*NOTE: Due to inclement weather in the forecast on Sunday, Wichita State and UTSA will now play a doubleheader on Friday beginning at 3:30 p.m. As of now Saturday's game time remains at 4:00 p.m. There will be no game on Sunday.

UTSA (9-21, 1-5) at WICHITA STATE (13-10, 4-2)
Friday, March 22 | 3:30 PM CT
Friday, March 22 | 6:00 PM CT
Saturday, March 23 | 4:00 PM CT
Wichita, Kan. | Wilkins Stadium
Video: ESPN+ (All Games)
Stats: Statbroadcast.com
 

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FRI. MAR. 22 3:30 PM		Youth Team Night - Youth teams can receive discounted admission to the game -- call the Shocker Ticket Office at 316-978-3267 to learn more Season Ticket Holder Appreciation - All Men's Basketball, Women's Basketball, Volleyball, Baseball, and Softball Season Ticket Holders can claim $5 GA Tickets Giveaway – Shockers Sunglasses (First 250 Fans)
SAT. MAR. 23 4:00 PM		Wichita Eagle Family Day – Purchase 4 or more adult tickets for $8 per ticket and receive as many vouchers for a free hot dog, popcorn, and water. Bingo Day - Fans can participate in a softball-themed game of Bingo to win prizes

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QUICK HITS
• Wichita State continues AAC play with a home weekend series vs. UTSA, March 22-23 on ESPN+.
• Wichita State is 7-1 all-time vs. UTSA, but this will be UTSA's first-ever trip to Wichita.
• Wichita State recorded its first conference series sweep of the season at East Carolina last weekend. The Shockers outscored the Pirates 19-7 over three games in Greenville. Taylor Sedlacek had 3 home runs and 10 RBI in the series.
• In five games last week CC Wong hit an incredible .611 (11-for-18) with three doubles, a triple, a home run and four RBI.
• Head Coach Kristi Bredbenner won her 700th career game on March 9 vs. Florida Atlantic.
• Wichita State is 4-6 in its last 10 games.
• Wichita State's RPI is 27 as of March 20 and the Shockers have played the nation's 3rd toughest schedule.
• Of Wichita State's 23 games this season, eight have come against ranked opponents. They are 2-6 in those games.
• The American Athletic Conference is rated the 6th best conference according to RPI behind only the SEC, Big 12, Pac-12, ACC and Big Ten.
• Wichita State ranks 7th nationally in home runs per game and 27th in slugging percentage.
• Wichita State has five wins against ranked opponents dating back to last season.
• The Shockers are 5-5 against SEC opponents over their last 10 games with wins over South Carolina, Arkansas and Texas A&M.
• 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 ranks 3rd nationally in strikeouts per 7.0 innings and 18th in saves.
• 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 78 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 60+ SB.
• Barnard ranks 3rd among NCAA DI active players in career home runs with 78, just eight behind Miami's Karli Spaid and five behind Oklahoma's Tiare Jennings.
• Her 78 home runs are currently 17th most in NCAA history.
• 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 UTSA
Under first year head coach Vann Stuedeman, UTSA is 9-21 to start the 2024 campaign and 1-5 in its first season of American Athletic Conference play. The Roadrunners snapped a five-game losing streak to start conference play by winning the series finale vs. North Texas last weekend. UTSA ranks near the bottom of the NCAA in batting average, hitting just .195 as a team. Jaylen Prichard has drawn 22 walks to go with a team-best .267 average.  Camryn Robillard has six of the team's 13 home runs but hits just .184. The UTSA pitching staff has a team ERA of 5.04 and opponents are hitting .301 off them. Jamie Gilbert leads the Roadrunners in appearances (19), starts (12), complete games (7), innings (74.0) and strikeouts (61). Gilbert is 4-7 in the circle and has thrown 24.0 more innings than the next closest pitcher. Iliana Saucedo is the team's No. 2 pitcher with 49.2 innings and a 4.09 ERA.

SERIES HISTORY
A series that started back in 2000 has largely been dominated by Wichita State. In eight all-time meetings, Wichita State is 7-1 vs. the Roadrunners. After the Shockers won the first five matchups, UTSA picked up its lone win in the series on Feb. 15, 2020 in San Marcos, Texas at the Bobcat Classic. The two teams met one year later in Stillwater at the Mizuno Classic and the Shockers won both times in low scoring games.

LAST MEETING VS. THE ROADRUNNERS
Wichita State defeated UTSA twice at the 2021 Mizuno Classic in Stillwater, Okla. The Shockers won 4-2 and 3-1, finishing the Mizuno Classic with a 4-1 record. In the 4-2 win, Neleigh Herring was 3-for-3 and Madison Perrigan belted a two-run home run. Erin McDonald struck out eight in 4.2 innings to record the win. The next day, Wichita State scratched out a 3-1 victory behind a complete game, 10-strikeout performance from Bailey Lange in the circle.

LAST TIME OUT
Wichita State recorded its first conference series sweep of the season last weekend at East Carolina, beating the Pirates: 4-1, 6-5 and 9-1 (5). Taylor Sedlacek broke out of a slump in a big way. The sophomore hit .750 (6-for-8) with three home runs, nine RBI and scored five times. She hit a grand slam in the first inning of game one and a three-run homer in the first inning of game two to set the tone early. CC Wong was 5-for-10 with three doubles in the series. Alex Aguilar struck out six in 6.0 innings in the opening night win, allowing just one run. Lauren Howell had her best outing of the season in the finale, tossing a complete game. She tied a career high with seven strikeouts and allowed just one run on three hits. Chloe Barber recorded a pair of saves out of the bullpen. Wichita State's run-rule victory on Sunday was just the second win of the season via mercy rule. The Shockers have dominated the series with East Carolina, winning 10 in a row, and own a 16-3 record vs. the Pirates since joining the American.

KRYSTIN IS COOKIN'
Since the calendar turned to March, Krystin Nelson has been red-hot at the plate. The junior is hitting .441 (15-for-34) with four doubles, two home runs, six RBI and has scored nine runs. She started the season 1-for-26 (.038). She's tied her career high with three hits twice in the month of March alone.

SHOCKERS SELL OUT SEASON TICKETS
Four days before the home opener vs. Florida Atlantic on March 8, Wichita State announced it had sold out its season ticket allotment for the first time in school history.

TOUGH SLEDDING
Wichita State has never shied away from playing a tough schedule, and that is no different in 2024. The Shockers have already played eight teams ranked in the NFCA Top 25: No. 8 Clemson, No. 25 Auburn, No. 20 South Carolina, No. 15 Arkansas (twice), No. 14 Missouri (twice) and No. 4 Oklahoma State. No. 1 Oklahoma and No. 4 Oklahoma State come to Wilkins Stadium in the coming weeks.

RPI - WEEK THREE
Wichita State checked in at No. 29 in the third RPI rankings on March 19. The Shockers have already faced 8 teams in the Top 70, including No. 6 Clemson, No. 8 Oklahoma State, No. 9 Missouri, No. 22 Arkansas (twice), No. 23 Auburn, No. 26 Kansas (twice), No. 30 South Carolina, No. 40 Florida Atlantic (three times) and No. 68 Nebraska (twice). The Shockers still have games against No. 5 Oklahoma, No. 8 Oklahoma State, No. 28 Charlotte (three times), No. 42 South Florida (three times) and No. 49 Tulsa (three times).

UP NEXT
Wichita State welcomes No. 1 Oklahoma to Wilkins Stadium on Tuesday for a 6 p.m. first pitch on ESPN+.