UAB (20-22, 11-7) at WICHITA STATE (19-18, 10-8)
Friday, April 19 | 6:00 PM CT
Saturday, April 20 | 6:00 PM CT
Sunday, April 21 | 10:00 AM CT
Wichita, Kan. | Wilkins Stadium
Video: ESPN+ 
Stats: Statbroadcast.com
 

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FRI. APR. 19 6:00 PM		Swifties Night - Calling all Swifties! It's the start of Kids Weekend at Wilkins Stadium and we are celebrating the release of Taylor's new album. Make your own friendship bracelets at the game and trade them with the team after the game. Postgame Fireworks - See Sparks Fly after the game during our postgame fireworks display (weather permitting).
SAT. APR. 20 6:00 PM		Youth Night - All Youth (ages 12 & under) receive $3 GA Tickets Postgame Autographs
SUN. APR. 21 10:00 AM		Junior Shocker Kids Club Day - For the final act of Kids Weekend, we invite all Junior Shockers to Wilkins Stadium for free admission and special experiences | RSVP Sunday Run Day - Kids can run the bases on the field following the game

 

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QUICK HITS
• With just three weeks left of the regular season, another big weekend awaits with conference standings implications when Wichita State and UAB meet at Wilkins Stadium. UAB is one game up on the Shockers in the standings.
• The series between Wichita State and UAB is tied at 1-1.
• Wichita State has dropped three straight conference series' for the first time since 2015. Wichita State has never been swept in an American Conference series. The last time they were swept by a conference opponent was in 2015 vs. Southern Illinois.
• CC Wong ranks 4th nationally in batting average (.470), 5th in on base percentage (.563), 13th in slugging percentage (.872) and 22d in total bases (102).
• Softball America named Wong the No. 1 2nd baseman in its position rankings this week.
• Wichita State is 3-7 in its last 10 games.
• The Shockers are currently 6th in the AAC standings at 10-8, two games back of 2nd and three games back of No. 1 Florida Atlantic.
• Wichita State's RPI is 45 as of April 18 and the Shockers have played the nation's 22nd toughest schedule.
• Of Wichita State's 37 games this season, 10 have come against ranked opponents. They are 2-8 in those games.
• Wichita State has five wins against ranked opponents dating back to last season.
• 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 23rd in slugging percentage.
• Chloe Barber ranks 4th nationally in strikeouts per 7.0 innings and 53rd in saves.
• Softball America named Addison Barnard a Preseason First Team All-American.
• Barnard is one of 50 on the USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year Watch List.
• Barnard has 84 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 80+ HR and 60+ SB.
• Barnard ranks 3rd among NCAA DI active players in career home runs with 84, eight behind Miami's Karli Spaid and five behind Oklahoma's Tiare Jennings.
• Her 84 home runs are currently 12th most in NCAA history.
• Head Coach Kristi Bredbenner won her 700th career game on March 9 vs. Florida Atlantic.

SCOUTING UAB
Led by second year head coach AJ Daugherty, UAB enters the weekend one game head of the Shockers in the conference standings at 11-7 and 20-22 overall. The Blazers own series wins over UTSA, South Florida, North Texas and Memphis. Thirteen of UAB's 20 wins have come at home, while they are just 2-13 on the road this season. The Blazers hit .257 as a team with 11 home runs, 11 triples and 31 doubles. UAB utilizes its speed with 51 stolen bases on the year. Bella Wiggins hits a team-best .348 with 6 doubles, 6 triples and a pair of home runs. Lindsey Smith leads the Blazers in doubles (9), home runs (6) and RBI (28). In the circle, UAB relies on a trio of pitchers in Leigha Kirby (103.1 IP), Caitlin Russell (60.2 IP) and Olivia Valbak (50.1 IP). Kirby sports a 3.25 ERA in 20 appearances with 10 complete games and 58 strikeouts to 31 walks. Russell is next in appearances with 16 and her 3.00 ERA leads the team. She has just 21 strikeouts on the season and 29 walks.

SERIES HISTORY
The first meeting between Wichita State and UAB came in February 2000, but the two programs have only met once since. Both meetings came on a neutral field with each team winning one apiece. This will be UAB's first trip to Wichita.

