Wichita State (10-12) at Kansas (12-8)
Wednesday, March 12, 2025
Lawrence, Kan. | Arrocha Ballpark
Video: ESPN+
Stats: Statbroadcast.com

QUICK HITS
• Wichita State travels up the turnpike to face the Jayhawks in a midweek tilt Wednesday night.
• Wichita State is in the midst of a 5-game losing streak, its longest since 2020.
• The Shockers were swept at #24 Florida Atlantic last weekend, marking the first conference sweep since 2015 vs. Southern Illinois.
• Wichita State started the season 5-0 for the first time since 1994 and just the third time in program history. The Shockers' 5-0 weekend in Phoenix also marked the first time since 2021 the Shockers have gone 5-0 at an early season tournament.
• Lauren Lucas was named AAC Player of the Week on Feb. 10.
• Wichita State will face 12 NCAA Tournament teams from a season ago, which includes eight in the opening month of the season (Grand Canyon, Kentucky, Texas A&M, San Diego State, Liberty, Florida State, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State and Missouri).
• Wichita State has made it to the NCAA Tournament three of the last four years. The 2024 Shockers came up just short of an NCAA Regional, snapping a streak of three straight appearances.
• A pair of redshirt seniors return to the lineup in 2025 after missing all of the 2024 season due to injuries in Lauren Lucas and Camryn Compton.
• Lucas was named to the Softball America Preseason Top 100, sliding in at No. 78.
Freshman pitcher Ava Sliger was named to the D1Softball D100 Freshman Watch List.
• Sliger and freshman teammate Ryley Nihart were named to the Softball America Freshman Watch List.
• The Shockers bring back only two pitchers that recorded innings in 2024: Chloe Barber (Sophomore, AAC All-Rookie Team) and Alex Aguilar (Junior, 2023 AAC Rookie of the Year).
• Wichita State was picked to win the American Athletic Conference in the Preseason Coaches Poll.
• In total, Wichita State returns four starters and 11 letterwinners from a season ago.
• Nine newcomers (six freshman, three transfers) join the team in 2025.
• Bredbenner recorded her 400th career win at Wichita State on Feb. 23 vs. Abilene Christian. She is the all-time winningest coach in program history.

SCOUTING KANSAS
Kansas comes into the midweek matchup at 12-8 and 2-1 after its conference opening weekend at Baylor. After dropping the series opener vs. the Bears, Kansas responded with a 3-2 win in Game 2 and a 12-2 run-rule victory in the finale to take the series. The Jayhawks welcome back eight letterwinners and 16 total student-athletes from 2024 and usher in nine newcomers to the fold in the way of six freshmen and three transfers. Through its first 20 games, Kansas is hitting .289 as a team with 21 doubles and 15 home runs. Aynslee Linduff leads the way with 25 hits and a .397 average. Hailey Cripe is right behind at .375 with a pair of home runs and a team-high 15 RBIs. Olivia Bruno has a team-high four home runs and is one of three Jayhawks with 13 RBIs. Bruno also sports the team's lowest ERA at 1.97 in 21.1 innings and a 2-0 record in five appearances. Lizzy Ludwig leads the pitching staff in starts (6) and appearances (10). Ludwig is 3-3 in 33.2 innings with a 2.50 ERA. Katie Brooks is back in the fold yet again for the Jayhawks. She is 3-1 with a 3.20 ERA in 35.0 innings. Head Coach Jennifer McFalls is in her seventh season at the helm, posting a career record of 133-170. The 2024 season saw many milestones for the Jayhawks, as McFalls and her coaching staff helped lead the team to a record-high 28-25-1 season, marking Kansas' best performance since 2018.

SERIES HISTORY
The series between Wichita State and Kansas dates back to 1978 when the two programs met for the very first time. Kansas leads the all time series, 76-23-1. Wichita State didn't record its first win in the series until 1986. The two teams have traded three-game win streaks dating back to 2016. Kansas has won the last three The Shockers are just 9-42 all-time in Lawrence.

