Wichita State (9-5) at #4 Oklahoma State (17-2)
Wednesday, March 6 | 6:00 PM
Stillwater, Okla. | Cowgirl Stadium
Video: ESPN+
Stats: Statbroadcast.com

QUICK HITS
• Wichita State's first midweek contest is another ranked team in No. 4 Oklahoma State in Stillwater Wednesday night.
• Wichita State is coming off a 2-2 weekend at the Big Red Invitational in Lincoln, Neb. with both wins over Nebraska and both losses to No. 14 Missouri. Wichita State's 17 runs in the 17-4 win at Nebraska were the most runs ever scored by an opponent in Bowlin Stadium.
• Wichita State is 7-3 in its last 10 games.
• Wichita State's RPI is 21 as of March 4 and the Shockers have played the nation's 15th toughest schedule.
• The American Athletic Conference is rated the 5th best conference according to RPI behind only the SEC, Pac-12, Big 12 and ACC.
• Half of Wichita State's games so far this season have come against ranked teams. They are 2-5 in those games.
• 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.
• CC Wong was named the American Athletic Conference Player of the Week on Feb. 26.
• Wong ranks in the Top 25 nationally in batting average (24th) and on base percentage (17th).
• 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 ranks 6th nationally in strikeouts per 7.0 innings and 22nd in total strikeouts.
• 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 74 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 74, just six behind Oklahoma's Tiare Jennings and five behind Miami's Karli Spaid.
• 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 OKLAHOMA STATE
Oklahoma State is ranked in the Top 10 in all four of the major polls, and as high as No. 4 in the NFCA Top 25. The Cowgirls are 17-2 and riding an 11-game win streak. Oklahoma State owns ranked wins over UCLA, Florida and Washington, while both losses came against Top 10 teams in Georgia and LSU at the Clearwater Invitational. The Cowgirls rank in the Top 20 nationally in several categories, including: home runs per game (5th), fielding percentage (6th), slugging percentage (7th), shutouts (8th), batting average (10th), ERA (13th), on base percentage (15th) and strikeout-to-walk ratio (16th). Claire Timm is one of two Cowgirls hitting over .400 to start the season at .463 with four doubles, two triples, two home runs and six RBI. Rosie Davis hits .449 with three home runs and 13 RBI. Caroline Wang leads the Cowgirls with six home runs and Karli Godwin has a team-high 20 RBI. Nine different Cowgirls have multiple home runs through 19 games. Oklahoma State has four different pitchers that have logged 20.0 or more innings. Ivy Rosenberry is 4-0 with a team-best 0.24 ERA in 29.0 innings. Her 33 strikeouts also the team to go with just eight walks. Lexi Kilfoyl leads the Cowgirls in innings (36.1), complete games (3) and wins (7). She has 31 strikeouts and a 0.96 ERA.

SERIES HISTORY
The series between Wichita State and Oklahoma State dates all the way back to the first meeting on March 25, 1978. Wichita State won that first-ever matchup, only to see Oklahoma State win the next 56 in a row. The Cowgirls lead the all-time series, 87-16. Nine of those 16 wins have come under Kristi Bredbenner. Wichita State took two of three from the Cowgirls in 2023, including both regular season matchups. Oklahoma State got its revenge in the NCAA Stillwater Regional. The Shockers and Cowgirls have played each other every year since 1984.

LAST MEETING VS. THE COWGIRLS
After Wichita State swept both regular season contests in 2023, Oklahoma State shut out the Shockers, 6-0, on day two of the NCAA Stillwater Regional. Wichita State's top three hitters in the order combined to go 0-for-9 at the plate. Trailing 4-0 in the top of the 5th, Wichita State had its best opportunity to string a rally together with the bases loaded, but a sharp line drive right at the third baseman kept the Shockers off the board.

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.

RPI - WEEK ONE
Wichita State checked in at No. 21 in the first RPI rankings on March 4. The Shockers have already faced 6 teams in the Top 65, including No. 4 Missouri, No. 6 Clemson, No. 15 Arkansas (twice), No. 18 Auburn, No. 22 South Carolina, No. 63 Nebraska (twice). The Shockers still have games against No. 5 Oklahoma, No. 10 Oklahoma State (twice), No. 17 Charlotte (three times), No. 34 Kansas, No. 38 Florida Atlantic (three times), No. 45 South Florida (three times), No. 47 East Carolina (three times) and No. 49 Tulsa (three times).

INTRODUCING THE BARBER SHOP
Freshman pitcher Chloe Barber has appeared in all of nine 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 four games vs. ranked SEC opponents, Barber has 30 strikeouts.

UP NEXT
Wichita State welcomes Florida Atlantic to Wilkins Stadium for its 2024 home opener. The Shockers and Owls open American Athletic Conference play with a weekend series, March 8-10.