SB On Deck: at South Florida (March 27-29)

SB Preview: at South Florida (March 27-29)

3/26/2026 12:30:00 PM

QUICK HITS
• Wichita State and South Florida battle in a key conference series for positioning in the league standings.
• Wichita State is just 3-7 all-time vs. the Bulls in Tampa and has never won a series against the Bulls on their home field.
• Wichita State is 7-3 over its last 10 games.
• Wichita State's midweek at Oklahoma State on March 10 was suspended until April 8 with the game in the bottom of the 7th with 1 out and the Shockers leading 8-3. The two teams will finish that game before starting the scheduled game on April 8.
• Wichita State had its 7-game win streak in the series finale vs. Florida Atlantic. Wichita State recorded its first-ever series win over the Owls.
• Freshman Kinzey Woody has 5 home runs this season. Her first 4 career home runs completed the home run cycle, hitting a solo HR, 2-R HR, 3-R HR and a grand slam. Her first career HR was a walk-off grand slam.
• Jade Sanders threw the program's 22nd no-hitter in the 8-0 run-rule win over Creighton on Feb. 21. It was the first no-hitter since Chloe Barber's 5-inning no-no on May 5, 2024.
• Ausha Moore ranks 17th nationally in on base percentage at .583.
• Moore is a two-time American Player of the Week, earning the weekly honor on March 2 and March 23.
• Wichita State ranks 24th nationally in fielding percentage (.975). The American has 3 teams in the Top 25 in fielding pct.: USF ranks 9th and FAU ranks 15th.
• Wichita State is scheduled to face eight NCAA Tournament teams from a year ago (Mississippi State, Arkansas, Clemson, Miami (OH), Oklahoma State, Florida Atlantic, South Florida, Oklahoma).
• Wichita State was picked to finish 3rd by the league's coaches in the 2026 American Conference Preseason Coaches Poll. Florida Atlantic received 8 first place votes and was picked to win the league. USF came in 2nd.
• Seven Shockers return in 2026, led by 2025 American Conference Co-Freshman of the Year, Ryley Nihart.
• Wichita State welcomes 14 newcomers into the fold in the way of seven transfers, two junior college transfers and five freshmen.

SCOUTING SOUTH FLORIDA
South Florida currently sits in a tie for 1st in the conference standings at 7-2 and 25-10 overall. Alex Wilkes leads the Bulls in most offensive categories: batting average (.394), doubles (11), home runs (8), RBIs (40), runs (27) and slugging percentage (.747), while only striking out nine times in 99 at bats. The pitching rotation is spread pretty evenly among five pitchers who have all logged at least 30.0 innings. Anne Long has thrown a team-high 58.1 innings and is 7-3 with a 2.04 ERA, 40 strikeouts and 24 walks.

SERIES HISTORY
The first-ever meeting between Wichita State and South Florida was on March 31, 1990. Three of the first four meetings were on a neutral field. The Shockers and Bulls have had their battles over the last few years, as the series is deadlocked at 13-13-1. Wichita State has struggled against the Bulls in Tampa, dropping seven of the 10 meetings. All three of Wichita State's run-rule victories over South Florida have come at Wilkins Stadium ('19, '21,' 23).

LAST MEETING VS. THE BULLS
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.

LAST TIME OUT
Wichita State is coming off a conference series win over Florida Atlantic. The Shockers claimed walk-off wins in the first two games, 3-2 and 10-8 (9), before the Owls avoided the sweep with a 2-1 win in the finale. In the opener, Wichita State scored all three of its runs on solo home runs from Kinzey Woody, Gabby Scott and the walk-off winning homer from Trinity Allen. In Game 2, Wichita State took an 8-3 lead into the top of the seventh only to see the Owls plate five runs to force extra innings. In the bottom of the ninth, freshman Mackenzie Rooney delivered the game-winning, walk-off two-run home run to claim the series. Five Shockers had multiple hits, including four from Woody and three from Ausha Moore. In the finale, Wichita State scored its only run in the first inning. Florida Atlantic took the lead in the top of the sixth and held on for a 2-1 win.

BRINGING THE WOOD(Y)
Freshman Kinzey Woody is coming off a scorching weekend series vs. Florida Atlantic. Woody was 8-for-10 with two home runs and three RBIs. She had a hit in eight straight at bats over the three games, going 3-for-3 in Game 1 and 4-for-4 in Game 2. After her stellar week, D1 Softball named Woody the Mid-Major Freshman of the Week. Through the first 9 conference games, Woody is hitting a team-high .536 (15-for-28) with 4 home runs and 10 RBIs.

