WICHITA, Kan. – Wichita State trailed by four heading into the fifth inning, but scored 11 unanswered in the fifth and sixth innings to defeat No. 21 UCF in the opening game of the series Friday night at Wilkins Stadium.

Wichita State (32-13, 14-2) had just two hits through the first 4.0 innings, but the bats came alive in the fifth inning behind Neleigh Herring's game-tying grand slam. The win extended Wichita State's win streak to 12 in a row, one away from tying the longest in school history.

The Shockers also moved just one win away from clinching at least a share of the American Athletic Conference Championship for the second straight season.

In front of a sellout crowd, Wichita State fed off the capacity crowd in the late innings to move one step closer to a title.

Herring's home run was her 14th of the season and second grand slam on the year. She now has four in her career. Sydney McKinney finished 2-for-3 with an RBI, extending her hit streak to 11 in a row. Addison Barnard added a hit and a pair of RBI's, upping her season total to an NCAA-leading 77.

Lauren Mills had just one at-bat, but she made it count. The junior delivered a three-run pinch-hit double. Zoe Jones and Krystin Nelson recorded a hit as well, while Jones drove in a run.

Alison Cooper surrendered four runs in 2.2 innings of work in the start before being relieved. Cooper allowed all four runs on five hits and two walks. Erin McDonald (9-7) came in and stopped the bleeding. The senior was lights out in 4.1 innings out of the bullpen. She allowed just two hits, while striking out four.

After two scoreless innings, UCF hung a crooked number in the top of the third. The Knights scored all four of its runs on four hits in the frame to take a 4-0 lead, ending the night for Cooper in the circle.

In the bottom of the fifth, Wichita State finally got to UCF pitcher Gianna Mancha. Mancha had pitched brilliantly for the first 4.0 innings, but found herself in a bases loaded situation after three straight walks. Kama Woodall would enter to face Herring, and Herring would make the Knights pay. Herring crushed one off the scoreboard in left to tie the game at 4-4.

With UCF reaching further into its bullpen in the bottom of the sixth, Wichita State hung seven runs on the Knights. The scoring started with a bases loaded walk to McKinney, giving the Shockers their first lead of the night at 5-4. The very next batter, Barnard, sent a grounder right back up the middle to score two.

After a Lauren Lucas sacrifice bunt, Jones dropped a perfectly placed RBI single into right field to make it 8-4. Then with two outs, Mills stepped into the box and nearly ended the game in walk-off, run-rule fashion, as she smoked a ball off the wall in left to clear the bases.

UCF had one last attempt in the top of the seventh, putting two on base via walk and double, but McDonald tied a bow on the contest with a strikeout to secure the victory.

Up Next
The series between Wichita State and UCF continues Saturday with first pitch at 1 p.m. on ESPN+.