Athletic Conference) plays at South Florida (31-10, 3-3) with confidence its offense can score plenty of runs. The pitching staff could use McDonald stepping forward as its leader.
 
"She's starting to improve and find her groove at the right time," Wichita State coach Kristi Bredbenner said. "She has to go back to the basics and the fundamentals of making sure that she has good command out there. She knows how to pitch. Sometimes, she just lets her brain get in the way and she over-thinks it a little bit."
 
On Saturday, McDonald held Tulsa to six hits and didn't allow an earned run over six innings in a 13-4 win at Wilkins Stadium. She backed that up with seven innings in a 4-1 loss to No. Oklahoma State on Wednesday. McDonald held OSU to seven hits and three earned runs and kept the Shockers within a run entering the sixth inning.
 
"I'm seeing very good command in the circle – lot of energy out there in the circle and she has a lot of confidence," catcher Jessica Garcia said. "Her riseball has been working really, really well. She puts in a lot of time in the bullpen."
 
Those performances lowered McDonald's earned run average to 4.35 with a 5-6 record, 55 strikeouts and 42 walks. She struck out 10 in a win over Sam Houston State and 11 in a one-hit win over Omaha. In a 9-2 win at Kansas, she held the Jayhawks scoreless and struck out five over 5 2/3 innings in relief.
 
In other games, walks are a problem.
 
McDonald, a senior from Norman, Okla., said she was pleased with her pitching in the fall. Through her up and down spring, she worked on solutions with pitching coach Presley Bell.
 
They landed on less worry, less thinking and more trust in her talent. In 2019, McDonald earned second-team all-conference honors with a 15-12 record and a 2.90 ERA. In 12 American games, she threw 10 complete games and compiled a 2.04 ERA.
 
 

Defense out here making plays.@GraceKrystin snags this soft liner and fires to first for the inning-ending double play.#webgem pic.twitter.com/CAz4Fwv4gB

— Wichita State Softball (@GoShockersSB) April 7, 2022

"What's finally clicked for me is more of being like 'OK, I'm going to throw it there and if they hit it, they hit it,'" she said. "I looked at some mechanical things and I was like 'I think it's a mentality.'"
 
Part of the mental issue, she said, was the desire go out with a big finale.
 
"I think I came out and it was 'It's my senior year and I want to do so good,'" she said. "It just wasn't helping the mindset. It's hard to get there, because I feel like if you give up a hit, you feel like obviously it's not working. It's about kind of letting go."
 
The Shockers are at a crucial part of the season, both in regard to winning a second American title and boosting their NCAA regional resume.
 
They are No. 48 in the NCAA's power rankings (RPI). They own wins over No. 26 Charlotte, No. 35 Minnesota, No. 41 Illinois and No. 46 South Dakota State. Five of Wichita State's 11 losses are to teams ranked in the top 20. With one non-conference game (No. 85 Kansas) remaining, Wichita State must lean on AAC series. USF ranks No. 40 in the RPI with UCF at No. 10.
 
Paul Suellentrop covers Wichita State Athletics and the American Athletic Conference for university Strategic Communications. Story suggestion? Contact him at paul.suellentrop@wichita.edu.