MEMPHIS (6-40, 1-23) at WICHITA STATE (22-21, 13-11)
Friday, May 3 | 6:00 PM
Saturday, May 4 | 4:00 PM
Sunday, May 5 | 12:00 PM
Wichita, Kan. | Wilkins Stadium
Video: ESPN+ 
Stats: Statbroadcast.com
 

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FRI. MAY 3 6:00 PM		Student Tailgate - Wichita State Students are invited to celebrate the end of the semester with a pregame tailgate featuring pizza & yard games Postgame Fireworks
SAT. MAY 4 4:00 PM		Fan Appreciation - Fans in attendance will have the chance to win prizes throughout the game Postgame Autographs
SUN. MAY 5 12:00 PM		Mini Helmet + Andy's Frozen Custard Concrete Giveaway – The first 500 fans will receive a WSU mini helmet with a coupon for a free small, one-topping concrete at Andy's Frozen Custard. Postgame Run The Bases

 

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QUICK HITS
• The final weekend of the regular season brings Memphis to Wilkins Stadium for Senior Weekend. Wichita State will recognize its seven seniors: Addison Barnard, Lainee Brown, Madyson Espinosa, Jessica Garcia, Lauren Howell, Bailey Urban and CC Wong.
• Wichita State has won the last 14 meetings vs. Memphis and leads the all-time series vs. the Tigers, 16-3.
• Wichita State is 4-6 in its last 10 games.
• The Shockers are currently in 5th in the AAC standings at 13-11. The highest they could finish is 4th. Florida Atlantic, Charlotte and North Texas are separated by one game atop the standings.
• Wichita State's RPI is 49 as of May 2 and the Shockers have played the nation's 12th toughest non-conference schedule and 29th toughest overall.
• Of Wichita State's 43 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 7th best conference according to RPI behind only the SEC, Big 12, Pac-12, ACC, Big Ten and Sun Belt.
• Over her last three starts in the circle, Chloe Barber is 2-1 with three complete games, a 0.35 ERA, 32 strikeouts, eight walks and has allowed just eight hits and one run in 20.0 IP.
• Barber ranks 2nd nationally in strikeouts per 7.0 innings (10.8).
• CC Wong ranks 5th nationally in batting average (.455), 5th in on base percentage (.555) and 12th in slugging percentage (.851).
• Wong is one of 26 finalists for the USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year.
• Softball America named Addison Barnard a Preseason First Team All-American.
• Barnard has 86 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 86, 11 behind Miami's Karli Spaid and five behind Oklahoma's Tiare Jennings.
• Her 86 home runs are currently 10th most in NCAA history.
• Barnard ranks 8th nationally in home runs per game (0.40) and 15th in total home runs (17) this season.
• Head Coach Kristi Bredbenner won her 700th career game on March 9 vs. Florida Atlantic.
• Bredbenner is 14 wins away from 400 career wins at Wichita State.

SCOUTING MEMPHIS
Led by second year head coach Stephanie VanBrakle Prothro, Memphis enters the final weekend of the regular season at 6-40 overall and 1-23 in American Athletic Conference play. The Tigers picked up their lone conference win over UTSA on March 30, but have since lost 12 straight in league play. Memphis hits .212 as a team with just 15 home runs and 93 total RBI this season. Zoe Adebayo leads the Tigers in batting average (.278), doubles (6), home runs (4) and RBI (23). No one else has more than 12 RBI. In the circle, the Tiger pitching staff sports a 6.45 ERA and opponents are hitting .313 against them. Taniyah Brown leads a trio of pitchers in every category. Brown is 4-19 with a 5.16 ERA in 129.0 innings. She has 77 strikeouts compared to 141 walks.

SERIES HISTORY
After Memphis won three of the first five meetings in the series, Wichita State has dominated the Tigers. The Shockers have won 14 in a row over the Tigers and lead the all-time series, 16-3. Wichita State has won via the run-rule in six of the last seven meetings. This will be just the third trip to Wichita for the Tigers since Wichita State joined the American in 2018.

