The RoundHouse | 4/21/2024 2:42:00 PM
By Paul Suellentrop
On Friday, Wichita State coach
Kristi Bredbenner saw a team that fell behind and tensed up.
By Sunday afternoon, Wilkins Stadium felt like a happier place, lit up by
Chloe Barber's 15 strikeouts and a resurgent offense. The Shockers signed autographs after a 5-0 win over UAB gave them the series.
CC Wong, surrounded by about eight youngsters, told them she wanted to see them play on that field one day.
"We sat down and had a chat in the locker room and talked it out – get us to believe in ourselves and know that we can beat this team if we compete," Wong said. "Compete. Go up there and have good at-bats. Be the team we can be. I think we showed that."
After three straight seasons at or near the top of the American Athletic Conference, the Shockers are fighting to stay in the top half this spring. They dropped three straight conference series for the first time since 2015 before Friday's 3-0 loss to UAB.
"We got frustrated on Friday and let that frustration get into our aggressiveness," Bredbenner said. "This year's been a little different. We've faced a lot of adversity. But we can't focus so much on the end. We've got to focus on the present and doing the things to win ballgames we've been able to do in the past. That should get us back on track."
It's not too late to get back on track for the Shockers (21-19, 12-9 AAC). They bounced back from getting two-hit Friday to shut out the Blazers (21-24, 12-9) after winning Saturday's game 9-1 in six innings.
Barber held UAB to three hits and walked five while recording her most strikeouts since a school-record 16 against Illinois State earlier this season. She struck out the side twice and no runner reached third base.
The Blazers threatened in the first with a bunt single and a walk. Barber rallied to end threat. In the sixth, she gave up a leadoff double and walked the next hitter. She responded by striking out the next three batters.
"After she walked somebody, she would go straight at the next batter," catcher
Lainee Brown said. "She knows how to calm herself down and throw it in the zone."
A second look at UAB starter Leigha Kirby helped after she held the Shockers without a hit until the sixth inning on Friday. On Sunday, the Shockers jumped on Kirby for two runs in the first and two more in the second. While Kirby only surrendered four hits in four innings, the Shockers enjoyed better swings on Sunday and took advantage when she did leave pitches up in the zone.
"We were trying to see the ball deep in the box and being relaxed," shortstop
Taylor Sedlacek. "We had seen her multiple times and knew I was going to see those exact same pitches again."
Sedlacek, expecting a changeup from Kirby, was ready for it and homered on the first pitch she saw in the first, driving in Wong, who walked. In the second, Wong doubled to drive in two runs. She homered to left field in the fifth.
"We came out with a lot of confidence after we had at-bats against (Kirby) on Friday," Wong said. "We were really ready for today and excited to get her again and prove we could hit her."
Paul Suellentrop writes about Wichita State athletics for university Strategic Communications. Story suggestion? Contact him at paul.suellentrop@wichita.edu.
