Kansas City (5-32, 1-11) at Wichita State (23-21-1, 11-9-1)
Tuesday, April 22 | 2:00 PM
Wichita, Kan. | Wilkins Stadium
Video: ESPN+ 
Stats: Statbroadcast.com
 

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Promotions
2 for 1 Tuesday: GA tickets are two-for-the-price-of-one!
$2 Concessions: Candy & small popcorns are only $2!

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QUICK HITS
• Wichita State opens a five-game homestand with a Tuesday afternoon matchup with Kansas City at 2 p.m.
•  Wichita State is coming off a 2-1 weekend at Tulsa. The Shockers now have five 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 nine home runs over her last 20 games. She's already set career highs in home runs (10) and RBIs (34) this season through 40 games.
• Lauren Lucas leads the American in on base percentage.
• Taylor Sedlacek leads the American in doubles and doubles per game.
• Ellee Eck's 19 stolen bases are T-4th on the single season list.
• 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 KANSAS CITY
Led by third-year head coach Kiki Stokes O'Connor, Kansas City is 5-32 and 1-11 in the Summit League entering the matchup Tuesday. The Roos snapped a 13-game losing streak their last time out, recording a win over Western Illinois. As a team, Kansas City ranks among the worst in the country in batting average, hits, ERA, RBIs, scoring, slugging percentage, strikeout-to-walk ratio, total runs and WHIP. They have just two players hitting above .300: Katie Noble and Grace Batdorf both at .304. Batdorf leads the team in doubles (6), home runs (3) and RBIs (11). In the circle, the Roos sport a 7.15 ERA and have more than twice as many walks (152) than strikeouts (61).

SERIES HISTORY
Wichita State holds a commanding 41-9 lead in the all-time series with Kansas City, formerly UMKC. The series dates back to 1993 with the Shockers winning the first five meetings. Wichita State has won nine straight over the Roos. KC hasn't beat Wichita State since 2013.

LAST MEETING VS. THE ROOS
Wichita State won both meetings vs. Kansas City at the 2022 Mizuno Classic in Stillwater. After run-ruling the Roos 16-2 on March 18, the Shockers came back the next day and finished off Kansas City, 10-5. The Shockers trailed 4-3 entering the 5th inning, but a 5-run bottom of the 5th put Wichita State in front for good. Wichita State hit five home runs in the game and Sydney McKinney was a perfect 4-for-4 with a double, home run and two RBIs. Neleigh Herring and Lauren Lucas hit back-to-back home runs in the 6th for the icing on the cake.

LAST TIME OUT
Wichita State went 2-1 vs. Tulsa last weekend, taking the first two games by scores of 10-0 (5) and 11-7 before falling in the finale, 5-2. The shutout in the opener was just the second of the season and first since the opening weekend of the season when Wichita State blanked Colgate, 6-0. The Shockers won the series opener behind a two-home run game from Ellee Eck and a complete game shutout in the circle from Ryley Nihart. In Game 2, Wichita State erased a 5-1 deficit behind a 7-run 6th inning. Helped by five Tulsa errors and home runs from Lauren Lucas and Sami Hood, the Shockers picked up a doubleheader sweep of the Hurricane on Thursday. Looking for its first conference sweep of the season, Wichita State's bats fell silent in the finale. The Shockers jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the 1st inning on Camryn Compton's 2-run home run, but Wichita State would manage just one hit over the final 6 innings.

STRAIGHT OUTTA COMPTON
Camryn Compton is playing the best softball of her career over her last 20 games. During that stretch she's hitting .311 (19-for-61) with 9 home runs, 26 RBIs, 19 runs scored and a slugging percentage of .787.

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 18 conference games, Scott is hitting .275 (14-for-51) with three doubles, a home run, 11 runs scored and 14 RBIs. Brookelyn Livanec has taken a hold of the DP position since the start of conference play at Florida Atlantic. Through 20 AAC games, Livanec is hitting .333 (19-for-47) with three doubles, nine runs scored and nine RBIs.

RPI AT A GLANCE
Wichita State checked in at No. 57 in this week's RPI rankings. The Shockers have already faced 15 teams in the Top 70, including No. 1 Texas A&M, No. 3 Florida State, No. 9 Oklahoma (twice), No. 16 Oklahoma State (twice), No. 25 Nebraska, No. 26 Florida Atlantic (three times), No. 28 Grand Canyon, No. 30 Missouri, No. 32 Liberty, No. 33 Kentucky, No. 38 San Diego State, No. 41 South Florida (three times), No. 45 North Texas (three times), No. 48 Texas State and No. 69 Kansas. The Shockers still have games against No. 49 Charlotte (three times) and No. 69 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 hosts Charlotte for senior weekend, April 25-27 at Wilkins Stadium.