CLEARWATER, Fla. – A cold day at the plate doomed Wichita State as they fell to No. 23/24 Kentucky, 2-0, and No. 5/5 Texas A&M, 9-1, at Eddie C. Moore Complex on Saturday afternoon to open the Shriners Children's Clearwater Invitational.
 
With the pair of losses against challenging foes, Wichita State fell to 5-2 on the year and opens with a 0-2 start in Clearwater.
 
Wichita State 0, No. 23/24 Kentucky 2
 
The Wildcats manufactured the opening run, drawing a leadoff walk and later scoring the runner via a sacrifice fly, taking an early 1-0 lead. 
 
The Shockers had runners in scoring position in both the first and third innings but were unable to capitalize in the early going.
 
In the bottom of the third, Kentucky doubled their lead with an RBI triple by Allie Blum, giving her both of the game's RBIs.
 
That was all of the scoring for the game as neither side broke through in the final three innings, as Kentucky took the 2-0 victory over Wichita State.
 
WSU outhit Kentucky by two but was 0-for-4 with runners in scoring position. Chloe Barber threw all 6.0 innings, allowing the two runs on just two hits, but was saddled with the loss, her first of the season.
 
Senior Ellee Eck led the Shockers in the hits category with two, tying her season high.
 
No. 5/5 Texas A&M 9, Wichita State 1
 
In game two of the day for Wichita State, the 5th-ranked Aggies jumped on Shocker starter Alex Aguilar, bringing two runs home in the top of the first inning, one earned and one unearned. 
 
A&M added to its lead with a solo homer in the second inning, extending the Aggie lead to 3-0.
 
The Shocker bats remained cold early in the game, as they went scoreless through the first three innings.
 
In the bottom of the fourth, Taylor Sedlacek broke the Shockers' goose egg on the scoreboard with an RBI double into the gap in left center that brought Lauren Lucas in to score all the way from first, making it a 3-1 game. 
 
Neither side scored in the fifth, but the Shockers gave themselves a chance to score in the bottom of the sixth. After Ellee Eck reached on catcher's interference, Sedlacek later legged out an infield single to give the Shockers two on and two out with Sami Hood at the plate. Hood put up a tough at-bat and ended it with a bouncing chopper up the middle, but the Aggie second baseman made a great snag and got the force out at second to end the WSU threat.
 
In the next half inning, Texas A&M dashed hopes of a comeback, loading the bases and bringing in three runs with a three-run double, making it a 6-1 game. The Aggies made it 9-1 before the inning was over with a couple hits off Erica Schertz, who came in in relief.
 
Aguilar survived a rocky start to throw 6.1 innings, allowing six earned runs on 11 hits with three strikeouts. She was saddled with the loss, her first of the season in the circle.
 
Lucas (2-for-3) and Sedlacek (2-for-3) combined for all four of Wichita State's hits in the contest.
 
Next Up
The Shockers battle the San Diego State Aztecs on Friday at 4:00 PM CT in Clearwater.