The RoundHouse | 2/10/2023 7:41:00 AM
Listen to a podcast with coach
Kristi Bredbenner
Listen to a podcast with Shockers Zoe Jones and Sydney McKinney
By Paul Suellentrop
Do you find yourself wondering what's going on with Wichita State softball? FOMO after hearing good things?
We can catch you up and get you ready for the 2023 season that begins Friday (today) in San Marcos, Texas.
Why are people talking about Shocker softball?
Wichita State is enjoying its most successful era with NCAA regional appearances in 2016, 2018, 2021 and 2022. Along the way, it defeated Oklahoma State twice (2018) and Texas A&M twice (2021) in regional play.
In 2021, its assignment in the regional at Oklahoma put a spotlight on the Shockers, their power numbers and their underdog story captured by ESPN networks.
The Shockers won 30 or more games the past eight seasons, highlighted by a 41-13-1 record in 2021, under coach
Kristi Bredbenner.
It's not just the wins that make the Shockers fun. They score runs in impressive fashion. They wear cowboy hats in the dugout, ride with Ted Lasso and get Hi-Chew candy from Bredbenner when they round third after home runs.
They win with a roster stocked from Kansas (five), Texas (five), Missouri (four), Nebraska (three) and Oklahoma (two).
Most of all, they hit. The Shockers ranked second nationally with 103 home runs in 2021 and 121 last season. Last season's team hit .348 (third nationally) with a .437 on-base percentage (second).
Will this season's team hit?
That's what the Shockers do – the program's top six team batting averages, top nine slugging percentages, top five in home runs, top five in runs and top two in doubles are all recorded since 2014.
They return six of their top seven hitters from 2022, including All-Americans
Sydney McKinney and
Addison Barnard, plus starters such as
Zoe Jones,
Lauren Lucas and
Lauren Mills.
Also back is outfielder
Bailey Urban, who hit .333 with three home runs in 16 games before a knee injury ended her 2022 season. Sophomore
Caroline Tallent, a first baseman, impressed coaches with her improvement. Newcomers such as second baseman
Sami Hood, who hit 20 home runs for Allen (Texas) High School last season, and outfielder
Taylor Sedlacek appear ready to help the offense quickly.
Why do I hear so much about McKinney and Barnard?
They are All-Americans and the biggest names in Wichita State softball history. Their numbers are astounding. When paired with the team success of recent seasons, it all brings unprecedented attention to Shocker softball.
McKinney, a senior shortstop from Norborne, Mo., led the nation with a .522 batting average and 97 hits last season. Her .430 career batting average and .482 on-base percentage are the best in Shocker history.
She is also an excellent defender.
Barnard, a junior outfielder from Beatrice, Neb., is second on WSU's career list with 55 home runs, third with 145 runs batted in and eighth with 34 stolen bases.
Remember, that's two seasons worth of production. Her combination of power and speed is a thrill to watch.
She hit 33 home runs last season and 22 as a freshman, both tops on Wichita State's single-season list. She stole 25 bases last season, also No. 1 on the Shocker season list.
What games do I need to see?
The Shockers sold out four games at Wilkins Stadium last season. Fans respond to the combination of Wichita State's success and visits by some of the nation's best teams.
This season, the
non-conference home schedule is superb.
Defending national champion Oklahoma, College World Series participant Oklahoma State and super-regional teams Arkansas and Stanford visit Wilkins Stadium. Nebraska, Kansas, Missouri State and Minnesota also come to Wichita.
The highlight of the American Athletic Conference season should be USF's visit starting March 31. The Bulls have made four straight regional appearances and are picked third in the preseason poll behind defending champion UCF and Wichita State. Houston, picked fourth, also visits Wilkins Stadium.
What's this team's biggest question?
The pitching staff will look new this spring with the departures of
Caitlin Bingham and
Erin McDonald. The Shockers don't need to throw a bunch of shutouts to win games, but they do need pitchers who battle, throw strikes, and not let a one-run inning turn into a four-run inning.
The Shockers should be solid defensively with McKinney and Hood, who draws comparisons with former Shocker Kaylee Huecker, at second base. The outfield is experienced and speedy with Lucas in center and Barnard.
That puts returners such as
Alison Cooper and newcomers such as
Lauren Howell, a transfer from Arkansas and freshman
Alex Aguilar in enviable positions. They should enjoy plenty of run support in most games.
Cooper is WSU's most experienced returner after throwing 64 innings and compiling a 3.72 earned run average as a freshman. She threw complete games against ECU, Houston, USF, Southeast Missouri State and, in her first start, Illinois.
Expect Shocker coaches to work matchups and use the bullpen aggressively to get the most out of their staff.
Paul Suellentrop writes about Wichita State athletics for university Strategic Communications. Story suggestion? Contact him at paul.suellentrop@wichita.edu.
