Big Red Invitational
Lincoln, Neb. | Bowlin Stadium
March 1: at Nebraska (5:30 PM)
March 2: vs. #14 Missouri (11:00 AM) | at Nebraska (1:30 PM)
March 3: vs. #14 Missouri (11:00 AM)
Video: B1G+ ($) - The two games vs. Nebraska will be available on B1G+, which requires a subscription
Stats: Statbroadcast.com

QUICK HITS
• Spring tournament play wraps up this weekend in Lincoln, Neb., at the Big Red Invitational.
• Wichita State is coming off a 4-1 weekend at the Razorback Invitational in Fayetteville, Ark. with wins over No. 15/14 Arkansas, Illinois State (twice) and UT Arlington.
• Half of Wichita State's games so far this season have come against ranked teams. They are 2-3 in those games.
• Wichita State has five wins against ranked opponents dating back to last season.
• The Shockers are 5-3 against SEC opponents over their last 8 games with wins over South Carolina, Arkansas and Texas A&M.
• CC Wong has home runs in three straight games and multiple RBI in five straight.
• Wong was named the American Athletic Conference Player of the Week on Feb. 26.
• Wong ranks in the Top 10 nationally in batting average (10th), home runs per game (10th), on base percentage (5th) and slugging percentage (6th).
• Chloe Barber was named the D1 Softball National Freshman of the Week and American Athletic Conference Pitcher of the Week on Feb. 26 and Feb. 27.
• Barber is coming off a record-setting weekend in Fayetteville. She tied the single game school record for strikeouts (15) at #15 Arkansas and then broke it two days later with 16 vs. Illinois State.
• Barber's 14.3 strikeouts per 7.0 innings rank first in the country.
• The Shockers will face eight NCAA Regional teams from a season ago, three of those came in consecutive days at the Puerto Vallarta College Challenge (Clemson, Auburn and South Carolina).
• Softball America named Addison Barnard a Preseason First Team All-American.
• Softball America tabbed Barnard as the No. 17 player on the Preseason Top 100 list and the No. 3 outfielder.
• Barnard is one of 50 on the USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year Watch List.
• Barnard has 73 career home runs, the most all time at Wichita State and in American Athletic Conference history.
• Barnard became the 6th player in NCAA history with 70 career home runs and 50 career stolen bases, and is the only active DI player with 70+ HR and 50+ SB.
• Barnard ranks 3rd among NCAA DI active players in career home runs with 73, just five behind Oklahoma's Tiare Jennings and two behind Miami's Karli Spaid.
• Barnard became the first known player in NCAA history with 30+ home runs and 25+ stolen bases in a single season in 2022.
• Wichita State is the preseason favorite as voted on by the league's coaches in the American Athletic Conference Preseason Coaches Poll. The Shockers received 8 first place votes and 80 total points. Charlotte and North Texas were picked No. 2 and No. 3.

SCOUTING NEBRASKA
Expectations were sky high for the Huskers entering 2024, but the loss of Oklahoma transfer and All-American Jordyn Bahl to a season-ending injury has derailed those expectations through the first month. Nebraska is just 8-6, but that can also be attributed to a tough schedule. The Huskers have faced five teams ranked in the Top 25, going 1-4 in those games. Fresh off a scorching weekend, Billie Andrews once again leads the Husker offense. She's hitting .475 with 3 doubles and 6 home runs. Four pitchers have logged more than 12.0 innings with Kaylin Kinney leading the way at 35.2. Kinney is 4-5 with a 3.73 ERA, 20 strikeouts and 12 walks. Sarah Harness leads the Huskers with a 2.02 ERA in 27.2 innings.

SERIES HISTORY
Two midwestern schools that are very familiar with each other features a series dating all the way back to 1978. Nebraska leads the all-time series, 39-26. Wichita State is just 4-17 vs. Nebraska in Lincoln.  The Shockers will be looking for their first win in Lincoln since 2018 when Wichita State took two of three from the Huskers. Since 2015, Wichita State has closed the gap in the series winning 13 of the last 20 matchups. Wichita State defeated the Huskers three times a year ago until a walkoff ended the Shockers' season in the NCAA Stillwater Regional.