LAST MEETING VS. THE TIGERS
Wichita State swept the Tigers a year ago in Memphis by scores of 20-0, 10-2 and 10-3. In Wichita State's 20-0 opening win, the Shockers pounded out 14 hits and had help from five Memphis errors. Alex Aguilar allowed just three hits and struck out three in the shutout. Sydney McKinney drove in four runs and Addison Barnard homered and had five RBI. In Game 2, Wichita State jumped out to a 9-2 lead after the 2nd inning and cruised to another run-rule victory. Sami Hood and Camryn Compton both homered. In the finale, Wichita State trailed 2-1 after the 1st inning but went on to outscore the Tigers, 9-1 over the final 6 innings. McKinney and Barnard both homered and had multi-hit games.

LAST TIME OUT
Wichita State avoided a series sweep at North Texas last weekend after dropping a doubleheader on Friday by a combined two runs. The Shockers fell in 9 innings in the opener, 4-3, and then 1-0 in Game 2, despite Chloe Barber tossing a masterpiece. Barber struck out 14, walked none and allowed just one run on three hits. Wichita State stranded 14 runners on base and went 0-for-13 with runners in scoring position. A North Texas solo home run in the top of the 7th sent the game to extra innings and then the Mean Green walked it off in the 9th on another solo home run. In the finale, Barber returned to the circle and threw a two-hit, complete game shutout. A three-run Taylor Sedlacek home run powered the offense, while Caroline Tallent and Krystin Nelson added RBI doubles.

WONG NAMED TOP 26 FINALIST FOR USA SOFTBALL PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Senior CC Wong was named one of 26 finalists for the USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year, it was announced on May 1. Wong is one of only five student-athletes on the list from outside the Power 5. The Top 26 Finalists will be narrowed down to 10 athletes on May 15, followed by the Top 3 Finalists set to be released on May 20. The 2024 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year will be revealed prior to the Women's College World Series, which is scheduled to take May 30 – June 7 at the Softball Capital of the World®.

THE WONG BALL
Wichita State hit the jackpot with the addition of CC Wong from the transfer portal. Wong ranks 5th nationally in batting average (.455), 5th in on base percentage (.555) and 12th in slugging percentage (.851), 32nd in total bases (114), 36th in runs per game (1.00) and 43rd in home runs per game (0.30). She is the one of only three student-athletes at the NCAA DI level hitting .450 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 64% of Wichita State's hits, 74% of its home runs and 66% of its RBI's. Those four are 107-for-261 (.410) at the plate with 26 doubles, 29 home runs and 85 RBI. The rest of the team is hitting a combined 60-for-336 (.179) in AAC games.

NINE-HOLE NELLY
Krystin Nelson has been red-hot over the past month at the plate for the Shockers. Since March 1, the junior is hitting .418 (33-for-79) with 9 doubles, 2 home runs, 14 RBI, 12 walks and has scored 22 runs after starting the season 1-for-26 (.038). Nelson has six multi-hit games during that stretch. Through the first 24 games of American Athletic Conference play she's hitting .418 with 8 doubles, a home run, 9 RBI and 17 runs scored. Nelson is 10-for-22 (.455) at the plate with 2 outs in AAC games.

RPI - WEEK NINE
Wichita State checked in at No. 50 in the ninth week of RPI rankings on April 30. The Shockers have already faced 13 teams in the Top 60, including No. 2 Oklahoma, No. 9 Missouri (twice), No. 12 Oklahoma State (twice), No. 15 Arkansas (twice), No. 22 Auburn, No. 24 Clemson, No. 26 South Carolina, No. 28 Charlotte (three times), No. 40 Florida Atlantic (three times), No. 41 Kansas (twice), No. 48 Nebraska (twice), No. 51 South Florida (three times) and No. 58 Tulsa (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 hosts the 2024 American Athletic Conference Championship at Wilkins Stadium, May 8-11.