South Florida (28-9, 7-2) at Wichita State (16-16, 4-5)
Friday, March 28 | 6:00 PM
Saturday, March 29 | 2:00 PM
Sunday, March 30 | 12:00 PM
Wichita, Kan. | Wilkins Stadium
Video: ESPN+ (Pat Strathman & Mady Espinosa)
Stats: Statbroadcast.com
 

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Weekend Promotions

Friday
Father/Daughter Night: $14 father/daughter bundle!

Saturday
Giveaway: First 250 fans receive a full team trading card set!
Junior Shocker Kids Club Day - Junior Shockers can participate in an exclusive pregame, on-field experience that includes high-fiving the team during introductions and standing with the team during the national anthem. | Become a Member | RSVP for Event
Postgame Autographs
Shocker Store Pop-Up Shop

Sunday
Sunday Runday

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QUICK HITS
• Wichita State hosts second place South Florida for a weekend series at Wilkins Stadium, March 28-30.
• Wichita State is coming off a midweek slugfest vs. No. 2 Oklahoma. The Shockers hit 5 home runs and scored 16 runs against the Sooners. The 16 runs were the most Oklahoma has allowed since June 3, 2019 in the WCWS when UCLA put 16 on the Sooners in the championship series. Wichita State's 5 home runs were the most OU has allowed since Feb. 15, 2019 against Florida State.
• Wichita State set a new single game attendance record on March 26 vs. OU. The announced crowd of 1,245 broke the previous record of 1,115 set 8 years ago on March 18, 2017 vs. LSU.
• Camryn Compton has six home runs over her last seven games. She's already set career highs in home runs (7) and RBIs (27) this season through 32 games.
• Lauren Lucas is riding a career-long 13-game hit streak. Lucas is hitting .517 (15-for-29) in AAC play.
• Wichita State lost its first four conference games, marking the first time since 2012 the Shockers opened 0-4 to begin conference play.
• Wichita State will face 12 NCAA Tournament teams from a season ago, which included eight in the opening month of the season.
• 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).
• 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 SOUTH FLORIDA
South Florida returns nine key returners from last season, including the back-to-back American Athletic Conference Defensive Player of the Year, Kathy Garcia-Soto. Last season, Garcia-Soto became the first AAC player to win the title in consecutive seasons. Her 84 assists so far this season rank fourth nationally. South Florida brought in seven newcomers, half of last season's total. Only one of the seven newcomers is a transfer, Hannah Marien from Stetson. The Bulls rank second nationally in sacrifice bunts (36), seventh in doubles (62), seventh in double plays (19), eighth in hit by pitches (32), 13th in hits and 14th in triples. They lead the American in 15 different categories. Payton Dixon is second in the nation with 119.1 innings pitched. Her 26 appearances are fifth in the country. She also leads the AAC in complete games with nine and shutouts with three. The Bulls have hit 32 home runs this season, led by Alex Wilkes with eight.

SERIES HISTORY
The first-ever meeting between Wichita State and South Florida was on March 31, 1990. Three of the first four meetings were on a neutral field. The Shockers and Bulls have had their battles over the last few years. Three of the last four games have been decided by two runs or fewer. All three of Wichita State's run-rule victories over South Florida have come at Wilkins Stadium ('19, '21,' 23).

LAST MEETING VS. THE BULLS
Last April Wichita State made the trip to Tampa and won the series opener, 5-3, only to see the Bulls respond by taking the final two games of the series, 5-0 and 3-2. A CC Wong grand slam proved to be just enough to hold off South Florida in Game 1. In Game 2, the Bulls shutout the Shockers behind a complete game, one-hitter from Belle Sardja. South Florida scored four of its five runs in the bottom of the first. Addison Barnard and Bailey Urban belted solo home runs in the finale, but a 5th inning RBI double pushed the Bulls to a 3-2 win.

LAST TIME OUT
Wichita State split a pair of midweek games at home with a 6-1 win over Central Arkansas before dropping a 19-16 slugfest vs. No. 2 Oklahoma. Home runs by Camryn Compton and Sami Hood powered Wichita State to a win over Central Arkansas on Tuesday. Ava Sliger tossed 4.1 innings of shutout relief to earn the win. Against the Sooners, Wichita State fell behind 8-0 in the top of the 1st and 14-3 after the top of the 3rd, but fought all the way back to make it a game at the end. Wichita State had the tying run at the plate in the bottom of the 6th, but OU escaped the jam.

STRAIGHT OUTTA COMPTON
There may not be a hotter hitter on the planet right now than Camryn Compton. The redshirt senior is playing the best softball of her career. Over her last seven games she's hitting .409 (9-for-22) with 6 home runs, 19 RBIs, 8 runs scored and a slugging percentage of 1.273.

SOONER SHOOTOUT
Wichita State took No. 2 Oklahoma (19-16) to the wire Wednesday night at Wilkins Stadium. The 35 combined runs were the most in program history, edging out a March 9, 2014 contest vs. Iowa State when the Shockers defeated the Cyclones, 18-16. Oklahoma's 19 runs were the second most Wichita State has allowed in a game in program history. Wichita State's 16 runs were the most an Oklahoma team has allowed since June 3, 2019 when UCLA scored 16 against the Sooners in the WCWS Championship series. Wichita State belted five home runs, the most Oklahoma has given up in a game since Feb. 15, 2019 vs. Florida State. It marked the first time since March 17, 2018 vs. Creighton a Shocker team scored 10 or more runs in a loss.

FRESHIES MAKING AN IMPACT
Wichita State's offense has received a boost in conference play from a pair of freshmen. Gabby Scott was inserted into the lineup for the North Texas series and has started every game at catcher since. In six conference games, Scott is hitting .500 (8-for-16) with two doubles, a home run, seven runs scored and seven RBIs. Brookelyn Livanec has taken a hold of the DP position since the start of conference play at Florida Atlantic. Through nine AAC games, Livanec is hitting .385 (10-for-26) with a double, four runs scored and five RBIs.

RPI - WEEK FOUR
Wichita State checked in at No. 58 in the fourth RPI rankings on March 24. The Shockers have already faced 10 teams in the Top 65, including No. 2 Texas A&M, No. 10 Oklahoma (twice), No. 12 Florida State, No. 14 Oklahoma State, No. 28 Kentucky, No. 29 Missouri, No. 31 Florida Atlantic, No. 35 Liberty, No. 37 Nebraska, No. 40 San Diego State, No. 47 Texas State, No. 50 Grand Canyon, No. 51 North Texas (three times) and No. 63 Kansas. The Shockers still have games against No. 14 Oklahoma State, No. 39 South Florida (three times), No. 46 Charlotte (three times) and No. 63 Kansas.

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 travels to Birmingham for a three-game series against UAB, April 4-6.