PHOENIX – Timely hitting and strong pitching powered Wichita State softball to wins over Northern Illinois (10-4) and Grand Canyon (4-1) in their season-opening doubleheader on Friday evening at GCU Softball Stadium.
The Shockers begin the year 2-0 with the pair of victories. Wichita State has now won seven straight season openers and 11 of its last 12.
Game 1: Northern Illinois 4, Wichita State 10
Against Northern Illinois, the Shockers found success early against the Husky starter. In the first inning,
Ellee Eck was hit by a pitch, then
Jodie Epperson recorded the first hit of the season, a two-run homer to left-center field to give the Shockers an early 2-0 lead. Three pitches later,
Lauren Lucas promptly made her return to the lineup by crushing a ball over the centerfield fence to make it 3-0. It was her first home run since April 21, 2023 vs. East Carolina.
After a scoreless second inning, NIU found success against Shocker starter
Alex Aguilar in the third, plating four runs in the top half of the inning to take a 4-3 lead. Wichita State freshman
Catelyn Beckerley responded in the bottom half of the inning with a one-out sacrifice fly to score
Caroline Tallent.
In the fourth,
Taylor Sedlacek recorded her first hit and home run of the year, smashing a two-run shot off the batter's eye in center to give the Shockers a 6-4 lead.
After a scoreless half-inning in the fifth from Aguilar, Beckerley recorded her first collegiate hit, another two-run home run for the Shockers to centerfield, extending the Shocker lead to 8-4. Later in the inning, Epperson struck again, hammering a ball over the wall in center for another two-run homer, the fifth homer of the day for Wichita State and fourth two-run shot.
In the sixth, freshman
Ava Sliger made quick work of the Huskies, setting them down in order in the sixth. In the seventh, two NIU batters made their way on base before Sliger put an end to the game, recording the final out via a lineout to right field.
Aguilar recorded the win, going 5.0 innings, allowing four runs on seven hits. Sliger dealt two scoreless innings in relief, allowing just one hit.
Epperson, Lucas and Tallent all recorded two hits to lead the way for Wichita State. Epperson played 72 career games at North Texas over two seasons and didn't have a single home run. She hit two in her first game as a Shocker.
Game 2: Wichita State 4, Grand Canyon 1
After trading zeroes in the first inning against Grand Canyon, Eck scooted a ball through the middle of the infield to drive in Tallent and Beckerley to give the Shockers an early 2-0 lead.
GCU plated what would be its only run against Shocker starter
Chloe Barber in the bottom of the third when a runner scored an unearned run on a throwing error by Sedlacek, cutting the Shocker lead in half.
After pitching and defense dominated the fourth, the Shockers broke through in the top of fifth, as Tallent drove in two runs with the bases loaded and one out on a base hit to left, extending the Shocker lead to 4-1.
From this point on, Barber controlled the game, only allowing one Antelope baserunner through the final three frames as the Shockers held on to a 4-1 win on the road against the reigning WAC champions. Grand Canyon came into the game receiving votes in one of the polls after setting a school record with 50 wins in 2024 and an NCAA Regional appearance.
Barber dominated from start to finish, striking out nine batters and allowing zero earned runs in the complete game performance.
Eck and Lucas recorded two hits apiece to lead the offense. Tallent went 1-for-1, getting hit by a pitch twice, and driving in a pair.
Next Up
The GCU Kickoff Classic continues Saturday when the Shockers face Colgate at 1 p.m. CT and Montana at 3:30 p.m. CT.