LAST MEETING VS. THE BLAZERS
In 2015 the two teams squared off at the EMU Madeira Beach Tournament in Madeira Beach, Fla. Wichita State didn't fare well at the tournament, going 1-4, including a loss to UAB, 5-2. Liz Broyles was responsible for both runs for the Shockers on a two-run single, cutting the UAB lead to 3-2 in the top of the 6th, but the Blazers immediately got those two runs back in bottom of the 6th.

LAST TIME OUT
Wichita State dropped its third straight American Athletic Conference series, dropping a pair of games at South Florida over the weekend. It's the first time since 2015 the Shockers have lost three straight conference series. The Shockers remain just three games back of first place in the conference standings. A CC Wong grand slam lifted the Shockers to a 5-3 win in the series opener, but the Shocker offense would be silenced in the final two games. Wichita State was held to just two runs on seven hits in games 2 and 3. Wong was the only Shocker to reach base on Saturday when the Bulls shut out the Shockers, 5-0. In the finale, Wichita State hit a pair of solo home runs from Addison Barnard and Bailey Urban, but South Florida scored the go-ahead run in the 5th to claim a one-run win, 3-2. Wednesday night the Shockers let a four-run lead slip away in a 6-5 loss to No. 6 Oklahoma State at Wilkins Stadium.

THE WONG BALL
Wichita State hit the jackpot with the addition of CC Wong from the transfer portal. Wong ranks 3rd nationally in batting average (.470), 5th in on base percentage (.563), 13th in slugging percentage (.872), 22nd in total bases (102), 30th in home runs per game (0.32) and 36th in runs per game (1.00). She is the only player at the NCAA DI level hitting .480 or better with 10+ home runs.

JUST GRAND
Hitting from the leadoff spot in the order CC Wong has found herself at the plate with the bases loaded eight times this season. Safe to say she rarely misses. With the bases loaded Wong is 7-for-8 (.875) with 2 home runs and 17 RBI. Her numbers with runners in scoring position include: 18-for-34 (.529) with 2 doubles, 3 home runs, 4 walks, 28 RBI and just 2 strikeouts. When she's at the plate with 2 outs and runners on: 11-for-20 (.550), 1 double, 1 triple, 2 home runs, 4 walks and 15 RBI.

FOUR-HEADED ATTACK
In conference play Wichita State's offense has been powered by CC Wong, Addison Barnard, Taylor Sedlacek and Krystin Nelson. The quartet is responsible for 65% of Wichita State's hits, 73% of its home runs and 66% of its RBI's. Those four are 84-for-195 (.431) at the plate with 19 doubles, 24 home runs and 70 RBI. The rest of the team is hitting a combined 45-for-248 (.181) in AAC games.

NINE-HOLE NELSON
Krystin Nelson has been red-hot over the past month at the plate for the Shockers. Since March 1, the junior is hitting .455 (30-for-66) with 8 doubles, 2 home runs, 12 RBI, 9 walks and has scored 20 runs after starting the season 1-for-26 (.038). Nelson has six multi-hit games during that stretch. In conference games only her numbers are even better. Through the first 18 games of American Athletic Conference play she's hitting .476 with 7 doubles, a home run, 7 RBI and 14 runs scored. Nelson is 8-for-15 (.533) at the plate with 2 outs in AAC games.

RPI - WEEK SEVEN
Wichita State checked in at No. 45 in the seventh week of RPI rankings on April 18. The Shockers have already faced 13 teams in the Top 55, including No. 2 Oklahoma, No. 7 Missouri (twice), No. 11 Arkansas (twice), No. 12 Oklahoma State, No. 15 Auburn, No. 20 Clemson, No. 27 South Carolina, No. 34 Kansas (twice), No. 37 Charlotte (three times), No. 42 Florida Atlantic (three times), No. 43 Nebraska (twice), No. 46 Tulsa (three times) and No. 53 South Florida (three times). The Shockers still have games against No. 12 Oklahoma State and No. 63 North Texas (three times).

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 nine teams ranked in the NFCA Top 25: No. 1 Oklahoma, No. 4 Oklahoma State (Mar. 6), No. 6 Oklahoma State (Apr. 17), No. 8 Clemson, No. 25 Auburn, No. 20 South Carolina, No. 15 Arkansas (twice) and No. 14 Missouri (twice).

UP NEXT
Wichita State hits the road for the final time in the regular season with a trip to the Lone Star State where the Shockers will face Texas A&M Commerce (April 24) and North Texas (April 26-28).