The RoundHouse | 3/28/2025 10:16:00 PM
By
Paul Suellentrop
A wicked line drive that left a bruise on her left shin did not keep Wichita State's
Ryley Nihart from starting in the circle three days later. Gifting the American Athletic Conference's top hitting team runners did not bother her.
She did not, by her own admission, pitch particularly well on Friday at Wilkins Stadium. However, Nihart is one unflappable freshman pitcher and while she gave USF openings, she never cracked in a 9-4 win over the Bulls to open the series.
"Honestly, I don't think today was my best performance," she said. "We got through the game. The defense had my back and made great plays. The offense, again, had my back."
Nihart more than did her part, even while not throwing as sharply as she prefers. On Tuesday, she suffered a deep bone bruise in her shin against Central Arkansas in the third inning and came out of the game. She threw Thursday and gave the OK for Friday for the Shockers (17-16, 5-5 AAC).
"When she's on, she's great," WSU coach
Kristi Bredbenner said. "She doesn't show a lot of emotion, doesn't seem to get frazzled. She's not trying to overpower anybody. Pinpoint accuracy and being able to change some speeds here and there has been really effective."
Nihart held USF (28-10, 7-3) without a hit until the fifth inning. She finished her second complete game allowing four hits and striking out two. She walked four and hit four.
The Bulls put their first two runners on the first. A double play on a foul ball and groundout ended the threat. Nihart worked around another leadoff walk in the second. An error and another hit by pitch gave the Bulls two on with one out in the third. Nihart handled that with two more groundballs.
When the Bulls threatened, Nihart used her ability to induce off-balance swings and weak contact. She produced nine flyball outs and nine groundouts. She held the first four hitters in the USF lineup without a hit.
"She's not going to give in," first baseman
Camryn Compton said. "She's going to keep going at them, and that's what we need in the circle."
Nihart gave up three runs in the fifth after hitting two batters with one out. With an 8-3 lead, she limited the damage and stranded two runners.
The Shockers gave Nihart cushion with three runs in the second and five in the fourth. Their offense continues to find a groove with double-digit hits in five of the past six games and multiple home runs in six straight.
Compton and
Taylor Sedlacek homered for the Shockers.
Ellee Eck's two-out double gave WSU a 3-0 lead. Brooklyn Livanec started the five-run fourth with an RBI single before Sedlacek and Compton homered.
"I think they're confident," Bredbenner said. "The game on Wednesday (a 19-16 loss to No. 2 Oklahoma) was a big boost for us. We seem to being really aggressive and picking good pitches to swing at."
Paul Suellentrop writes about Wichita State athletics for university Strategic Communications. Story suggestion? Contact him at paul.suellentrop@wichita.edu.
