NORMAN, Okla. – Wichita State earned a doubleheader split on Sunday evening at Love's Field, falling to No. 2/2 Oklahoma, 8-1, and beating Abilene Christian, 3-1.
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The win over Abilene Christian was the 400th victory for Wichita State Head Coach
Kristi Bredbenner at the helm of the Shockers.
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Wichita State 1, #2/2 Oklahoma 8
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It didn't take long for the No. 2 team in the country to do damage, as they turned two walks and a bloop single into three first-inning runs, capitalizing on two passed balls and an error to take an early 3-0 lead over the Shockers.
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In the second, OU added a run with a solo blast to centerfield to take a 4-0 lead.
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Moving to the top of the third,
Krystin Nelson led off the inning with a double off the wall in center but was left stranded at third. Starter
Chloe Barber hung a zero for OU in the third, keeping it a 4-0 game.
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In the fourth, the Sooners drove in a runner with a base hit down the line and added a second run off of Shocker reliever
Ava Sliger to take a 6-0 lead into the fifth inning.
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Wichita State's
Ellee Eck showed life for the Shocker offense with a two-out solo home run to right field to cut the deficit to 6-1.Â
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The Sooners got back to business in the bottom half, scoring two runs to take an 8-1 lead.Â
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Eck, Nelson and
Sami Hood were the only Shockers to record hits in the game. Barber suffered the loss in her 3.0 innings of work. She allowed three earned runs on four hits with a strikeout.
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Wichita State 3, Abilene Christian 1
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The teams were unwilling participants in a pitching duel through the first three innings with neither side bringing a run across until Abilene Christian struck with a solo shot down the left field line to take a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the fourth.
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In the top of the fifth,
Sydney Zenon erased the donut for the Shockers on the scoreboard, bashing a ball deep to left-center for a two-run home run to give the Shockers a 2-1 lead.
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In the bottom half, Abilene Christian threatened to tie the game right back up or take the lead from Barber, who was pitching in relief, but a dangerous ball was caught on the warning track to strand two runners, keeping the Shockers in front.
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Jumping ahead to the seventh, Hood drove in
Lauren Lucas from second with an RBI single to extend the Shocker lead to 3-1.Â
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Needing three outs, Barber set Abilene Christian down in order to lock down the 3-1 win for Wichita State.
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Hood and Lucas recorded two hits each to lead the Shockers at the plate. Starter
Alex Aguilar picked up the win for WSU, with Barber recording her second save of the season.
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Next Up
The Shockers are set for a rematch with Abilene Christian at 11:00 AM on Monday in Norman.