Softball | 5/2/2026 5:30:00 PM

By Paul Suellentrop
 
Wichita State faced four weekends of must-win softball and handled that task to perfection. On Saturday, the Shockers celebrated win No. 14, sweep No. 4 and a share of the American Conference regular-season title at Wilkins Stadium.
 
Finishing kicks, completed by Saturday's 10-5 win over Memphis, do not get much more convincing than that. The Shockers operated with no margin for error since early April.
 
No problem, even for a team with 14 newcomers and replacing six of its top eight hitters from 2025. The Shockers won 14 straight conference games to keep pace with the American Conference leaders. They won those games by an average of six runs, recorded three run-rule wins and trailed in the sixth inning or later once.
 
The reward for that hot streak came on Saturday in front of softball alums filling the left field deck and more fans packing the bleachers and deck in right field. For the second time in its 29-season history, Wilkins Stadium hosted a conference title celebration.
 
Ausha Moore doubled and hit her 22^nd home run, tied for third on WSU's season list. Mackenzie Rooney drove in two runs with a home run and two more with a fifth-inning single for a 7-5 lead. Jodie Epperson doubled as part of a 3-for-4 day.
 
 

B5 | MEM 5, WSU 7

Big Mack for the lead!@Mackenzie_2025 drives in 2 on a single through the right side. pic.twitter.com/95YTj7nYAv

— Wichita State Softball (@GoShockersSB) May 2, 2026

 
 
Jade Sanders allowed one run in 2 2/3 relief innings to limit the rally by Memphis (18-38, 6-21 American).
 
Wichita State (35-16, 21-6) is the second seed in the American Championship and will play at 2:30 p.m., Friday in the semifinals in Greenville, N.C. USF is the top seed by virtue of a series win over the Shockers and plays Friday.
 
WSU stood 7-6 in the conference and on a three-game losing streak on April 2 after an 11-10 loss to Tulsa at Wilkins Stadium. The Shockers won the next two games in the series and followed with sweeps of UTSA, Charlotte, North Texas and Memphis. They went 15-1 during that stretch overall by splitting two non-conference games.
 
Wichita State moved into a three-way tie with USF and North Texas on April 19 after winning eight straight conference games. While North Texas faded, the Shockers matched USF (40-15, 21-6), which won its final seven conference games to stay in first.
 
Saturday marked WSU's fifth regular-season conference title and third in the American. The Shockers clinched in 2023 on the road and during an off week in 2021. In 2016, WSU won the Missouri Valley Conference title at home with a 5-4 win over Southern Illinois. It won the 2014 MVC title with a doubleheader sweep at Illinois State.
 
 

Buckle up baby, we're goin' for a riiiiiidddeee 🚀

No. 22 of the season for the conference leader.@aushamoore | ESPN+ pic.twitter.com/r3et3Erckh

— Wichita State Softball (@GoShockersSB) May 2, 2026

Paul Suellentrop writes about Wichita State athletics for university Strategic Communications. Story suggestion? Contact him at paul.suellentrop@wichita.edu.
 
Season tickets are on sale now, and season ticket renewals are available as well. To purchase, visit GoShockers.com/Tickets, dial 316-978-FANS (3267) or stop by the Shocker Ticket Office, located inside Charles Koch Arena, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.