TULSA, Okla. – Wichita State swept Thursday's doubleheader at Tulsa by scores of 10-0 and 11-7 to secure the series at Collins Family Softball Complex.
Wichita State (23-20-1, 11-8-1) recorded its fifth series win of the season.
Game 1: Wichita State 10, Tulsa 0 (5)
Ellee Eck had a career day in the doubleheader opener, going 3-for-4 with two home runs and a career-high five RBIs. Her two home runs tied a career high, which she set just a couple weeks ago vs. South Florida.
Krystin Nelson provided run support at the bottom of the lineup, going 2-for-3 with a career-high tying three RBIs.
Ryley Nihart (7-4) tossed a complete game shutout, allowing just four hits and one walk, wihle striking out four.
Wichita State put early pressure on the Golden Hurricane, scoring a pair of runs in the top of the first. With the bases loaded four batters in,
Jodie Epperson brought the first run in on a hit by pitch. The very next batter,
Gabby Scott, dropped a single into shallow right to make it 2-0.
After scoreless frames in the second and third, Wichita State opened its lead in the fourth to 6-0. Nelson's two-run single off the wall in center started the scoring and then Eck's two-run home run in the next at-bat capped the frame.
Nelson went back to work in the fifth with an RBI single to put the Shockers up a touchdown. With two runners on, Eck smashed her second home run of the game to give the Shockers a 10-0 lead.
Game 2: Wichita State 11, Tulsa 7
Brookelyn Livanec went 2-for-4 with an RBI.
Lauren Lucas and
Sami Hood both had two-run home runs.
Krystin Nelson and
Jodie Epperson had a hit and an RBI apiece.
Wichita State started the game just like game one by loading the bases in the top of the first. All three reached via walk, but the Shockers were only able to score one on an Epperson sac fly.
Tulsa responded with two runs in the bottom of the second to take its first lead of the day, 2-1.
A three-run third extended Tulsa's lead to 5-1.
After four quiet innings at the plate, Wichita State's bats finally came to life in the top of the sixth. An RBI groundout from
Brookelyn Livanec cut the deficit to 5-2 and then the first of two errors in the inning made it 5-3. The next batter,
Krystin Nelson, hit a sharp grounder to second that bounced off her glove and ended up rolling all the way to the right field wall, sending Nelson all the way around to score. The three runs on the play put Wichita State back in front, 6-5.
After an Eck bunt single, Lucas smoked an opposite field two-run homer over the wall in left to make it 8-5.
Tulsa put the pressure back on by scoring two more in the bottom of the sixth, cutting it to a one-run game, 8-7.
Wichita State added three more insurance runs in the top of the seventh on Hood's two-run homer and Tulsa's fifth error of the night.
Up Next
Wichita State and Tulsa wrap up the series Friday at 12 p.m. on ESPN+.
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