The RoundHouse | 5/9/2024 7:19:00 PM

By Paul Suellentrop
 
Addison Barnard did the post-game interview on ESPN-plus and then took her curtain call after another special seven innings.
 
The crowd chanted "MVP, MVP." Barnard ran to join her teammates in right field, then the people in the outfield decks demanded her presence. She joined them for high fives, running from right field to left to celebrate with fans, parents, and former Shockers.
 
It was, again, that kind of Addie B game in the American Athletic Conference Championship at Wilkins Stadium. WSU's career home run leader – now at 92 – is on a hot streak that ranks with any in her career.
 
"She's on fire," coach Kristi Bredbenner said. "Absolutely crushing the ball."
 
Fourth-seeded WSU defeated fifth-seeded Tulsa 11-9 with Barnard hitting a decisive grand slam and a two-run home run. She threw out a runner at the plate in the fourth inning. She made a sliding catch for the second out of the seventh inning.

"If you relax, good things are going to happen," Barnard said. "I'm going into these games, and I really want to enjoy it and do it for my team. Put a good swing on a good pitch."
 
The Shockers (27-21) advance to the semifinals to play top-seeded Florida Atlantic (41-13) at 2:30 p.m. Friday (ESPN+). Second-seeded Charlotte (36-16) plays third-seeded North Texas (32-23) at noon in the other semifinal.
 
Barnard, a senior center fielder, is putting good swings on all the pitches. She hit three home runs in Wednesday's 13-0 win over UTSA and is 6 for 7 with five home runs, a double, and 11 runs batted in in the tournament.
 
"I just want to win that dang conference title," she said. "I'm going to do whatever it takes."
 
Her two-run homer in the first game tied it 2-all. WSU entered the fifth leading 4-2. Tulsa (30-23) scored six runs to take an 8-4 lead. The Shockers responded with seven runs, helped by two Tulsa errors and an observant notification by Bredbenner. Barnard capped the inning with her grand slam, smashing a 1-1 pitch to right field to put WSU up 11-8.
 
 

WE'RE NOT WORTHY!

Her 5th home run in the last 2 games is a go-ahead GRAND SLAM!!

Into a T-4th on NCAA all-time home run list.@addieb30 | @NCAASoftball pic.twitter.com/JuhDGIH77Y

— Wichita State Softball (@GoShockersSB) May 9, 2024

 
 
Second baseman Sami Hood stood next to associate head coach Elizabeth Economon in the dugout when Barnard walked to the batter's box with the bases loaded. Hood said she predicted a grand slam, and her teammates shushed her to avoid jinxing the moment.
 
"I was like 'I feel it,'" Hood said. "She hit it, and I was like 'That's amazing.' My heart was so warm. I got teary-eyed."
 
With Barnard blasting softballs all over the outside of Wilkins Stadium, it's not surprising the four-run deficit didn't bother the Shockers.
 
"There was no loss in energy," Bredbenner said. "That was the difference."
 
The fifth-inning rally started with a walk by Bailey Urban and Hood's single. Lainee Brown appeared to strike out, then got a do-over. Bredbenner noticed Tulsa had an incorrect number in the scorebook after bringing in Kylee Nash (No. 22) to pitch. When Brown swung at strike three, Bredbenner notified the umpires that the scorecard had No. 2 (second baseman Abby Jones) incorrectly listed.
 
After a consultation, they gave Brown another chance and she singled to load the bases.
 
"Right away, I looked at his scorecard and I said, 'He has No. 2 written down and I know it's No. 22,'" Bredbenner said. "I waited for the right moment. When she got strike three, I was like 'What the heck, let's see if she gets one more pitch.'"
 
The Shockers also scored a fifth inning run on a groundball out when Caroline Tallent wandered off second far enough to draw a throw. Brown bolted from third on the throw and slid in ahead of the tag.
 
Wichita State needs two more wins to secure the AAC title and an NCAA spot. Bredbenner sent them off Thursday with instructions to rest, recover and hydrate to prepare for a third game in three days. FAU, as the top seed, will play its first game of the tournament on Friday.
 
 

What can't she do?!

Addison Barnard makes the perfect throw to prevent the game tying run!🎯#AmericanSB x @GoShockersSB pic.twitter.com/q7BDp6lR2s

— The American (@American_Conf) May 9, 2024

 
 
Paul Suellentrop writes about Wichita State athletics for university Strategic Communications. Story suggestion? Contact him at paul.suellentrop@wichita.edu.