HOME RUN CYCLE
Kinzey Woody has 5 home runs so far in her freshman season. The first 4 home runs of her career completed the home run cycle - hitting a walk-off grand slam for her first career home run on Feb. 21 vs. Creighton, a 3-run home run on March 13 vs. UAB, a 2-run home run on March 14 vs. UAB and finally a solo home run vs. FAU on March 20. Not a bad way to start your collegiate career.

AUSHA AGAIN
For a second time this season Ausha Moore was named the American Conference Player of the Week. Moore took home the weekly honor on March 23 after hitting .500 (8-for-16) in games against South Dakota State and Florida Atlantic. She had a pair of multi-home run games, including a grand slam against the Jackrabbits.

SEE YOU NEXT MONTH FOR A GAME AND TWO OUTS
Wichita State's midweek game at #21 Oklahoma State was suspended in the bottom of the 7th with one out due to weather. The Shockers were two outs away from recording a top 25 win until rain and lightning stopped the game. The two teams will complete the game on April 8 in Wichita with the Shockers leading 8-3 when the Cowgirls were already scheduled to play at Wichita State.

PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Ausha Moore picked up her first American Conference Player of the Week award on March 2. Moore crushed the ball at the Mizzou Invitational, going 8-for-10 with two doubles, three home runs, six runs scored and five RBIs over four games. It is the first POW for Wichita State this season. D1 Softball also tabbed Moore the Mid-Major Player of the Week.

RPI - WEEK THREE
Wichita State checked in at No. 61 in the third week of RPI rankings on March 23. The Shockers have already faced 11 teams in the Top 75, including No. 6 Arkansas, No. 13 Mississippi State, No. 19 Clemson, No. 21 Baylor, No. 28 Oklahoma State, No. 37 Kansas, No. 54 Florida Atlantic (three times), No. 57 Missouri, No. 58 Texas State, No. 67 East Carolina and No. 75 Miami (OH).The Shockers still have games against No. 9 Oklahoma, No. 28 Oklahoma State, No. 37 Kansas, No. 39 South Florida (three times) and No. 51 Charlotte (three times).

NO-NO
Jade Sanders tossed the program's 22nd no-hitter in the 8-0 run-rule win over Creighton on Feb. 21. Sanders struck out 10 and walked only two in 6.0 innings of work. Its the first no-hitter since Chloe Barber's on May 5, 2024 vs. Memphis. Sanders' 10 strikeouts are the most in a no-hit performance by a Wichita State pitcher since Margo Pruis struck out 13 in her no-hitter on March 11, 2006 vs. Northern Colorado.

GRAND FASHION
Wichita State freshman Kinzey Woody hit her first career home run - a walk-off grand slam - on Feb. 21 vs. Creighton. It was the first grand slam since Addison Barnard vs. Tulsa in the American Conference Championship on May 9, 2024 and the first walk-off home run since Barnard on April 20, 2024 vs. UAB.

TOUGH SLEDDING
Wichita State has never shied away from playing a tough schedule, and that is no different in 2026. The Shockers are scheduled to play six teams ranked or receiving votes in the Preseason NFCA Top 25: No. 3 Oklahoma, No. 9 Arkansas, No. 13 Clemson, No. 22 Mississippi State and No. 24 Oklahoma State. Florida Atlantic received votes.

COLLECTING THE ACCOLADES
The Shockers had a First-Team All-Conference honoree for the 12th consecutive season in 2025. Lauren Lucas earned First Team All-Conference honors this season. The streak began in 2013 with Erin Carney.

SOMETHING TO CHEW ON
Head Coach Kristi Bredbenner started a new tradition in 2021 to reward players who hit home runs. Instead of a normal high-five for her players as they round the bases, Bredbenner began tossing a piece of Hi-Chew candy to her home run hitters. Former Shocker Madyson Espinosa should be credited for introducing the chewy candy to Coach B at the first tournament of the season down in Conroe, Texas, and thus a new tradition was born. The tradition enters season No. 5 in 2025, so be on the lookout for flying candy.

THE BRED-WINNER
Kristi Bredbenner is the longest tenured head coach in Wichita State softball history, which has resulted in 431 wins in 15 seasons. Bredbenner has the second-highest winning percentage in school history (.574) behind current Florida softball coach Tim Walton. She is Wichita State's all-time wins leader after surpassing Jim Maynard on April 24, 2022.

UP NEXT
Wichita State has a quick turnaround after returning from Tampa with a Tuesday night matchup at No. 4 Oklahoma.

Print Friendly Version

Wichita State Athletics

Events

SB Preview: at South Florida (March 27-29)