CLEARWATER, Fla. – Wichita State split the final day of the Shriner's Childrens Clearwater Invitational, defeating Liberty, 3-2, before falling to No. 8/9 Florida State in 6 innings, 15-5, on Saturday evening at Eddie C. Moore Complex.
 
With the split, the Shockers finish 1-4 at the Clearwater Invitational. Four of the five games were against teams ranked or receiving votes in the Top 25 polls.
 
Game 1: Wichita State 3, #RV/No. 24 Liberty 2
 
The Shockers found themselves embattled in a pitching duel for the fourth consecutive game as Wichita State starter Alex Aguilar carried a no-hitter into the fourth inning, but the Shocker bats were unable to provide run support, keeping the game scoreless. 
 
In the bottom of the fourth, the Flames broke through against Aguilar, recording three straight singles to take a 2-0 lead heading to the fifth.
 
In the Shocker fifth, a response came, as three straight singles loaded the bases with one out for the Black and Yellow. Ellee Eck stepped to the plate and cleared the bases with a three-run double to left-center to give the Shockers a 3-2 lead. 
 
In the bottom half, Liberty was primed for an answer as the first two batters reached against reliever, Chloe Barber, but a diving play by Taylor Sedlacek, a strikeout from Barber and a lineout to Krystin Nelson ended the threat without allowing a run to score.
 
After a silent sixth, Liberty loaded the bases with nobody out against Barber in the seventh, and being just one swing of the bat away from a walk-off win. Against the odds, Barber closed out the game, behind a strikeout, inducing a popup to first base and ending the game with a groundout to second baseman, Sami Hood, giving the Shockers the 3-2 win.
 
Five Shockers recorded hits, but none bigger than Eck's bases-clearing double in the fifth.
 
Aguilar earned the win, tossing 4.0 innings, allowing two runs on three hits. Barber notched her first save of the season, tossing 3.0 innings, allowing three hits, but no runs.
 
Game 2: Wichita State 5, No. 8/9 Florida State 15 (6)
 
The highly-ranked Seminoles wasted no time in the game, scoring an unearned run in the bottom of the first to open the scoring.
 
In the second, the Shockers put up an immediate response. Hood reached on a bunt single, and Mila Seaton tied the game with a triple to right-center field. Following that, Caroline Tallent gave the Shockers the lead with a double to center field, scoring Seaton and giving WSU a 2-1 lead. 
 
In the third with the bases loaded, Catelyn Beckerley came through, ripping a two-run single up the middle to double the Shocker lead to 4-1. In the bottom half, FSU threatened, but freshman starter Ava Sliger dealt with the trouble quickly to keep the Shockers up by three through three innings.
 
After a scoreless fourth, Lauren Lucas launched a solo home run to right-center on the first pitch of the fifth inning to give the Shockers a 5-1 lead. Florida State responded in the bottom half quickly with an RBI to cut the Shocker lead to 5-2. The 'Noles added on with no-doubt, two-run homer down the left field line immediately after to make it a one-run game.
 
Now, against reliever Ryley Nihart, the Seminoles loaded the bases with one out. Nihart walked home a runner, tying the game at 5-5. The walk brought Aguilar into the game and the No. 9 'Noles made the Shockers pay, ripping a bases clearing triple to right center to take an 8-5 lead, their first since it was 1-0.
 
FSU added on an inning later, ripping another two-run shot down the left field line to take a 10-5 lead. The 'Noles added five in the inning, four on a grand slam to end the game in walk-off fashion in six innings with a score of 15-5.
 
Hood's 2-for-2 evening led the Shockers at the plate.