LAST MEETING VS. THE HUSKERS
Wichita State and Nebraska met twice in the 2023 NCAA Stillwater Regional with both games providing fireworks and drama. In the opening game of the Stillwater Regional, Wichita State and Nebraska battled deep into the night in an instant classic. The Huskers built a commanding 5-0 lead through the first three innings. Wichita State's offense was nearly non-existent until the 5th inning. Zoe Jones' 2-run single sparked some life into the Shockers. Trailing 5-2 in the top of the 6th, Wichita State rallied for four runs. A pinch-hit RBI single from Bailey Urban, followed by a Krystin Nelson sac fly set the stage for a pair of All-Americans. A game-tying RBI double into the left-center gap from Sydney McKinney tied the game at 5-5. After an Addison Barnard walk, Lauren Lucas smoked a go-ahead RBI single back up the middle. The Huskers would not go quietly, loading the bases with one out in the top of the 7th, but Alex Aguilar would induce a fielder's choice groundout and a pop-up to end the game. In the rematch for a spot in the regional final, Wichita State went into the bottom of the 7th with a 6-3 lead. Nebraska started the frame with a two-run home run quickly pulling within one. They would tie the game on an RBI single, sending the game to extra innings. Neither team would score in the 8th. In the top of the 9th, Wichita State quickly put two runs on the board behind RBI doubles from Lauren Lucas and Lauren Mills. Needing just three outs with a two-run lead in the bottom of the 9th, Nebraska led off with a solo home run and then tied the game at 8-8 on an RBI double. The very next batter would hit a soft grounder to second, allowing the winning run to come across for a 9-8 win.

SCOUTING MISSOURI
After the starting the season unranked, Missouri has shot up the rankings behind a 13-2 start. The Tigers are Top 15 in all four polls behind ranked wins over No. 13 Utah and No. 5 Clemson. Jenna Laird hits a team-best .415 with 4 doubles, 8 RBI and 20 runs scored. Alex Honnold is right behind with a .408 average, 8 doubles, one home run and 11 RBI. The Tiger pitching staff has been stout through the first 15 games. In 97.2 innings, they have a 1.29 ERA and opponents are hitting just .198 against them. Laurin Krings is 6-2 with a 1.64 ERA in a team-high 42.2 innings. She has 40 strikeouts to just eight walks. Cierra Harrison is 4-0 with a spectacular 0.23 ERA in 30.0 innings.

SERIES HISTORY
A series that began in 1980 has been dominated by the Tigers. Missouri has won 26 of the 28 all-time meetings, including the last 16. Wichita State is 0-20 vs. Missouri away from Wichita. The Shockers' last win against the Tigers came in 1999, a 1-0 shutout in Wichita.

LAST MEETING VS. THE TIGERS
Missouri held on for a 5-4 win on March 1, 2020 in Columbia. Wichita State battled back from a 4-0 deficit to tie the game at 4-4 in the 6th. An RBI single for the Tigers in the bottom of the 7th would give them a 5-4 walk-off win, extending their win streak to 16 over the Shockers.

INTRODUCING THE BARBER SHOP
Freshman pitcher Chloe Barber has appeared in all of six games in her collegiate career, and has already etched her name in the record books. After striking out eight in Wichita State's win over No. 20 South Carolina in Puerto Vallarta, Barber was even more impressive in her next two starts. The Minnesota native went into the Razorback Invitational and proceeded to tie the single game school record for strikeouts with 15 against No. 15/14 Arkansas. Two days later she broke that very same record with 16 strikeouts vs. Illinois State. That feat had only been accomplished twice in 2008 by Ashly Bright. Her 16 strikeouts are tied for the 2nd most by a pitcher in the NCAA this season. In three games vs. ranked SEC opponents, Barber has 26 strikeouts.

BARBER EARNS NATIONAL AND AMERICAN WEEKLY HONORS
Following her breakout weekend in Fayetteville at the Razorback Invitational, Chloe Barber picked up D1 Softball National Freshman of the Week and American Athletic Conference Pitcher of the Week honors. Barber appeared in three games, making two starts, and struck out 33 hitters in 15.0 innings. She allowed only two runs, sporting a 0.93 ERA on eight hits. For the season, she is 3-0 with 49 strikeouts in 24.0 innings and a 2.33 ERA. Her 14.3 strikeouts per 7.0 innings is tops in the country.

WONG TABBED AMERICAN PLAYER OF THE WEEK
CC Wong continued her blazing start at the plate in Fayetteville at the Razorback Invitational. Over five games, Wong was 8-for-14 (.571) with a double, three home runs, four walks, four runs scored and 11 RBI. She had multiple hits in three of the five games and multiple RBI in all five. She finished the tournament with a home run in each of the final three games. Through 10 games Wong has a .548 batting average which ranks 11th nationally. She is Top 10 in the NCAA in on base pct. and slugging pct.

UP NEXT
Wichita State travels to Stillwater for a midweek matchup at Oklahoma State on Wednesday at 6 p.m.