Wichita State (21-20-1, 9-8-1) at Tulsa (18-24, 6-12)
Thursday, April 17 | 4:00 PM (DH)
Thursday, April 17 | 6:30 PM (DH)
Friday, April 18 | 5:00 PM
Tulsa, Okla. | Collins Family Softball Complex
Video: ESPN+ 
Stats: Statbroadcast.com
 

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*The weekend series has been altered due to weather in the forecast Saturday. The Shockers and Hurricane will play a doubleheader Thursday starting at 4 PM and then a single game Friday still at the original time of 5 PM, but subject to change.*

QUICK HITS
• Wichita State wraps up its week in Oklahoma with a conference series at Tulsa, April 17-18.
•  Wichita State is coming off a 2-1 weekend vs. East Carolina. The Shockers now have four series wins in conference play, but still searching for their first sweep of the season.
• The tie with South Florida on March 30 was just the third game in program history to end in a tie. Two of those three have come under Kristi Bredbenner. The last tie came four years ago on April 18, 2021 when the Shockers and UCF Knights ended in a 0-0 tie in 9 innings.
• Wichita State set a new single game attendance record on March 26 vs. #2 Oklahoma. 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 eight home runs over her last 17 games. She's already set career highs in home runs (9) and RBIs (32) this season through 42 games.
• Lauren Lucas leads the American in on base percentage. In AAC play, Lucas is hitting .421 (24-for-57).
• Taylor Sedlacek leads the American in doubles and doubles per game.
• 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.
• Head Coach Kristi 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 TULSA
Tulsa comes into the weekend at 18-24 and 6-12 in American play. The Golden Hurricane have hit a slump, dropping their last eight games, all against conference foes. Tulsa's offense has dropped off from last season, as they sport just a .247 batting average as a team. Maci Cole is the lone Hurricane hitting over .300 at .336 with 6 doubles, 2 triples, 8 home runs and 25 RBIs. The pitching staff is carried by Maura Moore again this season. She is far and away the leader in every pitching category. Moore has appeared in 27 of the team's 42 games, including 26 starts. She is 12-12 with a 3.91 ERA in 121.2 innings with 77 strikeouts and 38 walks.

SERIES HISTORY
Wichita State and Tulsa first met in March of 1994 and have faced off a total of 69 times. The Shockers hold a 39-30 lead in the all-time series, and have won 12 of the last 16 meetings. Since 1994, Wichita State and Tulsa have played every year with the exception of a two-year gap in 2012 and 2013.

LAST MEETING VS. THE GOLDEN HURRICANE
Wichita State and Tulsa met in the second round of the American Athletic Conference Championship at Wilkins Stadium in an instant classic. After Tulsa put two runs on the board in the top of the 1st, Addison Barnard's first home run of the game tied it at 2-2 in the bottom of the 1st. A Sami Hood RBI double later in the frame gave Wichita State a 3-2 lead. The Shockers would extend their lead to 4-2 in the 4th on a bases loaded walk until a 6-run top of the 5th vaulted the Hurricane in front, 8-4. With their backs against the wall, Wichita State answered with its own 7-run bottom of the 5th, highlighted by Barnard's go-ahead grand slam to make it 11-8. Tulsa added a solo home run in the 7th, but the Shockers held on for an 11-9 win to move on.

LAST TIME OUT
Wichita State went 2-1 vs. East Carolina last weekend, taking the first two games by scores of 11-2 (5) and 9-8 before falling in 9 innings in the finale, 5-3. The Shockers won the series opener behind a two-home run game from Lauren Lucas and a complete game in the circle from Ryley Nihart. On Saturday the two teams played a wild, back-and-forth affair that saw Wichita State erase a 3-0 deficit behind a 6-run 4th inning. The Pirates and Shockers would exchange crooked numbers in the 5th and 6th innings, sending the game to the 7th inning tied at 8. Sami Hood walked it off with an RBI single in the 7th following a leadoff double from Jodie Epperson. The finale would be another nail-biter that would go to extra innings tied at 3-3. In the Top of the 9th, the conference home run leader, Emma Jackson, drilled a go-ahead 2-run home run over the wall in left-center. The win for ECU in the finale snapped a 12-game losing streak vs. the Shockers.

STRAIGHT OUTTA COMPTON
Camryn Compton is playing the best softball of her career over her last 17 games. During that stretch she's hitting .327 (17-for-52) with 8 home runs, 24 RBIs, 16 runs scored and a slugging percentage of .860.

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. 29, 2020 vs. North Texas. 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 15 conference games, Scott is hitting .295 (13-for-44) with three doubles, a home run, nine runs scored and 13 RBIs. Brookelyn Livanec has taken a hold of the DP position since the start of conference play at Florida Atlantic. Through 17 AAC games, Livanec is hitting .333 (16-for-48) with a double, seven runs scored and eight RBIs.

RPI AT A GLANCE
Wichita State checked in at No. 56 in this week's RPI rankings. The Shockers have already faced 15 teams in the Top 60, including No. 1 Texas A&M, No. 4 Florida State, No. 9 Oklahoma (twice), No. 18 Oklahoma State, No. 26 Florida Atlantic (three times), No. 29 Nebraska, No. 30 Liberty, No. 31 Kentucky, No. 32 Missouri, No. 35 South Florida (three times), No. 39 Grand Canyon, No. 41 San Diego State, No. 43 Texas State, No. 44 North Texas (three times) and No. 59 Kansas. The Shockers still have games against No. 18 Oklahoma State, No. 49 Charlotte (three times) and No. 59 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 closes its home schedule with five straight at Wilkins Stadium, beginning with an afternoon midweek contest vs. Kansas City on April 22 at 2:00 p.m.