Wichita State (17-17-1, 5-6-1) at UAB (15-19, 5-7)
Friday, April 4 | 5:30 PM
Saturday, April 5 | 1:00 PM (DH)
Saturday, April 5 | 3:00 PM (DH)
Birmingham, Ala. | Mary Bowers Field
Video: ESPN+ 
Stats: Statbroadcast.com
 

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QUICK HITS
• Wichita State makes its first trip to Birmingham for a conference series against UAB, April 4-5. The two teams will now play a doubleheader on Saturday with inclement weather in the forecast for Sunday.
•  Wichita State is coming off a 1-1-1 weekend against South Florida. The Shockers and Bulls split the first two games only to see the rubber match end in a tie due to the drop-dead rule.
• The tie with South Florida is 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 seven home runs over her last 10 games. She's already set career highs in home runs (8) and RBIs (28) this season through 35 games.
• Lauren Lucas had a career-long 15-game hit streak snapped vs. USF on 3/30. Lucas is hitting .447 (17-for-38) in AAC play.
• Wichita State has faced the nation's 20th toughest schedule this season.
• 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 UAB
After the first month of conference play, UAB is 5-7 in the American and 15-19 overall. The Blazers own series wins over Tulsa and Memphis, while dropping 2-of-3 vs. South Florida and being swept by Florida Atlantic. Bella Wiggins ranks second in the AAC with a .430 batting average to go with 7 doubles, 4 triples, a home run and 12 RBIs. Lindsey Smith has 5 of the team's 14 home runs and a team-high 23 RBIs. Caroline McLendon leads the pitching staff in nearly every category. She is 7-6 in 20 appearances with a 3.74 ERA and 57 strikeouts in 93.2 innings. The Blazers rank 5th nationally in sac bunts, 11th in triples and 12th in triples per game.

SERIES HISTORY
The series between Wichita State and UAB started on Feb. 18, 2000 with a slim Wichita State 4-3 win on a neutral field. This will be Wichita State's first trip to Birmingham to face the Blazers.

LAST MEETING VS. THE BLAZERS
Wichita State took 2-of-3 from UAB last April in the first series as conference foes. The Blazers took the opening game of the series behind a 3-0 shutout. After recording just two hits on Friday, Wichita State bounced back to run-rule UAB in Game 2, 9-1, in 6 innings. Addison Barnard drove in five runs and homered twice to lead the charge. Sami Hood and Bailey Urban had two RBI apiece. Lauren Howell recorded the win behind 6.0 strong innings in the circle. In the finale, Wichita State blanked the Blazers, 5-0, behind 15 strikeouts from Chloe Barber. Taylor Sedlacek hit a two-run home run and CC Wong went 2-for-2 with a double, home run and three RBI.

LAST TIME OUT
Wichita State went 1-1-1 this past weekend vs. South Florida. The Shockers won the series opener, 9-4, behind home runs from Taylor Sedlacek and Camryn Compton. Ryley Nihart carried a no-hitter into the 5th with the Shockers on the brink of an 8-0 run-rule, but the Bulls scored three in the 5th to keep the game going. In Game 2, South Florida scored four runs in the Top of the 1st and never looked back in an 11-4 win to even the series. Ellee Eck had her first career multi-home run game, providing three of the four runs. In Sunday's rubber match, Wichita State grabbed a 5-2 lead in the 3rd behind a four-run frame. The Shockers would extend their lead to 7-2 in the 5th and carry that lead into the 7th inning. With South Florida down to its final out, the Bulls rallied to score five runs on a two-run and three-run game tying home run to tie the game at 7. Wichita State was unable to walk it off in the Bottom of the 7th, sending the game to extra innings, but due to drop-dead time so South Florida could catch its flight home, the game ended in a 7-7 tie.

STRAIGHT OUTTA COMPTON
Camryn Compton is playing the best softball of her career over her last 10 games. During that stretch she's hitting .323 (10-for-31) with 7 home runs, 20 RBIs, 12 runs scored and a slugging percentage of 1.032.

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 nine conference games, Scott is hitting .440 (11-for-25) with three doubles, a home run, nine runs scored and 11 RBIs. Brookelyn Livanec has taken a hold of the DP position since the start of conference play at Florida Atlantic. Through 12 AAC games, Livanec is hitting .343 (12-for-35) with a double, six runs scored and seven RBIs.

RPI - WEEK FIVE
Wichita State checked in at No. 52 in the fifth week of RPI rankings. The Shockers have already faced 10 teams in the Top 65, including No. 3 Texas A&M, No. 6 Florida State, No. 9 Oklahoma (twice), No. 19 Oklahoma State, No. 27 Florida Atlantic (Three times), No. 28 Nebraska, No. 30 Kentucky, No. 31 Liberty, No. 32 Missouri, No. 39 San Diego State, No. 42 South Florida (three times), No. 43 Texas State, No. 45 Grand Canyon, No. 53 North Texas (three times) and No. 61 Kansas. The Shockers still have games against No. 19 Oklahoma State, No. 47 Charlotte (three times) and No. 61 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 returns to Wilkins Stadium for a conference series with East Carolina, April 11-13.