LAST MEETING VS. THE JAYHAWKS
Wichita State dropped a midweek doubleheader at Kansas a year ago, falling 6-3 and 6-5 (8). In the opener, the game was tied at 1-1 entering the bottom of the fifth, but the Jayhawks scored five times in the inning to break open a 6-1 lead. The Shockers would plate two in the top of the seventh but left the bases loaded to end the game. Wichita State had bases loaded three different innings, and only scored two runs out of those situations. In the nightcap, Kansas belted a first inning grand slam to take a 5-0 lead after one inning. It looked like the game might end early, but Alison Cooper came out of the bullpen and silenced the Jayhawks over the next 6.0 innings. CC Wong would drive in a run in the third and fifth innings on an RBI single and a solo home run. With the game heading to the seventh and KU still leading 5-2, Addison Barnard delivered a game-tying, three-run home run to send the game to extra innings. A single and a two-base throwing error in the bottom of the eighth led to a walk-off via obstruction at the plate.

LAST TIME OUT
Wichita State is coming off a rough weekend in Boca Raton, its conference opening weekend at No. 24 Florida Atlantic. For the first time in 10 years, the Shockers were swept in a conference series. The Shockers managed to score just two runs in the three-game series and were outscored 14-2. Wichita State has now played nine games against ranked opponents this season, but have yet to record a win in those games. In the opener, Wichita State tied the game at 1-1 in the Top of the 5th only to see the Owls strike in the bottom half with four runs, collecting a 5-1 win. Ellee Eck had two of the team's six hits. On Saturday, Wichita State managed just four hits, two of those belonging to Lauren Lucas. FAU posted single runs in the 2nd, 3rd, 5th and 6th innings on the way to a 4-1 victory. The Shocker bats were even more silent in the finale, tallying only two hits and getting shutout, 5-0. FAU scored two runs in the 1st and three more in the 6th.

RPI - WEEK TWO
Wichita State checked in at No. 76 in the second RPI rankings on March 10. The Shockers have already faced 10 teams in the Top50, including No. 3 Texas A&M, No. 11 Oklahoma State, No. 12 Florida State, No. 13 Oklahoma, No. 26 Kentucky, No. 32 Florida Atlantic (three times), No. 35 Grand Canyon, No. 36 Missouri, No. 39 Liberty, No. 42 Nebraska and No. 46 San Diego State. The Shockers still have games against No. 11 Oklahoma State, No. 13 Oklahoma, No. 43 Charlotte (three times), No. 44 North Texas (three times), No. 49 South Florida (three times), No. 51 Kansas (twice) and No. 67 Texas State.

WELCOME BACK
Wichita State welcomes back a pair of super seniors in Lauren Lucas and Camryn Compton after missing the entire 2024 season due to injuries. The duo have 161 combined starts between the two of them. Lucas is a two-time First Team All-Conference performer and earned Third Team All-America honors in 2023 after hitting .384 with 16 doubles, 7 triples, 4 home runs and 62 RBIs. Her 62 RBIs ranked Top 10 nationally. Compton has battled injuries throughout her career at Wichita State, but her experience will be key in 2025, as she looks to end on a high note.

TOUGH SLEDDING
Wichita State has never shied away from playing a tough schedule, and that is no different in 2025. The Shockers are scheduled to play 10 teams ranked or receiving votes in the Preseason NFCA Top 25: No. 2 Oklahoma, No. 4 Oklahoma State, No. 8 Texas A&M, No. 9 Florida State, No. 15 Missouri, No. 19 Nebraska. Kentucky, Texas State, Grand Canyon and Liberty all received votes.

PRESEASON TOP 100 LOVE
Lauren Lucas was named to the Softball America Preseason Top 100 list and the D1 Softball D100 Player Rankings. Lucas checked in at No. 78 on the Softball America Top 100 and No. 88 on the D100. Lucas was also named the No. 21 outfielder according to D1 Softball. Freshman pitcher Ava Sliger was named to the D1 Softball D100 Freshman Watch List on Jan. 8.

UP NEXT
Wichita State welcomes North Texas for its conference opening series, March 14-16 at Wilkins Stadium.